The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-31
Flowers Strewn Upon the
Graves of the Soldiers.
THE oHsERvANcEv VERY GENERAL
President Harrison Delivers Two Ad-
dresses in Philadelphia.
Flood Reconsideration Hayes
Orator At Dayton, Ohio-At the
Tomb OF Grant-In the Northwest.

PHILADELPHIA, May 30.-Business in
this city was almost entirely suspended
today. President Harrison and party
arrived here at IL is this morning, for the
purpose of taking part in the ceremonies
of Memorial day. The president and
members of his cabinet were the.guests Of
George G. Meade Post, G. A. r. The
president passed down the depot platform
between a row of comrades of the post
drawn up on every side without the
gates. The great crowd set up a hearty
cheer, to which the president responded
by raising his hat Drawn up outside
the station was the historical Terrace
City troop of cavalry, who from
the day that Washington entered
this city to take his inaugural oath have
acted as escort to every president who has
been the guest of Philadelphia. The
party ordered carriages, and preceded by
the escort took up the line of march for
Independence hall. The entire route was
profusely decorated with bunting and
lined with crowds of people, whose re-
peated cheering compelled the president
to go over most of the route with hat in
hand. When Independence hall was
lCdChtu fbuC piCSldCnb W ID litAOAd1C0 w
Mayor Stuart. In brief speech Mayor
Stuart welcomed the president, who re-
piled as follows:
'Mdycr Stuart, Comrades Of the Grand Army Of
the Republic and Fsllow- Citizens: l esteem it q
great pleasure to stand in this historic edifice,
in this historic city, to take part today as com
rade of the Grand Army of the Republic in
these most instructive and interesting exercises
which have been instituted to keep alive the
memory OF patriotic devotion and sacrifice. 1t
is eminently appropriate that we should stand
for little time before we go to the graves of our
dead, in this edifice where the Declaration OF
Independence and the foundation OF our civil
government were made and put into that course
of development which has brought our nation TO
its present position of prosperity and of influ-
ence among the nations Of the earth.
l have recently in an extended trip been able
to see the flower of the seeds planted here. We
are here in Philadelphia, community in
structed upon the principles of peace and good
will among men, and yet community that has
given u conspicuous illustration of the fact that
the fruits of peace may sometime need to be de-
Tended by the valor of soldiers You did not at
all depart from the great lessons which were
taught by the founders of this great colony.
when uniting with your comrades from all the
states you went into the field to hold up this
banner to maintain a peace which should be
perpetual and ail-pervading in all the states.
Obedience to the law is the first element of do
mestic peace and social order which you went
out to maintain; and you have established. as
believe, dgafn in the afectiuns of all our peo-
pie the old flag OF our fathers, and have settled
porpetually the question of loyal submission to
the constitution and law in all the states. 1t
has been settled to the great contentment and
happiness of all our people appreciate most
highly this generous welcome which you ex-
tend to me, and shall take part in these exer-
cises of today with a sense of their
fitness and of the great events which they
commemorate. have never been able to think
OF the day as one of mourning. / have never
quite been able to feel that half-masted flags are
appropriate on Decoration day. / have rather
felt that the flag should be at the peak because
those whose dying we commemorate rejoiced in
seeing it where their valor placed it, We honor
them in joyous thankful, triumphant commem-
Grafton of what they did We mourn for them
as comrades from whom we have departed. but
we feel the glory of their dying and the glory
of their achievement covers all of our grief and
has set them on an imperishable roll of honor.
After the president had concluded the
doors were thrown open for an hour. The
chief executive shook hands with large
number of people. At the conclusion of
the public reception the president took the
train for Laurel Hill cemetery, where he
took part in the ceremonies over the grave
of General George g. Meade, the hero of
Gettysburg. Returning from the ceme-
terry, the president and party were guests
of the board of directors of the Union
League Club.
At Laurel Hill cemetery, as the presi-
dent passed between the lines of the posts
and under the battle-hags, he reverentlv
bowed his head in honor of the memories
they represented. Along the entire line
of march to the stand, immense crowds
greeted the president with demonstrations
of respect. After the usual memorial day
exercises. Commander Sanger stepped for
ward and introduced Comrade Harrison as
the honored guest of the day. As the
president stepped to the front of the stand
he was greeted with cheers by the assem-
bled multitude. In his speech he said in
part:
We rejoice now that q grateful government
has gathered together the scattered dust of all
these comrades and placed them in beautiful
and safe places of honor and repoSe. | cannot
but feel that if they could speak to Us today
they would say: "Put the flag at the top of the
mast" l recently returned from an extended
tour of the states, and nothing so impressed and
refreshed me as the universal display of this
banner Of beauty and glory. 1t waved over
every school, was in the hands OF the children.
and as we sped across the sandy wastes
at some solitary house someone would
come to the door and wave it in
royal greeting. Two years ago / saw a sight
that has ever been present in my memory. AS
We Were going out of the harbor OF Newport
about midnight on a dark night, some of the
officers of the torpedo station had prepared for
rs beautiful surprise. The flag at the top of
the station was unseen in the darkness of the
night, when suddenly electric seareh lights were
turned on ii, bathing il in a food of light All
below the flag was hidden, and it seemed to have
no touch with earth but 10 hang from the bat
Elements of heaven. II was as If heaven was
approving the human liberty and human
equality enjoyed by that flag Let
Us take on this occasion a new draught of cour-
age, and make new vows of conservation. Let
US not forget that as good children and good
patriots il is our duty always to obey the law
and give it our loyal support, and insist that
every one shall do So There Is no more mis-
ehievous suggestion than that the soldiers of
the Union army desire TO lay any yoke on those
who fought against Us, other than the yoke of
the law. We cannot ask less than that in sll re-
lgtlons they shall obey the law. and that they
shall yield to every other man bis full rights
under the law. I thank you for the pleasure OF
participating in these exercises today, and give
you a comrades best wishes and comraGes 8
goodbye.
At the conclusion of the president 5
speech the crowd surged forward, sweep
ing away the line of police, and for ten
minutes the president shook the hand Of
every man, woman and child who could
reach him. When the people were finally
driven back the line OF march was taken