Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1891-06-11

their country, the cause of human libert
and right; men, who when the cause 10
which they fought was triumphant AM
their country's cause victorious, gladl,
threw aside their arms and all the POM
and glitter of war, quietly returned Il
their old time avocations, took up agail
the pursuits of peace, turned their swords
into pruning hooks, their guns into plow
shares and settled down to quiet, peaceful
home life; all their war time passions
cooled, all thoughts of and desire fol
strife and bloodshed banisheu and were
gain simply American citizens, to true
American-the proudest title they coulo
have. From the beginning of the world
people have always been more or less hero
worshipers and never from the time when
the Spartans made their brave defense al
Thermopylae has any people had a trueri
braver band of heroes to sing of, to rev.
erence and to honor than have we in the
soldiers OF 1861. We meet on
these memorial days to remember our
to their utmost, even giving the last grand
sacrifice, their lives in their country's de-
Tense. We meet to show that a grateful
country remembers and loves her fallen
heroes.
"And does Columbia love her dead?
No word OF praise or honor can be said,
y
No monument has majesty or grace,
No music, filing with weird sweets the air
No maid or matron eloquently fair,
Naught that can feeling to expression wed
May say how well we love our soldier dead.
But !.
Love for the living martyrs OF the land
And garlands for the dead, go hand in
hand,
SO, while we deck the brave ones that are
Our hearts for those who live, beat truly
on
Soldiers of the Grand Army of the Re-
public: What can / say in closing espec-
tally to YOU you who fought side by side,
shoulder to shoulder with those we meet
to commemorate to-day? What can /
who was too young to realize much that
was taking place W hen you were in the field
appropriately say to your My excuse for
saying anything to you is my great honor
and reverence for any man who wore the
blue in those days, also that my father
was one of them and is one that we re-
member to-day although the flag and
flowers do not deck his grave for he is one
who sleeps in an unknown, unmarked
grave in the far off fields OF old Virginia,
whose resting place no man knows, but
he and all who were buried where they
fell sleep soundly there. 1t matters not to
X
rears its stately head, for their memory is
kept as fresh and green as those who lie
in our own well kept cemeteries. All men
desire to be remembered long after their |
souls have taken leave of the form it wore
upon earth. What else causes men to |
raise stately monuments with the names
Of those who lie beneath inscribed there
ont Why is fame and power and posi-
ton toiled for, II not because men know
hat the names OF the famous and mighty |
are handed down to posterityg Towering |
will crumble and decay, the |
names inscribed thereon will be effaced by |
Lhe all destroying hand OF time. But you
" ho sit before me to-day, your comrades
IN arms wko fought by your side, and that
vast caravan whose bones lie mouldering |
in thousands OF green clad cemeteries all
over this broad land and in unknown, un-
marked graves in the sunny south, whose
spirits await you on the further shore OF
he river OF death, have raised to your
a monument which towers above
,he loftiest monument ever chiseled from
stone by the hand OF man, a monument
whose foundations were laid by YOU as
,olid as the everlasting hills around you,
is base surrounded by the shackles
stricken from the limbs of millions OF
husky slaves, on its sides are written in
characters OF living fire which neither
ime nor eternity can efface the names and
leeds of the two million OF heroes who
ought in defense of country, from its
ummit floats free in the breeze the glori-
,us flag OF red, white and blue which you
he'd so much blood to preserve, its red
edder and brighter for the blood you
hed so copiously for its defense, its
White purer and clearer for the greater
'urity and national greatness which you
" your bravery brought into our coun-
ry's future, the blue clearer and deeper
or the enduring peace which you con-
uered for us by the unconquerable force
4 arms, with its stars which you kept in
act and which are constantly increasing
n number and brilliancy, the monument
I q free, united, prosperous country.
ZACH year as you meet in remembrance of
hose who have gone before, your ranks
re thinner and your numbers here de-
rease as one by one you go to join that
yer increasing army of your comrades
tho have fought the good fight and gone
} their reward; each year you have some
dded grave to decorate with flag and
overs. Even as you went forth in the
our Of your country's need, so now you
o to join that other army by companies,
Y regiments and by brigades, led. during
ais last year as some of you were led on
he march or in the battle by that gallant,
ltrepid and by many thought to be the
reatest general the world ever produced,
lillian Il. sherman. KIND, loving, gentle
ct brave as ever to the last. But as your
7er thinning ranks decrease and you too
'e carried by loving, mourning hands to
our last resting places under the green
ID and bright flowers, amid the glisten-
g spires OF our many silent cities of the
lad, where the winds murmer eternal re- =
Mems over your graves, go bravely as
,u went into earthly battles, proud that
)ur names will be recorded in your coun-
y's archives and in the hearts of your
untrymen as members of that Grand
rmy who by their self sacrifice saved a
ltion in the hour of her deadliest peril;
oud and happy that you will be remem-
red as you know your comrades already
me are remembered; that when this day
hich you have dedicated shall annually
me, your names viii not be forgotten,
ur graves will be tended, kept green
d decorated with flags and flowers as
ng as our loved flag of stars and stripes
all wave, as long as the great American
public shall have place among the ma
ms of the world and II the time shall
er come among the rapidly shifting
anes OF earth when the nation shall take
r place among the nations of the past.
story and tradition viii hand down
UT names as among those who helped
prolong her existence. The names of
inces and the mighty ones OF earth viii