The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-05-11
OAKW00D MEMORIAL DAY,
INTERESTING EXERCISES AT The
CEMETERY.

monies GOODWIN Made an ~"
dress-Capt. Cunningham sang solo
The weather Yesterday morning warran-
ted the surmisc that the day. would oe un-
propitious, and created apprehension on the
part Of some lest Oakwood Memorial Ia!
would be too inclcmcnt o. allow the usuai
ceremonies incidental 60 the occasion TO
take place without great Inconvenience 10
nil who participated in the labor Of love. in
decorating the graves Of the gallant 'onied-
crate dead buried in lakewood ccmcior,
But the clouds served a good purpose In
stead Of sending down drcnchng showers,
thev hid the sun and shut out the heat.
Oakwood Cemetery is close 10 some OF the
stirring scenes Of the late war. The flash
of the guns in the hands ot The coniondln-
armies could have been seen from the place.
and the thunder Of artillery shook ihc very
ground in which now lies sixteen thousand
hraXe mon. whose sleep is soquict that "an
army now might thunder past and they NOT
hear its roar" OakWOod Is not nov lhc
Oakwood of that tr0uhi0us era. Peace
rcigns in and around the place. IL u h'N
n CITY 81 the dead. It's NalkWaN~ arr
boardcrcd with The flowers ot spring. ih.
tributes Of hearts sorrowm love stand on
every side. marking the resting place oil
loved ones The Keepers house shows thr
ciiy's care. and pains has been taken u"
make everything lo0k as cheerful a. sheh "
solemn place can look.
SOLDIERS GRAVES.
The spot Of most interest io stranger
and of deep Vcucraii1n Go all is that KNOW
as the section for Confederate soldiers. 10
of a
ladies, organized i'm ~ Johns Church MO
what j. known a~ the Ladies oahWo'd
Memorial Association. whose object 20 was
and has been f0y years o. look after ll'
graves of the confederate dead. rescue
Them from dishOnor or dcsccraton' ana dn-
nuallN decorate them with Cmhlcm~ ul lNfc
and fond recollection. These men fell. nui
thcy Vet live. The gales that sweep throl -h
the forest trees of lakewood sigh their names.
and the waters Of The rim 100 the base OF the
hill there murmur momnnlll praises.
Their spirits. despite the attempts 0i iIi-
ducers. will minglc with fame and glory ae
long rs hearts beat emotions ot love. waters
run. and skies bend hluc canop, over EARN.
FIRES or AFFECTION.
How brightly the spark OF affection -low-
now, one-quaricr of "a century after th' war
and lis sorrows and strife have ended: and
how quickly that spark bursts into 20 flame
Of enthusiasm. With the lcNcNng of the
graves of the dead heroes pillar oi tender
and heroic sentiment raised it, head noun
tains hi.h. Devotion that went down into
The soldier graves with the pale and bullet
~iddled dead has -prun- up. breaking the
Minds Of burial. and glowing with the roses
thatNc affection and admiration.
If any one thought for moment that the
cause tor which they fought had been i0r-
gotten he should have been at lakewood yes
ferday. He could have seen how thc
Southern heart fills with desire 90 do them
honor. even at the slightest motive oi
thought IL would have heard patriotic
words Tor the living, words coun~ciinc ad-
hesiOn 10 the present forms of government;
but best Of all. proud words oi love and
commentator for the bra1 cst men that ever
faced foe.
DECORATING THE GRAVES.
When the band az Spartan women. of
which Mrs. II. NJ. smith was president. and
Mrs. Poythrcss secretary. first went Out to
OakwoOd on the Eth day # April. 1850,
c Richmond was then under military rule.
The Ladies OakWood Memorial Association
then laid flowers npOn the graves of the late
dead. and annually since have kept up the
custom. Mrs. \. \. stokes is now prt~i-
dent Of the association. and Mr, Poythrc--
il still the secretary. The wooden
head boards have long since moulded into
ruins. and the city hu~ come % the rescue.
the mounds have been leyoled. and the
graves numbered. \ register of them has
been prepared under the auspices Of the
committee, and j. kept at the office Of SUI
pcrintcndent ". 4. Dickinson. Of the
grounds by this means all The graves can
lie Identified and yesterday there was a.
rich profusiOn Of floral testimonials laid 0n
the various sections ln that part of tlc
cemetery wherc an Army of tonicdcraie~
lie dead.
The crowd Of ladies came ont i'm tine fore
noon. and 10y the middle Of the afternoon, the
graves were all decorated. The .derdtr
monument was beautiful decorated, with
rarest flowers. and four l0u- -trrJmcrr.
made up of eycrgroeus. fen gracefully from
the top Of the granite shaft 90 the four COZ
ners of the iron railing. surrounding the
monument.
MAYOR j. TAYLOR Ely-on. short time Dee
fore o'clock. called tine aSscmDla-e 90 ur-
der and introduced Rev. Dr. Lewis Burton,
who offered a ferNont and eloquent prayer
Captain Frank ". Cunningham SANG
beautiful hymn. and Mayor EllNson then
introduced Rev. Or. :. 4. Goodwin who. le
said. was ~ gallant and brave "a warrior
for his country rs be- was true and tried DOB
the service Of the Lord.
pr. GOODWYN's ADDRESS.
DIR. Goodwin came forward ON the stand
erected for the speakers and said 90 "a sea of
upturned faces: "a quarter of century
has passed since the close of ihe war.
MANY changes have taken place since North
and South were engaged IN the dreei and
deadlicst conflict that has ever occurred n
the annals Of human Kind. The roar oi can-
non. the rattle of muskctry. the clash of
swords. the SHREK, Of the Woundnd.
the grOans Of the dying and The
.f victory have died uWlF
TODAY we meet beside the graves
of our heroic dead with hut little
if any feeling Of hate and hostility toward
them with whom We were twenty-five years
ago engaged ia "a grapple. Here IN sight of
each other. two vast armies VINO once sirug-
cled with each other IN deadly conflict, are
now quietly sleeping. As no hatred stIr-
their souls, 80 no bitterness now moves ours.
The war and waste of war il rapidly di,ap-
nearing. Commerce is fast binding to-
cether the di,membered sections with
golden bonds The future lis radiant with
hope and happiness. Why then, lerpctudic
the memories of the war:
"Would lt not be- better % do away with
these memorial occasions. and throw This
bitterness and blood forever behind us: Wei
think not.
I'VE weld TO none in our devotion tO our
country. We would eliminate all sectional
feeling. We would bind together with inn
destructible bonds every portion of our
great Republic; but al the same time. We
will hold in dealhlcss remembrance the
yalor and patriotism of our Confederate
dead Their right 10 public recognition is
based first upon their 'alor.
GREAT IL VICTORY.
"The ages have produced no Drawer men. |
The great 10 victory, and grand in defeat. |
They were mighty ln war, and majestic in /
woe. Half-clad. hali-ied, hall-armed, they |
sustained for four years. against over /
widening numbers. the mighue-i conflict |
that has ever shaken the earth. nation /
Of towards is a nation Of slaves, and the one /
that does not appreciate bravery Is one that |
is not worthy Of liberty. Woe betide the /
day when our country shall cease 10 honor /
the brave who laid down their lives i'm her /
defense. Their right to public recognition /
j. based second upon their patriotism.
INTELLIGENT CITIZENS.
.Our Confederate dead were no merccu-
aries. but intelligent citizens. coutcudine
for principles which they believed o. DE
right. and for which they willingly died.
England has few monuments 10 her private
soldiers, because most II the wars IN which
she has been engaged her soldier, have
either been bought with gold or instigatcd