Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-05-26
MEMORIAL EXERCISES.
SPEECHES AND SINGING IN HONOR
OF DEPARTED SOLDIERS.

rest the Crater OF the Day-Chapiain
Mccsy's speech to His Comrades.
The Grand Army of the Republic, De-
partment OF Delaware, held memorial
services in the Opera House yesterday
afternoon. The exercises opened few
minutes after 8 o'clock with 'Ameriea"
by the shoir and audiences.
Tks stage was set In park scene and
decorated VITA American flags and colors.
On 1t wsre seated Senator John P. Don
ahes. Rsv. L. r. Barrett, Department
Commander Thomas u. Lewis, Past De-
partmsnt Commanders Daniel Ross, w.
3. AcNair, Peter b. Ayars and john
VAIN wright, Past Commanders slifsr,
Liddsll, 0'Conner, Peters, Black
burn, DuHy, Piskels, DeHnslly
Post Commanders Sylvester Solomon,
Nathaniel Bayns, Viekers Quartermas-
ter Spence, Comrades William Middleton,
| William r. Long, A. ]. Woodman,
Thomas Heap and Thomas E. Brown and
the choir OF twenty-five voices under the
leadership of ZRcAriah Pickles. Smyth
| Post, No. /, DUPONT Post, No. 2, and
Grant Post, No. 10, were seated in the
| front of the auditorium, and , large
| audience listened with deep interest TO
| the patriotic exercises
Chaplain J. R. Mccoy offered prayer,
/ as the audience remained standing. He
expressed thankfulness that so many
comrades had been spared for nAny years
| to live in peace and quietnsss and hoped
that when they we're mustered out Of the
Grand Army below, they might be mus
tered into the Grand Army above. The
choir sang They are Sleeping"
Rev. l.. r. Barrett Of st. Paul's NJ r.
Church was introduced by Sylvester
Solomon, chairman of the meeting. He
began by asking the object of the exer-
cises and explaining that 1t was for the
preparation OF the mind for Decoration
Day. I'VE have met here, that as we
recall the sacrifices made in bygone
years, we may catch inspiration from
their heroism and march TO the tune Of
freedom. We have several national holt
days, bat the Both OF Nay recalls tender
memory, striking chord in the heart of
the people that makes il vibrAte with
gladnsss and thAnkfulnsss. This event
Is signaliEsd by several facts First,
That the Lord selected this country to try
the problem of popular self, government,
showing that man can and ought to be
free
He compared the American country to
the little flower covered with dew, which
the sunlight dries; then the flower raises
its head warmed by the sunbeams and
, grows strong. The American people at
nrst were dropping In spirit, but the
great sunlight of American liberty
strengthened them. he reviewed the
American Revolution and the Civil War.
Under the latter head he said: "Who
would imagine that the hand Of any
American would be raised against the
old flag, to tear it asundsr. But il was
SO; and when 1t became SO, the loyal sons
of America rose to its protection. AT
that time there was a man In the
Presidential chair Applause He was .
man whose hands had been hardened by
honest toll, and his honesty and integrity
put him at the head of affairs. We will
never fail to thank God for Abraham
Lincoln Applause The old flag was
everywhere in the fight, and the reason
of the success Of the north, was that
there was a thinking man behind each
mHsket. They knew that a esRRtFJ
divided against itself could not stand
that one star could not leave the flag
without tremendous results. Danisl
Webster years before had laid down she
principle that the citinsn's allegiance
was FIRST due to the United States, then
= I
"WhenAbrahRmL Lincoln seized his Der
and wrote his proclamation for volunteers
to upheld the Union, you wers ready to
respond, for yeu had been thinking
about it, You fell into line and marched
to Washington shouting We are coming
Father Abraham three hundred thousand
strengP Z" [Great applausel. His allusion
to the feat of The gunboat Monitor" in
the dark days Of '69, excited great en-,
thusiasm. He continued Ts ss-~
This nesting signalizes that God is
an instructor Of our people. Ii required
the sword the cannon and musket Ia
break the shackles Of the slaves, and
this is a bright thought of the Civil
War. We learned that slavery
was wrong, so we removed it. When
Abraham Lincoln wrote the Emancipa.
ton Proclamation he made himself i'm.
mortal We are Tearing that Mormonism,
communism and socialism must not exist
I in this country; we are learning that
every man must have the right OF suf-
, frage. / do not believe that there will
ever be another civil war, but am not
sure that some other country may make
a mistake some time and plan an invR-
sion upon us. When that day comes this
country will be welded stronger than
ever, and the attacking nAtion will re-
pent the hour.
Finally, we are taught that God is
our prsservsr, nationally and individually.
de has been with us through all the
darkness OF the war, and brought us into
she sunlight and He is still with us.
de paid beRutiful tribute to the
wives Of the soldiers to the women who
worked in the hospitals through the war
OF the thousands of soldiers who owed
thsir lives to the good nursingT Of ths
horolc women. The women Of the South.
by their support, continued the war foI
two years. The women of the North
prevented compromise Of the war. His
last utterRnees we're especially eloouent
and touching He closed with a few
words Of hope and encouragement to the
Grand Army msn, and took his seat amid
much applause.
Howard and Samuel Sewer sang sIs
There Lone and Dreary Hourg" and re.
peAtsd it in response to generous ap.
plauss.
The choir sang "Covsr Them Over"
while collection was beiHg taken up TO
dsfray expenses of Memorial Day.
Department Chaplain ]. b. Mccoy
made characteristic address, In which
he complimented Mr.. Barrett for his
knowledge Of the feelings Of soldiers, and
teld interesting personal "reminiscences
Of the war. He told Of leaving wife and
child at home, as he went to SIGHT for
the flag. He said they did not fight for
| money what they got would hardly buy