Daily Republican., 1890-05-31
pEooRArros DAY,
IT. observation and Decoration.

comparatively yOuu8 people are nlleu
with memories Of tlat awful contest.
Men st 1rst scofied at the idea that the
north and south would really engage in
war. Then. when this seemed inevitable,
many declared that 1t would take but .
few days for the south to establish lie in
dependence or tor the north TO wipe out
tho rebellion. II was not for months
alter the memories of sumpter that peo-
pie really felt we were In the midst Of
ono OF the greatest wars Of modern times
"a war only the more fierce because the
combAtAnts were brothers. To-day the
calls for troops, tho marching volunteers,
the sacrifices OF women and children, the
news Of battles, the lists Of killed and
wounded, the walls of anguish at home,
the suffering at the front, all come back
to rs % II we had passed through the
struggle but yesterday.
From every city and town and village
Of the North the boys In blue went to
the front to defend their nations honor
and save our country from disruption.
The hardships they endured In the long
years OF our war, the long marches, the
exposure In the neld and In the camp,
the fever aud wounds with which they
suffered without attention, who can Dor.
tray? Many went out from rs 10 stall
wart manhood; vigorous, active, strong;
II oy came bsck In premature old age,
bent aad feeble and worn. From the ex-
posure aud hardships Of those years they
have never recovered. We cannot esti-
mate properly the agony Of these men as
they tore themselves from their homes,
the fidelity and courage needed to carry
them through tho long strife. the suffer.
Ing and sacrifice they endured Tor US aud
our country.
A rapidly decreasing remnant Of these
men We have with US to-day. Their
very preser CO ought to teach more lessons
OF patriotism than all the. brilliant ora
tions that could be delivered, or thrilling
poems that could be composed. These
mon are our nations heroes. A. they
walk our streets to-day, our hcnrts are
stirred with affection, and we thank God
American manhood 10 represented by
such valiant soldiers.
l. While we look at these old soldiers ~
they observe the beautiful customs of
Decoration Day, va remembered others
that were not with them IN line to-day.
Boys In blue who went out from their
homes never to return. On the fields of
Bull Run, or Antietam, or Gettysburg.
before Richmond, or Petersburg, or New
Orleans, on the meadows of Virginia, in
the swamps OF the Chickahominy, on
the river banks Of the lar South, they
faced the foeman and dropped In the con-
flict.
Others heard the notes Of victory that
| flashed through our nation. when Apo
mattox was made immortal aud Lee sue
cumbed to the resistless Grant, but their
ear WAS deaf In death. Others came
home to receive the applause of their
fellow citizens, to take part In their last
| bo bI
( our fallen heroes never came back, but
sleep to-day IN the unknown grave In the
southland, or are buried Ia our cemo-
teries near their old home to await the
final review, when all nations ehall
stand before the Captain OF our saliva
ton.
To commemorate tho deeds OF that
long strife, to teach lessons Of patriotism
to the rising generation, aud to remem-
ber the mighty who fell la the midst OF
the battle, Decoration Day has been
iestablished. On this day we look back
through the mists Of the past and call
up the heroic deeds OF our soldiers, we
remember tho dear dead who rave their
lives for the country, We place upon
their graves the nations flag, and adorp
their resting place with fragrant flowers.
Upon their graves We drop q tear, and
| VhiAo w thohA 0VA UNIV Wiz ShA stiA'o 10
over, and peace is our heritage, we
would not forget the men who fell In
order to save to US what we SO much
enjoy.
think Decoration Day ought to be a
thoughtful time, . day OF combined joy
and sol row, and desire to enter my
protest against the de.ecration OF . day
hallowed by so many precious memories.
The tendency every whtre seems to be to
make this day Of sport and passtimes 9.
Athletic sports, picnics, base ball, every
imaginable kind OF trifiing smusements
are reserved for Decoration Day l believe
wa belitte orrselves by such course of
acton. 10 this the manner In which we
shall remember those who gave their
live, for the preservation Of our homes9
Is this the way we shall teach patriotism
to our children? Shall we, by our actions
at least, show the world that We have so
far forgotten our fallen braves that on
the one day Of tie year set apart for the
remembrance OF their deeds and sacri-
fices, nothing nobler than athletic games
shall engage our attention?
! believe It would be better that Deco
ration Day should not be observed at all
than that it should be secularized and
desecrated In this manner. 1t should be
\ day In which We shall review the won-
derful deeds OF our brethren iu the
preservation of the union, In which we
should gather cur families about the
family altar aud thank God we are one
nation still, in which we should teach
our children that these men in blue who
march before them are remnant OF the
mighty army that saved the nation, and
that we are honorlng to-day the thous-
ands of our soldiers who slept the last
sleep on the field oil battle.
II We thus ceased TO desecrate the day,
our young will learn lessons of patriot
ism from lis observance that will ht them
for citizenship aud for sacrifice whom II
may be ne dod.
All honor 10 the remnant Of the g. A,
r. who passed In procession before Ut
to-day! All honor to our soldiers who
gave their lives to preserve our nation
When we forget their deeds, may the
msntling blush OF shame reveal our deep
Disgrace and conscience lashinR memory
into activity, bring back again to our at.
fectionate remembrance the heroism ol
GIGS. JOHN ID. q. HANNA.
Asbury Parsonage May 80, 1890.
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