Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1889-03-15
Published by Request.
ADDRESS
Delivered by Rev L. r. Mason at Decora-
tIon Of Soldiers Graves June 2, 1888.

| l..
tIon Of Soldiers Graves June 2, 1888.
Fellow Citizens, Comrades in Gray
and Ladies, who grace this occasion
by your presence,-I AIN not here to-
day from choice, but because | am
asked. | am here to fill the part as
signed to me that you may more read
ity excuse any failure you may mark
in filling up the measure of that part.
There are personal difficulties. First,
difficulties rising from the fact that
since your committee called on me |
have had to average more than one
speech each day. Again, difficulties
arising from the fact that aprophet has
no honor in his own country, &c. You
ought to have had an orator from
distance, for distance ever lends en-
chantment to the view Look at yon
! mountains and learn what that means.
As the sun sets upon them and seen
through the medium of 10 miles of at
mospheric air, their natural rugged
ness is hidden and they are lighted
with a glory not all inherent in them
selves. So an orator whose voice less
familiar would have many an ilnper-
lection in style, matter and manner
hidden and be clothed in your eyes
with halo due partly to the medium
of reputation won on distant arena
not wholly to personal merit. But
am not going to give myself away by
admitting | am not the peer of any
orator in all the land, or that fatigue
in any measure impairs on this occa-
sion my gifts of eloquence, &c.
Ionly mention these difficulties that
you may not too much blame your
Committee Of Arrangements for not
doing better by you. Remember that
if they could not doall they cOuld, like
sensible men they did the best they
could. And, if again | do not reach
the measure of what you might expect
to-day, perhaps it's only because the
element of distance is lacking to give
enchantment to the view.
Another difficulty is that the subject
is so general and large. Things larg-
est and most popular in themselves do
not always furnish most fruitful themes
for thought or speech. So some OF
the poets-in which these hills so free
ly abound-would find if you asked
them to write poem on Liberty
so some OF your scientists will tell you
if requested to write an interesting
essay on Space your politicians if
they attempted an Grafton on the
American Eagle So, you see on
this occasion, which happens year
after year there is largeness in the
field which tempts the orator TO vague
ness; and a threadbareness in the
subject which make it hard to fill up
the well-worn warp with such woof as
may give it new beauty and interest.
Then there is a dange. Danger at
such times of stirring up strife and
saying words to reopen old wounds
and keep alive feelings Of sectional
jealousy and hatred. Better than
that 'twould be 10 stop the mouth Of
every decoration-day orator-aye,
better close the gates of soldiers Gem
eteries over all the land, better throw
down the monuments and head-stones
and plow level all the graves, than let
them stand al objects to estrange our
people from each other and keep alive
those feelings Of distrust, hatred and
suspicion that turn our world into a
He'll. long and pray for harmony
and good-feeling, not only between
the sections once at war, but between
every race and class in the compre
hensive embrace of this broad land.
| would like TO see every conflict of
interests, c. g.: between labor and
capital, between high-tariff and free
trade, &C., adjusted on terms that are
fair to all; TO see every gulf between
citizen and citizen bridged over and
peace and harmony prevail: Forbid
it, then, that | should say word TO
stir up strife.
Yet there is another danger-oi say
ing words of sham and bosh; profession
of views which your hearts do not
hold; confession of Sins you know you
never committed, and all TO smooth
the path to safety, prosperity or posi-
ton, {. g.: what many a man did just
after the war, TO make fair weather
in stormy times; what many a poiiti-
clan is doing to-day TO raise himself
into prominence and place. Let Us
avoid that to-day. | say today am
not ready TO confess myself vile, un
grateful traitor against some vague
abstraction; some shadowy figure la
belled Best Government in the
World" and clothed in supposed au-
thority to say to every citizen through
out the land Go, and he goeth, do
this, and he doeth il, &c.
] want TO say that such figure no
more represents true idea of govern
ment than does the personal will of
autocratic Car, Khedive or despot;
that its as true an object of reverence
and worship as was the image of '.Di-
ana ofthe Ephesians," who fell down
from Jupitern-not one whit more,
When a man talks about govern
ment in that way, either it's mere
sentimental bosh, or the real figure
which lives and breathes beneath
those shadowy robes Is the form and