Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-30

upon ground where tventv-six years ago great
armies joined in mortal strife and left upon the
field nearly 5000 OF their dead and wounded
And who were they and who are we? They
were the first born OF a great people. For all OF
them there was a right Of contest for the high
est honors their country had I'm store. saDd for
most there was leave 20 strive for aud right -
gam the loftiest place.
And who are we? The comrades. the fello ws
in heart and hope in trial. in purpose and in
endsavor of those that sleep here; who spared
TO see with these earthly ewes the fruitoR Of
our dearest hopes have made IL the Law of our
life TO attest once in each year so long we
may live our sense Of the value of the sacrifice
they made. our grief that their own sunset
came while yet the clouds were lowering over
their country. and in such measure as we may
persuade the coming generations 20 remember st
what a cost the Union preserved What
ever loyalty to the hag and Constitution re-
mains supreme, they who remember but did
not participate with us in the strife. and those
who have since come upon the stage Of action
10 whom II is but story illustrated by these
gatherings and accentuated by the mere passer
,F. yet welcome our coming together with all
heartlness. and. only second to ourselves. find in
them occasion for congratulation and patriotic
pleasure.
Comrades, do not forget where we stand
nor the century hour that has Just been struck.
This Is Virginia; that Virginia whose masterful
influence might have stayed the hand OF rebel
hon IN Its first hour Of gladness. but whose ad-
heslon TO that cause gave IL the men. the lead
ershlp, the forum, and. may saw. the moral
force, which made the struggle the greatest
for which our earth has ever furnished deld
lie who puts has life in pawn for the cause he
champions has closed discussion on the auss-
ton of the sincerity of his purpose. No better
illustration of the death OF raneor, OF
the innate manliness OF Americans 20 whatever
section patlye. is known TO rue. than was the
gracious act of those confederate survivors who
one year ago to-day seeing that too few of our
comrades were present here 20 do full justice
TO the occasion, generously led the way and
made complete the work Of garnlshing these
graves with flowers.
Who to-day, no matter on which side OF the
Potomac he dwells, is not glad beyond the
power of speech TO tell that Virginia stood be-
side Pennsylvania, that South Carolina stood
beside Massachusetts. when thirty DAYS ago all
the slsterhood of the states. under the lead OF
HIM who fills the seat first held by Washington
and beneath the flag of an unbroken country,
saluted the century of the Constitution lust
closing and invoked the blessing of the
merciful Father on all the years 20 come.
1t excites only pleasureable emotions that Nir-
ginla and her southern sisters have been and
will be the chief gamers from that struggle in
which they write themselves down the loosers.
The looms of the new south warn m Massachu-
setts that competitors are on her track. the
furnace fires of Tennessee and Alabama have
sent their CLEAN athwart she Pennsylvania
skys and challenge the iron king TO do battle
for his supremacy within his own domain.
Those maryels of our aged cities to-day where
there was wilderness on yesterday. are no
longer the phenomenon of the north alone"
In conclusion Gen. Burdett paid parting
tribute to the comrades who lay buried about
them.
At the conclusion of Gen. Burdetts speech
the band playeda reveille. Gen. Allen then read
poem ''Ihe Nations Dead" At the conclusion
of the reading visiting comrades planted five
hundred rose trees and fowery shrubs in the
cemetery. As the veterans were returning 10
the city they were loudly cheered by confeder-
ates along the line. Gen. Burdett aud other
distinguished visitors were given an informal
RECEPTION at the hotel this afternoon.