Telegram-herald., 1889-05-31
THE OLD VETERANS.
Have Memorial Services Of Their
Own AZ the Soldiers Home.
DEPT. COMMANDER BROWsS ADDRESS
Ths Regular Grand Array Memorial ser
vice Performed s0as Of Veterans
aad q. A. X Posts Present Prom
the City-PaFtse al4rs-


served at the Soldiers Home, the exer-
cises being held IN the concert hall. The
regular Grand Army memorial service
was performed Rev. John Donally
was present and offered prayer, and an
address was delivered by the Depart
ment Commander, Judge NJ. Brown, or
Big Rapids. The Sons OF Veterans
were present IN uniform, and tired a
salute over the graves OF the dead IN
the cemetery, which were also decorated
with flowers.
Commander Brown spoke substan-
TALLY as follows:
Comrades, and Ladies and Gentlemen: l
have come here today for the purpose
OF meeting and looking into the faces
OF the men who, from 1861 20 1868, ,brayed
the dangers OF battle and risked their
lives IN order that our country might
be- preserved, and 10 them more par
tlcularly my remarks are addressed.
For the past four years, my best Efforts
have been devoted 10 their care, and IN
doing what lay IN my power 10 make
their lives as comfortable and their de-
cllning DAYS as cOntcnted as possible.
Without your efforts We would now
have no country, and IL Is meet that We
should set aside one day in a year 10
perpetuate the memories of those men
who gave up their lives that the coun-
try might live. After the war closed
Gen. John a. Logan, the best TREND
the volunteer soldier ever had, IN hls
wisdom and pre-eminent ability, pro-
mulgated general order as command
er-ln-chicf of the Grand Army OF the
Republic that the 30th day of May, of
each wear, should be set aside, as day
devoted TO the memory OF those
men who had fallen. This, only an
individual act, was accepted as sacred
by ms old companions IN arms, until
later the Congress of the United States
by solemn enactment made IT a legal
holiday. Ii was deemed best after the
war to bond together IN one organiza-
ton those who had fought together,
and from this idea arose the Grand
Army of the Republic. Auxiliary to TINS
is the Woman's Relief Corps, and as
the proper successors To the Grand
Army, the Sons of Veterans. The
first is composed of those who have
fought the battle. The Woman's Re-
lief Corps, is constituted Of the wives,
mothers and daughters Of the soldiers,
whose mission is to relieve the suffer
ings of the old veterans and
To provide as far as possible for their
necessities; while the Sons of Veterans
serve to perpetuate the principles of
the Grand Army. There never was an
army on the face of the wide globe
composed of the splendid material that
the Union army contained. At that
time every loyal man IN the North w.
either soldier or expecting to be one.
They came from the farms. the work
shops, the countlng-roOms and offices.
What they fought for was Il principle.
There was a party IN this country who
believed that no matter what enact
mcnt was made by Congress, that it
was not paramount to the viii of the
state, that the motto of Wash
ington, Jefferson and the old
fathers that we were one, was
not valid, and from this per-
nicious doctrine arose the political
heresy Of secession. There was another
element, but irave never considered it
as the principal one. and that was hold
ing human beings like so many beasts
IN servitude. To do awaywith the first
principle, to make one flag respected
at home and abroad, IN every land and
on every sea, was the principle for
| which those who are fallen fought.
And in SO doing they struck the man
acles from the slave. The slave, created
| by the same God, with the same tf1r-
manity and feelings, they loved theh
wives and. children, they loved each
other, and yet by this inhuman system
they were kept in seryitude and sub
| jcCtlon.
1t was a principle, my comrades, that
YOU fought for, and principle that
was right. | would not have you lose
sight of this fact that you We're right.
| Against the brave men who opposed US,
| | have nothing to say. For the most
part they were misled, but they were
wrong. Do not forget this: We were
right and they were wrong. And
think that the God of right and justice
gave us the victory.
To those who have fallen We owe tho
| duty of remembrance and perpctuatIon
of the principles for which they died
10 ourselves and each other we owe q
/ comradeship that We Will al stand to-
/ gcthcr.
And | wish TO say n few words about
pensions. | feel that every veteran
/ whose disabilities are the result of ser
vice should have pension large enough
to at least partially support him. ! see
many with white halr, prcmaturely
old, whose lack of q hospital record
/ debars them from enjoying pension
/ Besides lthey must prove that they
We're sound men before the war, when
/ the fact of their having been accepted
/ and their service should BE- considered
as evidence sufficiently strong.
Commander Brown. IN concluding
/ paid a warm tribute to Corporal Tanner
/ Commissioner Of Pensions. advocated
more liberal pensions, and closed witt
I an eloquent perOrat.Ou.