Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-05-31
ROHRBAUGH SPEAKS AT MT. HOPE.

Special Dispatch to the Daily Eagle.
Mt. HOPE, Kan, May 30.-Decoration
day memorial service was celebrated here
as usual, and the city was full of people.
| The exercises were under the supervision
Of the Gilbert Post G. A. R., assisted by
the W. r. G. and S. of Y. Their service
was very impressive and was listened to
with marked attention and interest. The
music was by the Mt. Hope glee club, and
under the leadership of DR.. Potter, which
always insures success. 1t was well Sc
lected and exceptionally fine. We heard
many comments on it and especially their
rendering of Cover Them Over" at the
'Graves Of the Unknown Dead"
The most interesting part of the days
exercises was the Grafton by p. A. Rohr-
baugh. His best sentences brought many
bursts of applause, and a profusion of
tears, as the scenes of the past were so
wildly pictured to the minds of the vet
Grams in blue. Among other things the
| speaker said:
The recollections of this hour, carries
| many of us back to the stormy scenes of
unrest: which like an ugly storm cloud
! swept across the national horizon, follow
| ed by the awful cyclone of war; grateful,
| nation throughout this broad land today
worships at the shrine of its heroes dead
| and bending drops the tear OF sympathy,
they scatter the floral wealth of young
| springtime, on their last resting place.
| We come among the music of laughing
May, the babbie of silvery brooks, the war
bic of golden throated songsters, and
bright blooming flowers, on this carpet of
green; and in the very eXuberance of life,
we pause sadly to think Of the loved ones
that have fallen.
IT'S a day of memories. Memories of
the oppression of our fathers; of their
patriotlsni; their spirit of freedom; their
devotion 10 the principles of civil and re-
Ggicus liberty. For these they pledged
their lives, their fortunes and their sacred
honoJs, with all appeal to God for the rec
titude cf their intentions. Memories of
their stru ggles, their triumphs; upon this
corner stcLe Liberty" they built wiser
than Trey knew. The most beautiful, the
mentsl The wonder of admiring nations!
Yet in the very dawn of liberty's morn,
they forged the shackle that was destined
70 enslaye a nation. The deep mutterings
OF discomfort betokened the coming
storm, the dark war cloud gathered
afresh. but this time it is the bitter fued
between the children Of one great family,
caused the civilized world to stand aghast,
the great American family was torn
asunder; some of her sons marching to
the front bearing aloft the standard of
stars, others sorrowfully kissed the dear
old flag and went away with fearful eyes
and aching hearts; feeling that their
brothers no longer wanted them at home
went away TO pluck the stars from the
azures field. This was not a war
of agrandizement of self, no Napoleon,
no Caesar no Alexander was here leading
armies OF empire to vast possession for
worldly applause. This was war of
ideas, supported on either side by the hon
est patriotism of men who believed they
We're right. Every soldier was king, and
without murmur laid down their lives
for their convictions. How sorely the
tempest ragged, how dark the inky gloom
which obscured the sunlight of liberty.
The old ship of state rocked and trembled
in the awful shock of battle. But seel
She rights herself, through the strength of
her timbers and the courage of her crew.
she rides safely the rocking pillows. The
gloom of the storm of battle is breaking
away And again in the brighter rays of
liberty's sunlight she rides safely into the
harbor, amidst the clapping of hands and
the eXultant shouts OF the nations; God
triumphed And the two great streams Of
discordant views, of liberty and eternal
justice on the north and the struggle for
slavery and the money power growing out
of slavery in the south, represented by the
two great armies struggling to be one,
like discordant strains of music at last
united make one grand anthem OIL
harmony. This has crystalized into unity
of purpose, unity of spirit, out of il has
grown the majestic brotherhood of man.
The grand onward march of national
civilization. power and influence, it has
broken the shackles from the strong arm
of ideas and loosed the bondman
of humanity. These brothers fought
that we might not separate.
They died that we be one family. Another
has said, Their hsroism bloomed in war
and fruited in pace. This is the day of
tears, all over this broad land from the |
Atlantic to the Pacific, from the lakes to |
the CULTS, the fathers and mothers stand !
still and drop tear in memories casket, !
while they recall the darling faces they |
kissed good bye in the blue and the gray, /
as they marched proudly away to the war, |
to main the right as. God gave |
them TO see the right. Some sleep |
here today under the sod and |
flowers of quarter OF a century. We
come, alike victor and vanquished, to do /
them honor. We mingle as one people, |
rejoicing that no star was plucked from
liberty's ensign that no stripe OF the dear !
old flag was torn away. We are brothers
as they were Let us cherish their men,
ory and recount 10 the children of today |
their needs OF valor. Let Us remember /
the lessons taught by their heroism. |
ct US teasure the truths vouchsafed 70 rs
by their death. Through their sacrifice
we are one, we are tree
Then cover them over with beautiful
flowers.
Deck them with garlands, these brothers
OF ours"