The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1891-06-01

rather, 10y the high resolve which
found expression IN those deeds.
Honor aud shame from no condition
rise,
Act well your pnrl--therc II the
honor lies
The occupants Of these gr~hcs
have gone where no word Of detrac-
ton can annoy, no voice OF eulogy
elate. We come today not to bury
these dead, but to praise them the
eulogies of this day are for them and
the cause they represented; the les
sons for us who still abide in the land
of the living.
But | cannot permit myself to
stand here aud utter words which
may be challenged as those of un-
qualified eulogy and approval Of
every act in the lives of those whose
bodies tenant these silent graves.
Let us, as plain, true men, come to
an understanding on this point. We
cannot claim that they any more than
we were free from the errors and
faults common to all humanity. They
were men of like passions and frail-
ties with ourselves. That they had
faults and passions which sometimes
overcame them, we know; that they
often manfully resisted, we also
know. Into the secrets of the heart
no man can pry; only God and the
Recording Angel can tell how often
in the lives of these and of us all
passion has been Gained and put
down by the still voice of honor and
of religion. But this we do know,
that at one time into the lives and
hearts of these, our dead comrades,
there shone great light, illuminat-
ing the rugged path of duty, there
sounded clear voice commanding
them to go forward; they heard the
command, they obeyed and marched
forward without hInching or com
planning.
In this high resolve, in this prac-
tical obedience to the voice of the
Supreme Commander, we recognize
power capable of Transforming and
refining the character and life of
every man who truly heeds and
obeys it; and this power is of such a
nature that, having once found en-
trance into the heart and expression
in the life, it is impossible for the
man ever again entirely to withhold
himself from its enrolling influence.
1t is this principle of obedience to
duty-the key note of every true
soldier-which ennobles these men
in our eyes, and has gained for them
the plaudits and homage of a CRATE
ful republic; it is this which links
the object of our pilgrimage to this
hallowed spot today with the hottest
emotions and sentiments of our ma
ture. The flowers with which we
crown these mounds are by this very
act set apart from all common uses
and consecrated to a higher use.
And as we again renew this covenant
of affection for those who sleep in
this hallowed plot of Gods Acre, it
is cheering 20 think that other hands
are now doing the very same loving
office for the countless resting places
of those who sleep in the home
land from which we are separated I;
and when panied memory brings to
our recollection the name of some
dear comrade whose fate il was to
lie down in the tangled wilderness or
oozy morass and die in utter lone
illness and despair of human aid let
us comfort ourselves with the thought
that kind nature has done tor his
sepulchre all that we can do for
these.
"When spring with dewy fingers cold,
Returns to deck their hallow'd mold,
She here shall dress II sweeter sod
Than Fancy's feet have eve trod
1t is a pleasing thought for us to
take with us from this place that the
rites of this day are no longer of
limited application, but that with a
restored political union, with a flag
that is greeted with equal acclaim
from the Kennebec TO the Rio
Grande, these loving amenities of
Decoration Day find exercise wher-
ever rest the ashes of soldier; that
Faith, Charity end Loyalty have
healed the wounds of battle and
brought reconciliation and peace, and
that not smallest part of the credit
for this peaceful, benefcent worl
belongs to this beautiful rite in
which we are now engaged ; and thus
healed, restored, we can with one
voice and in true accord exclaim, One
country and one flag
Among those who witnessed the
ceremonies at The cemetery on last
Saturday may be mentioned, Com
mandtr }. j. Reed and officers of the
L. 5. S. Iroquois, the L. S Minister
and Consul, Ii. MS Chamberlain,
j. w. Robertson; f. A. Schaefer,
Dean of the Consular Corps, and
others.
At the close of the literary pro-
gram the choir sang "America" and
the L. 5. marines, under command
Of Lieutenant Barnette, fired salute
of sixty guns over the graves of the
dead. The graves were then strewn
with fragrant flowers and the beue-
diction was pronounced by Rev. DR..
Beckwith.
The troops then marched to The