The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1891-06-05

beak against another flock of eagles
iron beaked. 1t was thunderbolt
against thunderbolt. It was archapgel
of wrath against archaRgel of wrath.
1t was Hancock against Longstreet. 1t
was Fitzpatrick against Wade Hamp-
ton. 1t was Slocum against Hill. 1t
was o. Q. Howard against Hood. 1t
was Sherman against Stonewall Jack
son. 1t was Grant against Lee. And
the men who were under them were
just as gallant, and some of them are
here, | detain the two garlands that |
have twisted for the departed and in
recognition of honesty and proves put
the corOnals upon those living federals
and confederates.
These two garlands that I have
twisted for northern and southern
graves shall not be put upon the grass
of the tomb until they have first encir-
cled the fOreheads of the living. | will
let the front of the wreath come down
over the scar of scalp wound made by
the sword of cavalryman at Atlanta
and droop little over the eye that lost
its luster in the mine explosion at Pc
terSburg. HuZZa for the living. Gala
lilies and camelias and amaranths and
branches for the living.
But we must not detain the two gar
lands any longer from the pillows of
those who. for a quarter of a century,
have been PROSTATE in dreamless
slumber. never oppressed by summers
heat or chilled by winters cold. Both
garlands are fragrant. Both have in
them the sunshine and the shower of
this springtime. The cOlOrs of both
were mixed by Him who mixed the blue
OF the sky and the gold of the sunset and
the green of the grass and the whiteness
OF the snow crystal. And | do not care
which you put over the northern grave
and which you put over the southern
grave. Does any one say. What is
the use? None of them will know it:
your Decoration days both sides Mason
and DiXOn's line are great
waste of flowers" All. see
YOU have carried too far
my idea that praise for the living is
better than praise for the departed.
Who says that the dead do not know of
the flowers? l think they do. The
dead are not dead. The body sleeps
but the soul lives and is umhindered.
No two cities on earth are in suchoorapid
and constant communication as earth
and heaven, and the two decoration
days of north and south are better
known in realms celestial than terres-
trial. With what interest we visit the
place of our birth and of our boyhood or
girlhOod days. And have the departed
no interest in this world where they
they suffered and triumphed? Ny
Bible does not positively say so. nor
does my catechism teach it, but my
sense declares.it.
Among the thousands of gatherings
at the north and at the south for Decor
alton days | am conscious that this SER
vice is unique and and that it is the
only one in which there has been twisted
two garlands, one for the grave of the
northern dead and the other for the
grave of the southern dead. O, Lord
God of the American union, is it not
time that we bury forever our old |
grudges: My. My. Can we not be at
peace on earth when this moment in |
heaven dwell in perfect love Ulysses S. |
Grant and Robert f. Lee, William |
[. Sherman and StOnewall jackson and |
tens of thousands of northern and south. |
ern men who. though once looked |
lSkance at each other from the opposite |
banks of the Potomac and the Chicka-
lOminy and the James and the Tenn !
essee, now are on the same side of the
liver, keeping jubilee with some OF
hose old angels who near nineteen
centuries ago came down one Christ
mas night to chant over Bethlehem,
Glory 10 God in the highest; on earth
)eace, good will TO men,"
l have been waiting for some years
or some one else to twist the two gar
ands that | to-day twist, but. none
Icing it, in the love of God and my
.Ountry ! put now my hand TO the work
md next spring about this time, if am
living and well. | will twist two more
rarlands for northern and southern
raves, and every springtime until some
nan or woman whom | may have
heered a little in the struggle of this
ife, shall come out and put pansy or
wO on my grave. But If the time
hOuld ever come when this
and shall be given over to sectional
ancOr and demagOgism, and the north
nd south, or east or west shall forget
THAT the good Goa built this nation for.
nd it shall halt on its high career OF
righteousness and liberty and peace.
nd become the agent of tyranny and
;rOng and oppression, then let some
Dung man whom | have baptized in in
ancy at these alters go out to Green
rOod and scoop up my dust and scatter
t to the four winds of heaven, for | dc
OF want to sleep, and | will not sleeE
n land accursed with SectiOnaliSm or
ppressiOn.
And now l hand over the two gar.
lnds, both of which are wet with many
ears. tears of widow hood and orphan
ore and childlcSSneSS. tears OF suffering
nd tears of gratitude. and as the cere-
lony must be performed in symbol.
here not being enough flowers to cover
II the graves. take the one garland &c
he tomb of some northern soldier who
lay yesterday have been omitted in
be distribution of the sacrament of
overs. and the other garland TO the
)mb of some southern soldier, who
lay, a month ago, have been omitted
! the distribution of the sacrament of
he flowers. and put both the wreaths
emily down over the hearts that have
mds, God save the United States OF {
merica. {
To Cooperate with the United States.
WASHINGTON. June 1.-The presi- 8
ent yesterday received a cipher dis |
atch from Minister Lincoln saying :
lat official notice had been given in
lie house of commons that bill would 7