Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-06-12
Memorial Day.
ADDRESS BY GEN. rHos. L. RossER.

Confederate soldiers cemetery, were Observer
and there were many more present than hae
been anticipated as so little had been sale
about it beforehand. These fallen braves hav'
q dear place in the hearts of our people. ane
they delight in paying honor and floral trio
utes to their memory, and no special appeal II
needed to induce them to give portion OF
day to that sacred duty-the generous prompt
ings of their own hearts being all that is neces
sary to the willing and heartfelt performance
Of 1t. The procession was formed on Mafr
street. near the Operations and, under tint
Chief Marshal and his assistant Marshals
marched to the Confederate Soldiers Gene
terry in the following order;-
Stonewall Brigade Band.
Staunton Artillery.
Carriages containing Speaker and invited
guests and officers of Augusta Memorial Asso
citation.
Augusta Association of Confederate survivors
Other Confederate veterans.
Sons of Confederate veterans.
Citizens in carriages and on horseback.
Citizens on foot.
Mr.. s. E. Miller, of this city, native o
South Carolina. bore in the procession q Pal
metto Flag.
After all had been assembled around the
canopy occupied by the orator OF the day ane
other participants in the ceremonies. Col. j.
D. Lilley announced that the exercises woult
be opened with prayer by Rev. FL. Ell. Halves
D. D.,whereupon DR.. Halves delivered devou
and earnest and appropriate prayer.
Then there was music by the Stonewal
Brigade Band. During this interval. Mr.
Jacob Houseman, of this county, was escorted
to a seat on the speakers stand. At the Rrst
In Of Now hn xuOc G q large
minnie ball, which he still has. and also the
handkerchief which he had in his breeches'
pocket atthe time, through which the minnie
ball made fifty-thfee holes.
When the music ceased, Capt. John N. Opis
handsomely introduced the orator of the day
substan TALLY as follows:-
In 1861, a young man graduated at West
Point and linked his destiny with the South
ern Confederacy. He entered the Washington
Artillery of New Orleans as a Lieutenant
When Gen. Lee surrendered at Appomattox
four years Afterwards, the young Lieutenant
had, by his ability and gallantry, attained the
rank of Major General of Cavalry. He has
been, in war and in peace, ever true and loyal
to the South-true to her traditions-loyaI to
her people. He has the courage, independence.
and manliness to defend the Lost Cause
whenever and wherever 1t is assailed, and. at
the same time, he is loyal and obedient to the
and laws of our common country.
Introduce to you Gen. Thos. L. Rosser.
Gen. Rosser then delivered in good style, the
following able and eloquent address -
GEN. THoS. L. ROssER'S ADDRESS.
1.-THE evil which men do lives after them,
The good is often inferred with their bones"
We adore that which is great, that which is
hoo MT and that which iS good. These Quail
tiles address themselves to the highest in
stincts and capabilities of cur nature. for our
coarser passions never rise 70 the hign planes
We have not come here to-day with trailing
arms and muffied drums to break the silence
of this peaceful and beautiful bivouac of the
dead to bring to it another tepant-it is dnish-
ed. A quarter of century has passed since
ave stood beside them as they lowered
Their bodies in the ground;
And heard the grating of the cord.
The falling clods resound.
And saw their comrades near them stand,
The parting looks they gave.
And heard the voice of low command
The volley DER the grave"
But few of you here present remember the
under which these, our COM
rades, passed out of active life into the silence
and darkness of the tomb. This entire State
was q military encampment then, and every
house was hospital, every man was soldier,
and every woman u nurse. w DIT WAS tueu IEo
only avocation of man, and the red tempest of
battle swept through these valleys and over
these hills with all its wild terrors unclaimed.
and spurred on by fury's mad deirium. On
the plains of Manassas, on the fields of Sharps-
burg, Fredericksburg and Gettysburg the Wild
erness. in the swamps or the Chickahominy,
along the banks of the James and the Apo
mattox, these gallant men
"Leaped to victory's red embrace,
Heard Fame's thunderS wake,
And saw Hopes dazzling promise break
In smiles on Glory's face"
The history OF people is written on the
in their graveyards. and on the
walls of their monuments and their temples.
You may enter city and not be able to speak
or read the language of its Inhabitants, and
their booksa and newspapers may contain moth
ing more Ineligible than mere hieroglyphics,
yet you can read their history and measure
their grandeur in their monuments which
they have raised to genius and to patriotism,
whether portrayed In emblems of peace or
war. Their temples of Divine Worship, their
temples of Justice, their Monumental col
umns, their care of their dead. all of these un-
fold their history and show the degree Of civ
ilization to which they have attained. These
are also evidences OF their love and esteem for
the great and good men who devoted their
lives to their service. In London the silent
lips of bronze and stone tell you that yelling
ton, Nelson, Pitt. Peel, and other patriots
ment and glory of England. In Paris you read
the glory Of France In her monuments, her
TEMPLES ana ner bGLnDS. In tNukSIA, IN austria,
in Italy, in Turkey, and indeed everywhere
from the graceful and delicately chiselled
works Of art which decorate the
cities of the world today, to The rude Barrows
and Tumuli of prehistoric man, the history of
the human race is written and the grandeur
of its achievements Is proclaimed.
Here in America we have our monuments
both specific and allegorical, addressed to Art,
Literature, Philosophy, Religion, and
symbolizing the events and spirit
of the different periods of our political life and
Colonial days-the struggle for
ndependence,-the March of Empire,-Our
Western Conquests and National development
ell along the line of our great
patriots in peace and wal, who led or counseled
u.s. Our glorious Washington, Virsinias
greatest son and the Nations honored sire.
stands at the apex of human grandeur and
perfection. We love our Wayne and our Put
nam, our Scott and our Taylor, and other he
roes who gave us victory on land; we love and
honor the memory of our Barry, Paul Jones,
Perry, McDonough, Decatur, and other gallant
sailors who gave us victory upon the seas. We
bow in reverence to the wisdom and justice
which outlined the character of our Marshall
and our fancy, who sat as Gods on the throne
of Justice. We glory in the fire and flame
which burst from the patriotic soul of our Pat
rick Henry; we revere the wisdom and philOS-
ophy of our immortal Thomas Jefferson and
are inspired by the eloQuence of our glorious
Clay our profound Webster and our heroic and
splendid Calhoun; all of these are stars of the
first magnitude, OF great brightness and beau.
ty. The names and memories of these iIlustri-
Gus heroes thrill the patriotic hearts of CoIum.
bias sons and daughters every where whether
in "our revels, our sports or cur wiies" or
whether midst our sorrows and our cares they
cheer and freshen our dropping and weary
lives.
The proud father. while betowlpg the part.
ing blessing upon his hopeful son as he leaves
the old homestead to embark upon life's I'M
tried and troubled sea, points with pathetic
pride to the example of these great Americans
as the star and compass by which in Gods
name he hopes his child may be guided
through his periious voyage. The fond, pious
mother, as she impresses the parting kiss upon
the brow of her dear boy as he sets out on LIES
perilous march, points with pride and chris
tian hope to these great exemplars with the
prayer that his life may be modelled upon
theirs, and devoted to the service of his coun-
try his God and Truth. day. as we dwell
upon the memory of these great and good and
patriotic men, we feel the touch of immortali-
ty upon our soul, and we draw nearer to God.
This grand procession of American heroes is
still moving on, climbing higher and higher
the path of Fame, and shedding upon the dull
world below a brighter, better and more en-
during hope. But as we gaze upon this beau
tifr1l and brilliant spectrum of human virtue
reaching as the bow of promise from earth to
heaven we shudder as we behold dark shad-
ows falling upon it which mutilate the face Of
our lovely vision.
We are here to-day to ask in Gods name that
these clouds may soon pass away. Each one o.
these dear little mounds around us is an altar
unon which We propose to-day to offer up tt