The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-06-01

They are not lost to US they still are
oursl
They do but rest. Cover their graves
with flowers
Earth's fairest treasures, fashioned with
that skill
Which makes the daisy's disk a miracle
No less than man. On monument ana
urn
Let their rich fragrance burn
Like incense on an altar. Softly spread
spread
A royal mantle DER each unmarked bed,
And, as jeweled rain,
Drop their bright petals for the nameless
dead,
And lonely, scattered wide
On plain, and mountain side,
Beneath the wave, and by the river-tlde, |
So let them rest
Upon their country's breast!
They have not died in vain
Through them she lives, with head no |
longer bowed
Among the nations, but erect and proud |
Washed clean of wrong and shame!
Her freedom never more an empty
name,
And all her scattered stars as one again
T DR.. N. B.. Emerson, Post Surgeon, gave
dressed his hearers as follows:
Comrades of the Grand Army of the
Republic-Fellow Citizens: Once more
in this corner of the world, under these
tropic skies, devolves upon US the CRATE
full task, as the remotest outpost OF the
Republics Grand Army, 10 make this
benefcent season of the year by wreath
ing anew these columns of remember
ance with garlands of natures choicest
tokens; to deck these graves with such
offerings of affection as are betting the
sentiments and memories CT the occa-
sion; to unite with whole nation In
doing honor not alone to the great
leaders whose names are watchwords to
us all, but above all to fttingly cele-
brate that great multitude OF heroic men
whose graves, too often unmarked, be-
strew continent.
The crowding memories and lessons of
| this day have inspired the tongues of
orators Tor a quarter OF a century. But
| even so, the theme is not outworn; the
memories are not faded; time has no
power to dim the lustre of worthy deeds
| bravely performed. The unnamed he
roes of from Bulls Run to Appomattox
| need no memorial shaft to blazon their
|
| Fame is wreath which exhales like the
vapor on the mountain; glory rain
| bow that spans the troubled sea of life
for moment; but honor outlives re-
nown and endures as the heritage of all
| time.
The heroes of Thermopylae are names
unknown to the world; but the sweet
| aroma of honor still clings to their
memory and refuses to let it perish.
Comrades. it were superfuous task for
us to seek by reiteration of sounding
phrases to add one iota to the honorable
renown of those who fell, or offered
| to fall, in their country's defense.
Their place in honor's temple is secured
for ever by the very nature OF their
| deed--or rather, by the high resolve
which found expression in those deeds
Honor and shame fromno condition rise
Act well your part - there all the honor
lies
s The occupants of these graves have
gone where no word of detraction car
annoy, no voice of eulogy elate. W.
come to-day not to bury these dead, bu
to praise them; the eulogies of this day
are for them and the cause they repre-
sented; the lessons are for US who still
abide in the land of the living.
But l cannot permit myself to stanC
here and utter words which may DE chal
lenged as those OF unqualified eulogy ant
approval of every act in the lives OF those
whose bodies tenant these silent graves
Let US, as plain, true men. come to al
understanding on shis point. We canno
claim that they airy more than we were
free from the errors and faults common
to all humanity. They were men OF lik'
passions and frailties with ourselves Tha
they had faults and passions which
sometimes oyeTcame them, we know
that they often manfuliy resisted, va
also know. Into the secrets of the hear
no man can pry; only God and the Rec
ording Angel can tell how often in tn
lives OF these and OF us all passion ha
= been ealmed and put down by the still
voice of honor and of religion. But thi
we do know, that at one time into thu
lives and hearts of these, our dead com
= rades, there shone great light, illumin
ating the rugged path of duty, Their
sounded a clear voice commanding then
to go forward: they heard the command
they obeyed and marched forward with
out filnching or complaining.
g In this high resolve, in this practica
obedience to the voice of the Supreme
Commander, we recognize q power cap
n able of transforming and refining tn
character and life of every maj
who truly needs and obeys it
z and this power is of such a natur
that, having once found entrance int
the heart and expression in the life, it i
impossible for the man ever again en-
tirely TO withhold himself from its en-
nobling influence. 1t is this prin
- ciple of obedience to duty - tn
u key note of every true soldier
which ennobles these men in our eyes
Il and has gained for them the plaudit
and homage OF a grateful republic: it
this which links the object of our pi
grimage to this hallowed spot to-da
with the hottest emotions and sentiment
of our nature. The flowers with whic
We crown these mounds are by this yer
j. act set apart from all common uses an
consecrated to higher use. And as "
er again renew this covenant of aHectio
for those who sleep in this hallowed pie
OF Gods acre, it is cheering to think til;
other hands are now doing the very sam
loving Office for the countless restin,
places of those who sleep in the HON,