Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-05-31

for the last eight years to participate with
the Grand Army OF the Republic in their
annual Memorial services; and while my
memory carries me back TO wild tumult
in an Ohio village, occasioned from the
news from Sumpter, | address you only as
the representative of the generation into
whose keeping the sacred memory OF the
Grand Army must soon be committed.
Though apparently Indifferent, this gen
Grafton has been profoundly impressed
with the deep solemnity Of these annual
tributes. The falling tear, the deep emo
strength of your common brotherhood.
To you this day Is sacred, and while you
are Offering your tributes, your children
are madly pursuing their respective avo-
cations This is but an apparent indiiler-
ence. Permit me TO assure you that when
these services are of necessity committed
to its keeping, this generation Will not
fail TO revere your memory and yearly
decorate your graves with the choicest
flowers.
1t is no longer necessary, II. indeed, 10 Is
proper on this occasion, to discuss the
causes Of the Civil War, or arraign at the
bar of public judgment the motives and
misdeeds Of men. You struggled for COM
mon justice, you Vindicated the immor-
tality of truth. The South today is glad
the slaves are free; glad the war was not
a failure: glad the onion was preserved.
L
cause" that was lost, but for the sons
who sleep in the soldiers grave Political
agitati tion alone has stood between the
| South and candid admission that the
war OF the Rebellion was the gigantic
| blunder OF brave, chiyalric people.
DO not misunderstood me. | attempt
no apology for treason, detract nothing
/ from your cause. from the greatness OF
! the victory.
In yon forest-skirted "feld Of the
dead are the humble graves Of eight OF
| the soldiers of the republic; while we
| gaze upon these silent mounds, unless we
| stop for reflection, we are impressed with
| the single thought of mans mortality.
! Here sleeps, In an unknown grave, a com
mon private in the ranks. What say you
OF his silent home? Mortality, nothing
/ but mortality. A million such and you
/ have the sacrifice upon which rests the
] liberties OF an indissOluable union.
| Proceeding, the speaker related HugO's
| beautiful legend of "Pecopin and the
| Peasant" and applied its moral TO the
| thoughtless and Indifferent. The death
of General Garfield and his expression,
! ''strangulatum pro republica,' suggested
| the thought that not only should mOnu-
ments be erected where the soldiers lie
/ buried, but that their monuments should
be inscribed, ITO the memory Of the pa
triot soldiers Of the war Of the rebellion
the nations sacrificed.
! / ne speaker LuOuHhl llldb lilt Iltulb'l =
/ Of the G.. A. X. we're not the only patriots
of the war OF the rebellion; there were
other patriotic hearts who bore no arms,
who followed no titled leaders, who
| marched 10 no grand and inspiring war
music: that the crown OF affection ala
not always rest wholly on the right fore
head: that TO the mothers and wives OF
the soldiers this nation owed debt
Of gratitude; that when the flowers were
| scattered their graves should not be neg
lected. for while the soldier lay en-
trenched at COrinth, suffering from dis
ease and becoming demoraliled by his
wild trade of war, his wife and mother
were sufferers also; that the spectres Of
want and hardship stalked around oyer
| the prairies and through the glades and
knocked at their doors, and their wives
and mothers, with heroic energy, kept
tbs wolf from the door; they toiled and
| loved and prayed, and were In fact, the
true source Of the soldiers inspiration.
Turning to the post, he said: The
Grand Army organization has reached
the zenith OF its numerical power and
greatness Three hundred thousand
men, the representatives OF the thrift, the
sobriety, the moral and intellectual worth
of this republic measures your strength.
You returned TO the homes you left, a
victorious host, with the high conscious
ness that your struggle was eternally
right, the rebellion eternally wronx.
The most Of you have passed the
meridian of life and are wOr-
while this generation are yotarles
at the shrine OF Hope; you are reflective;
We are illusOnary. by ana by, we who
are young today will turn from the folly
Of our day-dreams, and when we do the
soldier will receive justice"
He assured them further that while hu-
manity had always been slow In bestow-
ing It's gratitude, heroic deeds were never
forgotten and that justice was Inevitable
Concluding, he said:
"You strew the flowers today, and u Is
fitting you should; but tomorrow, wher
the most OF you shall have gone 70 1oir
your comrades; when Apperson post shal
have surrendered up It's charter; when OF
this occasion there shall remain but few
grey haired veterans OF the great strug
( gle, this generation will cover your httlnt
monument with flowers and chant YOU
priceless victory n epic poems. In th'
language Of the immortal Prentice, IRON
whose lips one Of your number received
7 thousand INSPIRATIONS:
sEsep not that time Is passing on,
! twill ere long reveal a brighter era to TIT
Bright Years OF hope and life are on the wing
The glorious bow OF Freedom bended by tn
hand Of Cod
Fixed eternaliy in our political heavens b.
! | Your heroic deeds.
"In spanning times dark surges;
I It's high arch. type Of love and mercy ON Tn
clouds,
Tells that the many storms Of human (an'
nationan life
VIII pass In silence. and the soothing wave
3 Gathering the forms Of glory and peace,
Q Reflect the undlmmed brightness OF IN
heavens"
Rev. Mr.. Simon was the next speaker
I The reverend gentleman dwelt on tb
g gratitude that should be shown 10 tn
0 old soldiers. and said that no matter hos
much was done for them he would say
e was not half enough.
9 Major Wilkin announced that ColODe
n Visscher was confined TO his home by III
}. ness and could not appear 70 deliver tn
0 recitation that was part OF the exercises
e Hon. II. Y. Thompson was called upon 10
q a few remarks and as that gentleman
. familiar form was seen vending his wa,
I, TO the platform, the audience broke fort
e in applause. Mr.. Thompson prefaced hi
y remarks by saying that man In such
q presence should have something 10 say
d He had been called upon 50 suddenly
e without any preparation, that he wa
g somewhat at loss, but the occasion, th