New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-05-31
JOY AND SORROW MINGLED.
MEMORIAL DAY FITTINGLY OBSERVED By
THOUSANDS
AN IMPOSING PARADE OF GRAND ARMY PosTA
DECORATION OF COMRADES GRAVES IN
MANY CEMETERIES = EVENING
SERVICES AT THE METRoPoLI.
TAN OPERA HOUSE.


The sunshine was tardy on Memorial Day.
Msts and threatening clouds fingered late in tho
morning, and it was not till afternoon that the
brightness OF summer skies cheered the thousands
of peasure-seekers who were abroad and added
beauty to the flowers that were carried for remem-
brance to the soldiers graves All New-York kept
holiday but, while the holiday aspects Of the day
were never more marked it's patriotic associa-
tions were never better honored. Thousands Of
people pursued pleasure by land and by water.
They hocked to the race-course and the baseball
fields; to athletic sports and contests OF the swift
footed TO yachting and rowing regattas. Bus
thousands also saw the march of the veterans OF
the Grand Army Of the Republic down Fifth-ave.s
with men of the National Guard and Of the Army
and Navy also in line to do them honor ana
thousands visited the cemeteries where the vet
erans whose marching is over were remembered
in floral tributes by their surviving comrades
The programme of the Memorial Committee of
the Grand Army of the Republic was carried ouo
without q hitch; and the ceremonies Of the day
were succeeded in the evening by memorial services
in the Metropolitan Opera House, where great
audience heard an impressive Grafton delivered by
General George A. Sheridan. Business was en-
tirely suspended in New York. Flags were at
half-mast on the public buildings and on all the
big buildings throughout the city out OF respect
for the memory of the brave. Many private dwell
ings also displayed the Stars and Stripes; ana
flowers were everywhere. The popular spirit was
more in accord with the fresh, fragrant flowers OF
the early summer, telling OF hope and joy than of
the halfmasted banners, telling of mournful re-
Prospect. But the emblems were not incongruous.
It is becoming more apparent year by year.
though each year adds to the rollcall of the de-
+bat fbo of
have the oil of ioy for mourning.
General W. T. Sherman has gone since last
Memorial Day. General Fremont. the Path
finder who last year saw the veterans pass the
reviewing stand is also gone. MANY OF the boys
in blue whom he saw in the marching ranks on
that dav are in the ranks Of death. But While
they will never be forgotten. and while flowers
as fragrant as their memories will yearly deck
their last resting places the Nation will also re-
member on Memorial Day with much rejoicing
the salvation they wrought for their country.
The troublous skies of the morning did not
keep many of the Grand Army men from the per-
formance of their yearly duty Of love. lie was
infirm indeed who did not turn out early and join
his post for the great parade and review. Lieu
tenant-Governor Jones and Mayor Grant and
number of city officials were on the reviewing
stand near the Worth Monument in Madison
Square This stand was packed to the utmost
corner by old men and young, and by women in
gay gowns. A grand stand opposite was also
crowded with spectators, and the multitude who
were or had to be content to view the procession
from the streets walled in the square In solid
masses and stretched in dense columns up Fifth
ave- and down Broadway TO Union Square, where
they hemmed in the Plaza, where Grand Marshal
George Chappen received the marching salute OF
the comrades
Among those who saw the parade from the re-
viewing stand were Mrs. Thomas j. Bell, of the
Women's Auxiliary of the g. A. r., Auburn,
n Y: Miss Mclean daughter of the gallant Old
Guardsman, Major George w. Mclean; George
NJ Van Hoesen, chairman of the Memorial Com
mitteA of the G. A. r.. General Emmons Clark.
General Daniel f. SiclSles, General II. A. Barnum,
General Franz Sige Controller Myers, General
Robert Nugent, President Arnold, Of the Board
of Aldermen Postmaster Van Cott, Major Haverty
and DR. Nagle of the Health Department. The
picturesque Old Guard, under Major Mclean, acted
as the reviewing officers escort and stood by the
crandstlnd while the heroes of the day, preceded
by the National Guardsmen and the splendid Naya!
brigade and the lads of the regular Army, o."
marched past
After the parade the various posts, with wagon
loads of flowers, went TO the many cemeteries In
which dead comrades lie, and touching and fitting
climax to the doings Of Memorial Day, the Blue
and the Gray, Grand Army veterans and Con-
federate veterans, united in a service at the tomb
of General Grant and placed on it a wreath with
the motto, Let Us Have Peace"