San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-05-30
Only SIS a Year.

And now you come to lay the floral tribute
in honor of the soldier who died, and IL is
meet. but there was as much patriotism and
bravery among the women as the men. Who
was 1t unused 10 severe toll, that spun and
knit and lived plainly and cheaply in order
that nice little things might be gathered to
send the boys in the teld? IL there is any
place where one would he apt to find an over
weening supply of pure, disinterested patriot
ism. il is IN the hearts of the American wO-
men. God b ess them when they helped the
soldiers and Col bless them for their tributes
today. All over this fair land, from the ST.
Lawrence TO the Rio Grande and from the
Atlantic TO the Pacific, today, American wo-
men are making white the graves of the SOL
diers with their floral offerings, and in their
hearts they thank God that this opportunity
of thus showing their homage is given to
them.
Beauty was ever lavish in Its tribute to
bravery.
But now while we are gathered here to do
honor to those brave dead, who took part IN
that long, fierce struggle, il is but just to their
memory that we turn our thoughts TO the re-
suits that grew out of that struggle.
Have we, as a nation, been the gamer or
loser for all the sacrifices made by the heroic
men and women of our land of % years ago?
The result of that war Is that the Nation Is
a unit.
just picture to yourself the possible conse-
quence of different result OF that war. We
would have had two nations, antagonistic, jeal-
uus and constantly menacing each other.
The life of both taxed to their utmost to
to prevent incursions and raids. All their
interests antagonIstic, and instead of one
great nation containing nothing but freemen,
and capable solely by its great magnitude, of
bidding defiance to the world. we would have
two struggling nations, one, half slaves, bur
dened by immense standing armies and
navies, holding the same position that
France and Germany now occupy towards
each other.
Instead Of the possibility of happy home
for every man, the conscript law would be an
oC
Europe.
Then each southern state, with its right to-.
secede at will. fully established, would, upon
slight cause, set up for itself, and instead OF
one great republic we would long ere this.
have seen the south divided and subdivided
against itself, and internecine wars would
have ravaged the country.
European powers would have been only too
glad to foster and encourage strife between
the sections, and the result would have been
sinp!y appalling. But as 1t is, our soldier
heroes died not in vain.
Our country is now the grandest, greatest
and freest on the face of the earth. The black
curse of slavery no longer is stain upon
its bright escutcheon. Every man is secure
dered by the war. happily for us ALL
are among the things OF the past. Only
among the politicians are they thought of,
and that only for the effect they may have
upon the least advanced of our people. Be-
tween individuals, the part that any one took
in the war is not recOned in the estimation of
sectional prejudice that was the great curse
of the south, is last passing away. A little of
1t fingers with the statesmen who stayed at
home, but the soldiers of the fed will not
tolerate it today.
1t has been demonstrated to the old, Jealous
monarches of Europe that republic can live
full century and has the inherent power to
settle its own difficulties and at the same time
protect from monarchical greed its neigh
boring sister republic
We have great country, ruled by the voice
"a n n mr. N n ms N cor Il ha-
long here and you there. 1t is all ours.
We have the same right 10 live today
in Maine without change. of opin-
and the man who makes his living now on the
bleak and barren rocks of New England. has
perfect right to come mere and enjoy our gen.
erOus country to the fullest extent.
Indeed our heroes died not in vain, and so
long as we live, and our children 1--we, yea SO
long as men read books and take an interest in
the events of the past will the memory of the
heroes who gave up their lives in that memoir
able four years struggle be held green in all
hearts not poisoned by prejudice and hate
and yet capable OF doing honor and justice to
bravery and devotion to principle.
As the obscuring hand of death has effaced
the differences between the brave men of
twenty five years ago who arrayed themselves
against each other wearing the Blue and the
Gray, and who now rest quietly under the sod,
so let the healing hand of time and the sooth-
ing touch of eXper ence clear from the minds
OF each and all or us, the last trace of animosi-
ty yet remaining with us towards those who
thought differently from us and who backed
their opinions by daring to offer their lives for
the cause they advocated
The man who can nurse his animosity for
twenty-five years is little less than a bigot
and deserves our pity for his malady, and on
this dav wnen all our country is engage ed in
mourning for the loss of its brave dead, and
in endeavorng by strewing their graves with
flowers to let natures blossoms for the time
cover the weeds of woe, ii is our duty as well
as our privilege to extend the hand of fellow
ship to each other and make common cause in
our sorrow for the Nations loss of so many of
its gallant sons, and in our joy at the pros
perity of our country, beyond that of any on
the face of the earth.
Let us together mourn and together rejoice,
feeling that we are alike children of the great
est nation the sun ever shOne upon.
After this speech came music by the Union
band and then the decoration of the graves
was gone through with, and a return to the
city was made and the procession disbapded.
NOTES.
On the speakers platform were General
Stanley, Adjutant-General Col. Martin and
Gen. c. H Smith. Q S. A, E. H. Bacon and
W. H: johnson, G. A. r.. Col. J. S. Ford, G. ",
The Belknap Rifles fred three volleys as
taps were sounded by the bugler.
Among the graves decorated were those of
Hon. G, Schleicher and others.
A great many of the families of the deceased
confederate soldiers saw that their graves
were not forgotten: These, of course, were
not found in the National Cemetery, but in
the cemeteries adjoining.
The celebration occurred without any un-
toward event marring the occasion.
After returning to the city the fire CON-
panies and the G. A. r. visited San Pedro
| park, where they were entertained by Colonel
Kerble.
Hook and ladder company stopped at Tur-
| ner hall with Mr.. Duck Rische, to celebrate
with him his END birthday and his engage
ment.