The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-05-12
MEMORIAL DAY AT 0AKW0OD.
Graves Of Dead Heroes Decorated With
Flowers.
THE GRAFTON BY Mr.. D. c. RICHARDSON.
Attendance of tho First virginia Regiment
and the Stuart Horse Guards
and Veterans.

| Memorial day was observed IN tho usual
manner at lakewood Cemetery yesterday al
ternoon by the lsd,es Of the lakewood Memo
rial Association. Early in the afternoon the
ladies went TO the cemetery TO decorate the
graves and the monument OF the fallen SOL
diers By6 o'clock a large crowd had gath
cred around the graves, and at that time the
FIRST Virginia regiment and the Stuart Horse
Guards entered the grounds, Lee and Pickett
Camps were ON hand early and took positions
around the stand which had been erected
near the monument.
The stand. which was tastefully decorated
| bv Mr. w Davis, was reserved TOT tne LADIES
! OF the Oakvood Memorial ASSOCIATION ana
their guests the Indies OF the hollywood
| Memorial Association. soon AFTER O'CLOCK
! Colonel w A. Archer commander OF Lee
| Camp. called the meeting TO order ana intro
! duced the Rev. Dr., Preston Nash, of Christ
church. who oaered prayer. =.
CAPTAIN Frank Cunningham sang beauti-
ful solo entitled The Rest and was fol-
| lowed by Oomrade DAVID q. hchardson, tho
orator of the day.
Mr. Richardson spoke as follows:
Tho Address.
Comrades. Ladies and Gentleman: To
| those who tread these grounds with needless
! feet we would give the admonition which was
written at Thermopole: Stop, traveller, you
are treading on the ashes If heroes"
Stand here to-day upon this holy ground in
this city of the dead, at the base OF this gran
tie shaft marking the places where heroes
sleep, surrounded by many who were partlci-
pants in the bloody drama in which the lives
| of loved ones were yielded up willing sacri-
flee upon the altar of liberty; amidst these as.
sociations and surroundings the realities of
the present fade away. the tide of time turns
1..o1 .or1 IN to
thirty years ago arise before our mental
vision.
We see a highly favored land, fertile
! valleys towering mountains, rushing rivers
magnificent cities and pleasant rural homes
! We see a government framed by the wisdom
of sages and cemented with tho blood Of
patriots. We see a glorious union Of indie
! pendent States joined together under one
| federal head. and millions of people grown
rioh by the pursuits of peace. Oh. land OF
liberty. asylum of the oppressed: abode Of
happiness! Could not the Angel OF Peace
] still abide in this fair land?
But now the spirit of discord arises, dissen-
! tons divide the people, and soon the cloud OF
/ war at first no larger than mans hand, IS
seen above the horizon. 1t grows larger
| blacker. and more portentous The sky
grows dark and mutterings of the coming
storm are heard The Southern States with
| draw from the Union and TeassuTne the
! powers delegated by them TO the Federal
! Government.
We see Virginia standing apart in the at
| titude of suppliant With the Constitution
! in one hand and the olive branch IN the
| other she begs for the Union. She strives to
! STAY the tide of passion and avert the horrors
| of fratricidal strife. But her pleadings are
! in vain Madness rules the hour. The angel
| of peace takes her fight and Liberty wells her
face. The thunders Of war reyerberate
through the land and the sons Of Virginia are
! called on 20 march against the people OF her
sister States of the South. Arising in her
dignity from the attitude of a suppliant Nlr-
| ginia girds on her armor and, joining hands
with her Southern sisters, she commits her
| all 10 the God of battles. She bares her
| bosom TO the storm. receives the stroke, and
strikes back the blow with giants strength.
| And now the conflict RACES. and blood and
tears are mingled in the strife
FAREWELL FOREVER.
We see the mother kiss the fair brow Of her
| darling boy and bid him farewell forever. We
see the man whose locks are whitened with
| the frost of age marching in ranks by the
side of the besrdless youth, and then the bat
tie is Joined. Shouts of victory now rend the
air, and the Southern cross floats triumphant
| over many q hotly contested battle-h field. But
! the victory is dearly bought; many OF the
| bravest and best 60 down in the strife; the
soil Of Virginia drinks up the blood Of the
/
/ following their immortal leaders, are invlnci-
bic when opposed by equal numbers.
But the deadly struggle Ia protracted and
| the contest Is uneqaL The devoted sons of
| the South die bravely fighting, and there are
| none to take their places. while with over
whelming numbers the enemy pours down
upon them. BY mere attrition the Southern
/ army is worn away and the Confederate lines
/ grow thinner and thinner. And now new
enemy appears. The fields Of the South
! have been wasted her homes destroyed. and
gaunt famine stalks through the land. While
men half-starved are fighting their loved ones
/ at home are CRYING for bread
We see the women of the South. gentle,
educated and refined, suffering privation and
! enduring hardship. As angels of mercy they
/ minister 10 the wounded and suffering in hos
pitfalls and at their homes. They cool the
| fevered brow. soothe the anguish of the suf-
| ferer, bind up the gaping wound, whisper
| hope TO the desparing. point.the soul Ito
Heaven in its fight and close the eyes IN
| death
But the unequal struggle must come to a
| close The thin line of weak and famished
| Confederates is SLOWLY wasting away. The
! increasing forces OF the enemy surround
them. The capital city of the Confederacy,
| which so long has been looming bastlon
| fringed with fire." is abandoned and given
over to devastation and ruin. We see a small
! band Of heroic souls turn their faces south
| ward. lneN are Stlll true 10 country anu 10
duty. But with avenging swOop the enemy
comes upon them. They are cut of from the
way Of escape, but they will fight to the last
! And now the curtain falls upon the bloody
drama and the long struggle ends The i'm
mortal Lee would spare the useless sacrifice
and the banner of the South is forever furled
on the field of Appamattox. II goes down in
defeat but not in dishonor. noble army is
| blOtted out of existence but its heroic deeds
viii live IN song and story
CONTEST ENDED.
The contest has ended, forever ended The
bitterness and hatred. the suffering and sor-
row, the tears and blood. all are past and
gone, forever gone, but the heroic achieve
ments of the Confederate soldiers are ours
forever. Peace and prosperity now smile
upon us. In a restored Union we are loyal
citizens, faithful 10 the laws and lovers of
| liberty. but we cannot forget our dead, and
may the lightnings of Heaven forever blast
us if we ever admit that these. our husbands,
fathers, brothers and sons who died for us,
sleep in dishonOr
Was the South right in this contest? Stand
| ing here to-day twenty-five years after the
smoke Of battle has rolled away. answer un-
| hesitatingly. yes. | am proud of old Virginia.
| / treasure the memories Of her achievements
in the first struggle for independence. The
| fame of her warriors. statesmen iurists and
orators is priceless legacy to every true Viz
| ginian. And with all Of these | cherish
the memory of her suferings and sac
]