Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-06-01
BvERINo EXERCISES
Held ia Msonfau Haii-Otation by
Hon o D. Baker.

Meonian Hall was filled to its utmost
seating capacity Saturday evening. Msjor
P NJ. Fosler, past commander, presided
at the meeting, which va, one of un-
usual interest throughout. The following
is the programme of the evening exercises:
/. Overture. 80, Fair Dove, o. Fond Dove
Schle pcgiell
Dennis Military Band.
?. March, LA Carsvane," Descriptive Asch
Dennis Military Band.
;. Invocation. Rev. X. A, Griffiu.
8 Reading of General Orders. Adiutabt.
Kelier's American Bymp. in Major
Dennis Military Band
& Grafton, Hon. Orvill- d. Baker.
= serenade. Departed Conrade..' Hayden.
DeHnis' Military Band
Z America" Audience and Band.
.. Benedction, Rev. Jts cph Kicker, d. ID.
The Grafton by Hon. o. ID. Baker WAS
most polished aud eloquent effort, com
msndirg the close attention Of the sudier c :.
Following is complete report Of the i'd
dress:
War is essentially revolving. IL sacks
and burns ard kills and from its very ma
tire must do so 1t obli,erases art.
bsckens and deisces nature, depopulstes
piles Up debt drinks up the lives OF the
best and the brsvest. I, makes light OF sill
The treasures of the past, ravsges books
.csters great Libraries. stiles literature
dv,ri- the intellectual strength OF the ma
ton, from knowledge, 70 conquest aid
.isushser Its very virtues are fierce and
sbims That someti log in all OF US which
respond. to the mote Of war. which is
ne htnYS hy
banners. by the spirit stirrir & drum, by the
pomp and prids Of armies. by the march,
by the bivousc. by the bat'le's light. il,
after all. the fierce brute within US, which
stirs ard growls, and would clip its leash
and b. sppeased with blood. Great war;.
therefore, tue PersiSn invssions. the Panic,
the Thirty Years War, the wars OF the
Fret ch Revolution. Of the Penintuls. OF
Franco Germany, great battles, Mara
thon, Agincourt, Hsstir 6, Waterloo. Sad
ows, Sedsn,-great captains, Hannibal,
Cesar, Chsrlemsgne. Gustsvus, Mari
borough. Wellington, Napoleon. while they
stir the blood, strike and ill the imagina'
ton for a space, yet live only in history,
sud get no enduring hold on after genera
tons, even among their own countrymen
Undertaken either to effec. or resist Goa
gu ST, such wars. once over, the world
hresthes freer and sets to work to fepsir
their rAvages. A brilliant page The mre
in history, deed or two Of splendid vAlor
wor h recouutiag, snothes shaft or two TO
gesm in bronze ulon the square.-over
against them blood wasted, homes desc
late, treasure speut--thst il the end No
held laid on the deep and enduring
thirg, that move the world, no'hiog
done for truth. justice, liberty or
The rights Of man. Small wonder. then,
hS no na'ion seeks 10 per petuate ous rather
to efsoe the memory Of such war. CNi
ur before on all the great .aes Of history.
What ore sm-ng them all il commemo-
rated bs = nstiopal holiday. bv gay regsl's
or reverent worship? Yet this America of
ours in its first shor, century of life hss
passed though tso conflicts oa'y, AID eaeh
Of them is already marked at the hands OF
IS 600 COO people, by national observance,
bys dsy set apart, BY business forsaken,
BY iocund or by reverent rites. Wonderfui
indeed Is this. And Jet more wonderful
that it is the spontaneous doing OF the
people themselves. No ruler has COM
manded it, no edict has enforced. yet 90
recuisrly has it been the peoples doing.
sos part Of the peoples life has it become.
that perhaps no man, now q listener. could
say when Independence Day wss not ceie-
hrated. or could tx its almost dAselsss
origin.
Our second great war closed, and not
lorg afts Z, in that sunnier Southland where
our Armies trampled their victorious way,
and where too many of our glorious dead
were left, come Southern WON'T n vent to
mourn their dead. The tpriog CONT
earlier there, and they had plucked the
trst spring flowers to stfew the graves they
loved. but when that Was done,
eide by side with them, touching
each other, even, in their sleeps, lay the
unlocked Uoion boys, and with the quick.
vomsn's tenderness. over these, too, the
flowers we're sprinkled. Our North was
touched by the act and by its spirit. and
vhen three years after the saving OF the
nion, . German private. whose name 10
lost, wrote to say that in the fasherland his
people we're wont in the spring to visit the
burying grounds and place flowers on the
graves Of their friends and relatives. and
that this might be fitting way to do honor
to the Union dead. that great citixsn-soidier
John A. Logan, then commander-in-c CHIEF
Of the Grand Army, promptly designated
the first Decoration day, expressing the
hope that it would be kept up from yesi
to year. - long as ore survivor OF the VA
femined to homer the memory Of his De.
parted comrades. Sleep soft, gallant old
hero. and have no fear. Their country
and yours will never forget these glorious
eead, A quarteY-century has already
passed since the order Of your commander
and every ,esf, though your own fanss
Sasee. your solemn ceremonial 10 kept b,
growing number, aud long after the ias