Telegram-herald., 1890-05-31
THE SOLDIERS HOME
A MsgniHesnE Attendance Gr&esd
the Occasion.
Observation-Disclosures
Tias FrosF4za a. PaIlishss Carried oss
>-1ostAly sE& a. Det44-A Gr&Hd
Oratloa - hoa. SsoFEs " ~
Bride ~ GEs1a HASA.

factor ~ Jae excellent program
arrauge1 Tor memorial observance u
Tie soldiers Hone. Tie program,
- published in tae IELEssAN- -HERALps
vas earned Out IA detail, and VIII
smoOthless and precision. Toe event
VI tue day was the Grafton delivered
5y the Hon. George ". Mcbride. Of
Grand Haven. 81 the courtesy of the
orator aud tie kindness OF General
Pierce, sc are enabled 70 give Il 70 our
readers IN full
NJ. Coms.aadsr. Fsi.sK CVsaens ead
CoauQda Relics Ot tie OraAd Army 0f
the Republic. - ! look into your faces,
the Wl4DklestA!l away, tie i0Im rounds
Out AGAIN, tile HAIR loses its threads oi
SILVER, tno manned aud broken limbs
are once more sound and well, the Yeas
tuTu backward IA the.g q gut and l see
the columns Of the old army with us
RANKS OIL Young prOlzed heroes, ia the
Nlld sweep OF the hattie days Ot ol-5.
1Ou are indeed Old soldiers, hut ln
you | see the sweep of a blue line OF
battle on fields made historic by your
valOr and blood. Memory crowds the
past into the present, ami Ne are al
young agan, 80 YOU who saw the lrg on
of Lee sulVercd on the granite rocks Ot
Gettysburg; YOU who saw the ending
Ol the mad ride OF sheridan a. be seat
Early "Whlstlng up the valley" YOU
who stood WITH the Rock or Chlcamauga
when great Thomas wrote history, and
saved Tennessee you VINO stood and
saw the glOrics OF iorts Saunders and
RObb!nett, YOU who stood amd Wars
Wild grandeur at the hornets nest al
shiloh; YOU VINO SAW the Federal auto
graph written across the face OF Mission
Ridge, or Ike HOmerIc gods fought
amid OF above the clouds on Mount
Lookout; 10 you one and all. bld you
hall and GOD speed.
Comrades, | would love TO dwell
amid the scenes or the past that come
10 me like a dream, but the present Is
ours and the future lies just before Us.
To YOU all, soldier and citizen, this
memorial day comes TO US full Of sad
and tender memories, hallowed by time
and Sanctlned by suffering. We come
bringing bright flowers 10 embalm our
dead that lie out along the battlefolds
and yonder IN the silence of the wilder
ness and amid the graves OF others IN
the cemeteries, we today deck and
begarland with our flowers and tears;
We today repeat the lesson of love tor
our dead and charity for the living,
both OF the gray and blue.
The passing OF the years carries Us
farther away from the grand anger Of
the fight and nearer 10 the white boz
dors OF fraternal peace between tbs
forces that fought; and the feelings
thus engendered are gradually chang
ing the sentiments and objects OF the day
that was originally gwen 10 sorrow and
hate; unto day set apart for the knit
ting INTO closer bonds the sundered
hearts and smoothing over the rough
scars OF war, and bring Us together to
remember with calmer devotion the
hero dead.
Comrades, we remember the original
memorial or Decoration Day. 1t came
soon after the breaking ranks of the
old army, came when the memory Of
the hardships were fresh in mind and
the grief for the dead set ike a pail
upon us. When the loss was personal
one, and touched both the comradc
! and sister and brother, came when We
still saw the corpses of the dead thrown
along the lines OF march or wasting
amid the Iniasma Of the prison or camp,
came with sad good bye said over the
poor boy we laid in the silence and
gloom by the side Of the liSplng stream
III the far away South land; came
when the heart of men still sore, and
| the mind still fired with thoughts of
revenge and BLACK nate. thank God,
my Old comrades. that time has in
part passed away, and we now
meet with less OF passion and more Of
love, and IN the glad spring time
solemnly, reverently strew the graves
1 OF our dead comrades with flower and
devOut.y say, "Thy Will he done"
! sometimes hear the old campaigner
! fighting over his battles, and III the
moments OF forgetfulness, add some
/ what TO the story. l regret TO hear It,
for 10 me the story Of the every day
| facts, told IN candOr and truth. Is the
most eloquent epic that can fall from
the lips OF man. Through the awful
| four years OF the war, you and the
country passed as gold through the fire,
and the present IS the refinement OF
the heat. whatever Of pam, hardships
/ and suffering were yours, old soldier
| mas become q part Of the past, and we
know that the republic Is stronger and
/ better because of 1t; tested in the real
/ fame OF battle the end proved the WIS
1 dom Of the fathers and the valOT OF
/ the sons; therefore, speak Of the facts
/ a. YOU saw them, and no more eloquent
story can or will be told. Let these
I memorial days be rather holy day;
gwen 20 renewing our devotion 70
I country and loyalty 10 kin than % "a
( new al the old passions aud preludices
/ of the past. Let the well and
/ strong care for the destitute and weak
and teach by precept, by word, by act.
bv our every day life, loyalty 20 the
I flag and respect for the Old and bat
tered relics OF rebellion.
Revere the memory Of the dead. bat
+ I beg of you 10 not forget the living
bring flowers for the dead brng bread
. for tne living. At the same time. old
. Comrads. DO not let 20 your hold or
the activities Of lie, be up and d0ing
something. do not st around vhin rs
+ because v0u think some one else s. far
r InE better than yOl are. What are v0u
u dong 20 help Yourself The man who
SITS 40wa aud lives OF hss ueus.on Oh
4 t1e import furnished him hv somf
Czle else. has fallen out ~ rank. snd q
flisgrscnE the name be won m 0the
times. T DO rot refer ~ those unsbl'
to do zonetnnE. To not allov a com
rsde 20 90 vour duty for vo1. stane
your own guard take vour plsca 81
+~p -qnks trdav. ss vGu did IN the l0-