Evening journal., 1889-05-31
TRIBUTE TO THE DEAD.
Mr.. McKinley's Speech at the
Metropolitan Opera House.
NATIONAL ASPIRATIONS STIRRED.

NEW York, May Si.--The Metropolitan
Opera hoase was the scene Of the close OF the
exercises commemorative of the glorious
achievements of the soldier dead.
Rarely has this great amusement house
contained such a multitude as assembled
within its walls. From the pit 70 the top
most gallery patriotic sons and daughters
squeezed themselves into the smallest possible
space, so eager were they 70 witness the
aftermath Of the soul stirring ohservances Of
the day.
Long before o'clock there sat upon the
stage Mayor Hugh J. Grant, who was topre-
side; Congressman William Mckinley, Judge
George NJ. Van Hoesen, chairman Of the
memorial committee; Rev Dr. John r. Pax
ton, Henry T. Dixey, William Brookfied
James A. Blanchard, Granville +. Hawes,
Gen. Joseph G. jackson, Joseph Pool, Col
J. W. Jacobus Gen Jardine John H. v.
Arnold, Gen. james r. O'Beirne, Col John
O'Byrne, Col SV r. Cruger, f. Stephenson
Comptroller Theodore w. Myers, Mai Will
lam H. Barker. Gen. Louis Fitz erald, ex.
Judge Angel, Col. Seward, Col James, Col
Cavanagh. many members of the Montgom-
cry Light Guards OF Boston and other visit
ing organizations, and any number Of com
manders of g. A. r. posts in this city and
Brooklyn
In the orchestra was stationed the United
States Army depot band, which, under the
leadership Of Bandmaster Otto Prosser, rem
dered airs reminding one vividly Of the days
Of fhe rebellion.
After Rev. DIR. Paxton had offered prayer,
the New York Banks Gee club, under the
adership Of II. r. Humphries, rendered the
"Halelujah Chorus from the Messiah, .
very acceptably. Judge Van Hoesen then
delivered the Introductory address In the
course Of IL the judge referred in touching
manner 10 the rapid depletion by death OF the
ranks Of the q. A. r.
Then the mayor was introduced. He made
no speech, but confined himself TO the duties
Of presiding officer. Fred Harvey sang
''Iet Me Like a Soldier FALL The glee club
sang Land Sighting with soul stirring ef-
feet
Congressman SLcKInley's OratIon.
Then came the treat OF the evening, the ora.
tion by Mr.. Mckinley. His reception was an ex.
ceedngy warm one. The Grand Army OF the
Republic he began is not In the service Of arms
today Storm and siege, battle line and disaster
have given place TO peace and manifestations Of
affection to comrades IN which nil American cit
izens unite. The service Of today is more 10 US,
far more than 10 those IN whose memory Il Is
performed II means nothing to tile dead
everything 70 the living. i reminds of what
our comrades did It teaches us the awful cost OF
/ liberty and the right Of nr;lonnl union ana il
/ bids us 70 emulate the example which they Set us
The annual tribute the nation pays 20 lis heroic
1 dead IL American in its very conception. No
nation ia tile world has SO honored her dead
soldiers s ours Nowhere else are they the re-
| cpents ~ such tributes. Other nations have
decorated their great captains, knighted their
| commanders erected monuments to perpetuate
their names, aud pyramids and nrcnes 10 mark
| their uiumphal marches. To America is mankind
! indebted for tribute which brings offerings Of af-
tectiod % the graves Of the soldier dead. Tire
mendous applause) We not only honor our can-
tains, but shower tokens OF equal love upon
Others irrespective of rank ia the field or conai-
tion at home. Our gratitude has no regard for
title. The soldier who, no matter what his rank,
fell for liberty and the Union. is equally renem-
bered today with our greatest generals
Old soldiers Did Not Fight for Applause.
We recognize the patriotism Of the rank aud
file Of the army. They enlisted with no expecta-
ton Of promotion, not for fame and applause
/ They entered the army imbued by motives Of pa.
triotism alone. do not mean 10 withhold one
bit Of the glory that is due our great commanders
No his ory can b. written which shall omit the
names Of Grant, Sherman aud Sheridan, the great
triumvirate which commanded the erandest
army Of the world. (Cheers.) Monument or no
monument, Grants name win be remembered
aud revered forever (Cheers)
No history either can be written which shall
omit the glorious deeds Of Hancock Mcclellan,
Mcpherson, Thomas, Porter, Dahlgren, Dupont
and tarragut with hs heart of oak. The fame OF
these men is, after all, but the reflection Of the
patience and courage and heroism ana sacrifices
Of the rank and file Of the army. OF general and
private il be said, their fame Is one and indi
visible, Great applause)
While the soldier had no rank beneath his blue
jacket, there beat heroic heart as ever God
gave 70 man. We had over i,OO0OJO soldiers ia
the field. What has become Of those who escaped
the shot and SHE'LL the disease and death breeding
swamp Where is that mighty handy Those who
have not gone on their last journey can be found
today in the field or workshop.
National Aspirations stirred.
Why even the Declaration Of Independence was
a shock which stirred the aspirations OF the peo-
pie toward nationality. Out OF II grew the con
stitution whose centennial Inauguration you 50
recently celebrated. (Applause) Out Of il grew
the grandest nation the world ever saw.
War declared against the south for the
purpose Of preserving the Union Il was-the
| Union with slavery. This was indicated ia the
resolution Of congress and In President Lincoln's
words But the war oyerleaped It's purpose. II
brought emancipation to four and a half millions
Of men. Il placed every a footing Of po-
ltical equality. Not by mans purpose was this
wrought, but by the will Of Him VINO brought us
through the ordeal Of battle
The settlements OF that war must stand as the
rreversble verdict. They must not be opposed
and nullihed They must be obeyed IN every part
of the republic. It must not be the cold formal
ity Of legislative enactment II must be the alb
solute right Of every man, however poor
Against those who fought ON the other side ia
that great confics we have no resentment We
would intict upon them no humiliation, But we
shall insist that the compact made between Grant
and Lee at Appomaitox be observed in every let
ter. Short Of that we will not stop Justice and
Righteousness demand of US the exaction OF this
duty. We bring taunts from the war but we
Must not forget our dead, though our enemies be
forgiven
New Yorls's Proud Share In the Struggle.
Those were brave men whose graves we decor
ated today. No less brave those who sleep be-
meath the southern stars. Liberty owes them a
debt which scuptured granite cannot repay.
Though New York contributed one-tenth of all
the dead, the nations dead are not ali here. For
thousands, the place where they fell was their
sepulcher
Our circle is narrowing with the passing years.
The majority are not here, but accounted for.
AT the close of Mr.. McKinley's address
there was perfect storm of applause cu.-
minaung In three stentorian cheers
Murphy Wins the e5-NEiie Handicap.
NEW YoRK, May 3l.-The twenty-five
mile bicycle race at Irvington, n. j., was
| won by Charles Murplty who was handicap