Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-31
WREATHS UPON SOD.
Memorial Day Was Observed by the
Old Soldiers and Citizens.
WORTHY TRIBUTES TO THE DEAD.
Private DalzelI and other Orators Make
Stirring Speeches.
SCENES In THE VARIOUS CEMETERIES

There is much that will remain unwritten
about Memorial Day. The DISPATCH
and other journals will record the general
events of the day. 1t is comparatively easy
10 describe the professions of veterans, re-
mort the orations delivered in the various
cemeteries, and tell OF the fragrant heaps. OF
flowers and starry stacks of flags laid upon
the graves of fallen heroes. That all forms
the pomp and show of the day.
But where is the eye that was able to see
into the heart of the mothers of those
slaughtered braves and coldly report back
thu dimensions Of re-opened wounds?
Where was the pen cruel enough to pene-
trate the sacred feelings ofgriefwhich many
widows sad memories called up? How
many white-haired fathers retired last night
with the same aching void which the mes
sage Of death caused in war times? Lost
sons, lost husbands, lost fathers their
faces all vividly repictured once a year
on Memorial Day. To some the
awakened visions brought anguish. to
others they were like the echo of pain. To
tenderly veil all such feelings was the act
of charity. The real mission Of the day
was to honor the martyred dead and sing Of
their deeds
AT ALLEGHENY CEMETERY.
In every respect yesterdays celebration
was q success. All the ceremonies and pa
rades in the city were over by noon, con-
seouently the rain of the latter part of the
day did not interfere with the programmes.
The Grand Army of the Republic never
managed the affair better. The veterans,
still fewer and fewer, looked brighter, hap
pier and more majestic than they did last
wear. Too much credit cannot be given the
committees.
Many thousands assembled in the Alle-
ghenv Cemetery, where the principal cere-
monies of the day were held. The line of
parade was formed in Lawrenceville. At
the cemetery Mrs. j. Sharpe Mcdonald,
Mrs. j. h. Harrison and Messrs. Alexander
and Horner sang the beautiful song, "Tent-
ing on the Old Camp Ground" Then fol-
lowed the decoration of the graves according
to the Grand Army formula.
Rev. T. J. Riley delivered the Grafton.
Among other things he said:
Ny countTymen, what does this gathering at
this hour mean? You come with opening rose
and budding flower to place upon the green
mounds where dust now lies. 1t means world
of memories, a world of heroic deeds; calls
back world of sorrows, replenishing the ocean
OF tears ana vet we 1eel certain I1dI OURS 0lQ
not die in vain. But few men of to-day know
what it is to offer their lives on the countrys
altar.
If YOU were called upon to offer thy life. how
many would come from the North. East, South
and West, to stand under the old flag? Con-
scious of principle of right, purity of motive,
uuselfshness of her genius, she never could be
put to rout nation. A nation asks much of
her citizens. She asks you to give up home,
wealth. happiness and health and to drag your
self not dead but half alive, through years of
pain and suffering. until in a hopeless, helpless
condition you move to the camping grounds
beyond. Our soldier boys did that, and that is
why we are here with uncovered heads and
blooming flowers.
The choir then sang Crest, Soldier,
Rest, which concluded the service.
PRIVATE DALzELL's GRAFTON.
Another large audience gathered in the
Uniondale Cemetery, Allegheny, where the
programme as published in THE DISPATCH
oeNesterday was carried out in detail. Hon.
NH~( (Private) DalEell, of Caldwell, Ohio,
wax the orator OF the day, and he spoke as
follows:
For this opportunity Of speaking in my native
city am profoundly thankful to the committee
at whose summons l appear. 1t is oppor-
tunity of responsibility and honor beyond my
power to adequately meet as it should be met.
This day of flowers and tears and sad recollec-
tlons, the day of glory to the dead who gave
government of the people, and by the people,
might not perish from the earth, demands the
highest genius and tenderest heart and the
most eloquent tongue to do its sacred cere-
monies fitting honor. Never but once in the
history of the day we celebrate, never but
once have all the high and solemn demands of
the occasion been fully met, and that was five
years before Logan's formal and otticial
Abraham Lincoln on the bloody sod of Gettys-
burg rose amid its patriot graves, tall, solemn
and majestic, and on that mount of sacrifice
uttered the speech which is one of the few
speeches that cannot die.
Nothing so affects mankind as the untimely
death Of brave young men. But alas, how
changed is the scene when their old comrades
who survived them are called TO 90. l fear 100
often the world is glad to see them go. some
times think the old soldier has stayed longer
than he is wanted, and outlived the love and
gratitude of the people.
THE PENSION QUESTION,
When Ellsworth fell. his bleeding body was
gently carried into the White House and lay in
state in the East Room with Abraham Lincoln
as chief mourner, until a few days later it was
escorted to his old home at Mechanicsville, N.
Y, and buried with all the honors of war
Contrast this now with funeral at the poor
house or Soldiers Home. During the war, be-
fore our boys had the chalice Of msrtyrdom
pressed to their beautiful lips, how the nation
delighted to honor them everywhere. There
was no growing then because of the pension
list Nobody then was mean enough to ask if
they wanted the whole earth,' as they marched
away to fight and die for their country. The
people promised them pensions and bounties if
they lived and praise forever if they died. The
latter debt is SO easy to pay-a few flowers, a
few songs, few words that the nationis keep
ing that part of the promise. 1t is easier TO
deal out flowers to the dead than -four to the
living. Our gratitude to the dead is best shown
by doing our whole duty to the living
IF this be laurels for my brow,
Let me have them now
Whilst am alive to wear them"
Be silent in the presence Of their graves, ye
miserable demagogues, who object that it will
take too much money to pension US all. Be-
gone, profane these hallOwed precincts no
longer. Your presence is a pestilence. Be
who mounted to wealth and power on the
shoulders Of our dead boys in blue, and who
shed their blood to save your own. Be SILENT
lest God smite you with curse, when we de-
mand the repeal of the rascally and dishonest
Limitation on the arrears bill. For very shame
cover your heads and begone We grasping
mean and m1serly pack Of towards and blood
suckers, who made all your wealth out of the
war and now have the brazen effrontery to
prate about the money it will take to pay the
debt you owe us. Our pensions are as sacred
as your bonds, and by the eternal if You re-
pudiate our pensions we will repudiate your
bonds
AN INCIDENT RECALLED.
Il is a singular fact that the first memorial
address, and the model of all yet ever delivered
above the graves of our heroic dead was de-
Ivered on the greatest battlefield Of the war
by a civilian and not by a soldier. This seems
10 me suggestive of the duty of the people for
all time to come. No greater mistake can be
made than that this day belongs exclusively to
the Grand Army of the Republic. 1t is of much
broader and grander significance. 1t belongs
TO the nation. The Grand Army of the Re
nnbIic Is swiftly passing to the grave. In a
Few wears more we shall all rest in the dust
Ard uhen we are gone then the pious task We