The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1890-05-22
DAY.

hero's heart was with promptings for the
benefit Of those who had borne with him the
heat and burden of the great struggle for
the Nations life, nothing that he did APP
preached in enduring value the institution
of Memorial Day. 1t is yearly reminder
TO the people of this fortune-lavored land of
the cost TO others of the multitudiuous
blessings that they enjoy With the return
of that season of the year when the earth is
fairest to look upon and the whole land is
wreathed with flowery promise of abundant
harvest the people are called upon TO re-
member those who fought and died more
brayely and devotedly than men ever fought
and died before TO secure for them all the
blessings they and their posterity viii en-
JOY forever. 1t was a thought entirely
original with him. No other land has such
there ever such a work done by such null
titude of It's gallant sons for its permanent
!
and desperate battles, but in none other has
its stalwart frst-born gone forth by tens of
thousands and hundreds of thousands to
long continued and bloody battling for the
highest good, not of themselves so much as
of those who should come after them. Other
men have fought the battles of kings and
dynasties or for their own selfish interests.
The soldiers Of the rebellion sacrificed them
selves for future generations, aud poured
ont their blood like water that millions yet
unborn should be free, at peace among them
selves, and with the horizon of human
happiness and progress constantly widening.
The quick acceptance OF this institution by
the whole people showed how correct was Gen
Logan's knowledge of their generous, appre-
ciatiye, grateful character a man who stood
farther from the heart of the people than he,
or one who was less part of the great struggle
ihan he was, would not have thought of it.
lie would not have felt so intensely how the
soul of the American people was stirred TO
its profoundest depths by the mortal con-
ljct, and that that soul went ont in over
flowing honor and gratitude to those who
died that the Nation might live.
II is infinitely creditable to US as Nation
that Memorial Day has become so uni
versally observed and respected. Carlisle
has truthfully said:
or all mans posse sions-ceestial or terrestrial
infinitely tie nUbest and~fnost precious are his
ideals-the banners under which he marches and
| fights in the bGltieo OF lie.
In Memorial Day we have established our
highest National ideal-unstinted honor TO
exalted patriotism, 10 the men who gave
everything, even life ITSELF to the country
a Nation cannot help being truly great
which honors self.sacrifcingp patriotism above
( all other things. In celebrating Memorial
/ Day in every city, town and hamlet in the
/ land with suspension of business, proces-
sions, bands Of music, wTeathed buildings
orations, and oTnamenting patriot graves
with the choicest flowers, we do much more
4 than honor those who, for our sakes, tasted
the bitterness Of death. We honor ourselves
in showing our high appreciation of exalted
manhood, and We teach our children and
our children's children in the most effective
way possible deeply impressive lessons of
patriotism and the nobility of selfsacrifice
for the common good. No one can fail To
be made much better by these striking GER
emouies.
We cannot better supplement what we
have said above than by giving some utter
anccs on this subject which have sunk deep
into the hearts Of our people, and express in
words that will live forever the feelings
that burn in every true American:
THE NOBLEsT UTTEKANCE.
TIE MARTYR PRESIDENTS WORDS AT GET
gYsDURG.
The whole range of human literature con.
tains nothing quite so noble, quite so near
q A4NtJS AA3spst"bADA 40 biC Nbihb WHICH
Abraham Lincoln spoke in defeating the
National Cemetery at Gettysburg IL IL
these, before all others, which rise in the
mind with the remembrance that we are
again approaching the day set apart to honor
those who, like him, gave their lives fol
their country. Those words were:
Four-seore and seven years ago our father
brought forth upon this continent new Nation
conceived ia liberty and dedicated 10 the propos
ton thst all men created equal. Now we an,
engaged In r great civil war, testing whether tina
! Nation any Nation conceived aud so dedi
Gated can long endure. We are met on grea
battlefield Of that war. We are met 10 dedicate I
portion Of it the last resting place Of those wh
D here gave their lives that the Nation might've /
il altogether fitting aud proper that we should d.
= this.
G Bat, IN q larger sense, canot dedicate we can
4 | not c0nsecrate, we cannot haInw this ground TIA
brave men, living aud dead, who struggled here
= have consecfaed 1T far above our power 10 add @
deiract. The world will little note nor long re
member what sny here; but il never can forge
3 what they did here. IL is for US the living rattle
q 10 he dedicated here 10 the unfinished work tina
they have tins far nobIy carried on 1t Is rathe
e for us be here dedicated 10 thc great task ne
a manning before us-tbat from these honored dea
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