Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-16
HoNORING THEIR DEAD.

HONORING THEIR DEAD.
| Impressive Memorial Services Under the
| Auspices of the National Rifles.
Very nearly every seat in the National Thea
ter was occupied last night on the occasion of
the memorial services of the National Rifles to
do honor to the members whose names are now
borne on the rolls Of the organization as having
been mustered out of earth and life. 1. was a
sad event and appropriately managed. The
theater was lastly draped with flags tied with
knots of crepe and the banners of the organi-
cation On the stage were ferns and palm s
and slight touches of mourning to signify the
character of the services. As the crowds
surged into the building they we're aided and
directed in finding places for themselves by a
large corps of ushers under the direction of
\ Private T. p. Harrington the chairman of the
| committee OF arrangements. whose skillful and
untiring efforts were the elements that went
| TO make the occasion a memorable one. The
boxes were filled with distinguished people,
| among whom were many of the most prominent
officers OF the National Guard and citizens of
! high standing in the community. In the right
lower box were Commissioners Douglass and
Ross and First Controller Matthews Next to
them were Mavroyeni Bey. the Turkish minis
| ter; Postmaster Sherwood and Controller
/ Lacey. Upstairs we're Col and Mrs. NJ. II. Par
ker, Representatives O'NeiE and Van Schaick
In the other boxes were Col. and Mrs. j. o. p.
Burnside, Col. Vim. G.. Moore. Col. G. G. Clay,
Col. A. i. Britton, Maj. Bracket and other
men of prominence both in and out of military
| circles
The orchestra was occupied by the Marine
Band, with Prof. Sousa welding the baton, and
the music sent forth was of beautifully touching
character that spoke well for the selections and
the renditions. Two vocal numbers were rem
dered by a quartet composed Of Messrs. McFar-
land, Simons, Whipple and Lapham. The first
was Dows Consolation, and the other,
Steeles Lead, Kindly Light" both being sung
in style that evoked applause even from such
solemn assemblage.
STRIKING FEATURE.
A striking feature of the vast throng that
filed the house from pit to dome was the pres
ence of two solid lines Of militarymen seated on
the edge Of the parquet, the Old Guard on the
left and the National Fencibles. formerly the
National Rifles Cadets OIL the right. References
were made to them during the evening by the
various speakers.
Promptly at 7:30 o'clock, the hour set for be-
ginning the exercises the stage became filed
with blaze of scarlet, the members of the
National Rifles, attired in full uniform, filed on
with short steps and took their places before
the four rows of chairs that made semi-circles
around the stands in the center. Following
them came Capt. Oyster. Gen. s. S. Burdette.
ex-commapder-in-chief of the Grand ARMY of
the Republic, and DIR. Milburn chaplain of the
House of Representatives, on the arm of Pri-
waite Harrington. A tap on the draped table
from Capt. Oysters gayel was the signal for the
men to seat themselves and the exercises were
begun with two selections by the band, pre-
lude, go. Let Me Weep" by Stevenson, and a
paraphrase OF Jerusalem. the Golden" by
Rollins. Then Chaplain Milburn invoked the
Divine blessing on the ceremonies and the
semblage in language suitable to such an oc-
casion, referring touchingly to the recent
deaths of Porter and Sherman. The prayer
concluded, Capt Oyster called on the secretary
of the organization to read the roll of the dead.
He read from a black book the following
names: A. L. d. Stone, died 1882; Brainard T..
Spencer, 1891; Joseph Page. 1886: Frank ].
Burkhart 1883; Vim. L. Chafield, 1889; Robert
Z. Moore. 1889: John A. Evans, 1890, and Jos.
F. II. Blois, 1890.
GEN. BURDETTEs GRAFTON.
Gen. Burdette then delivered the grafton Of
the evening, which he began by referring to
the occasion as thoroughly unique in form and
purpose. The audience, he said, were the
guests of band of citizen soldiers gathered to
honor their dead comrades whose sunset was
at cloudless evening. whose requiem was not
sounded over desolate battletields. but in the
midst of harmony of music and flowers and
kindly, peaceful words He then spoke of the
relation Of the volunteer military organizations
to the rest of the country, and of the trustful-
ness which the people have in their safety with
bands of armed men within their midst. He
drew a happy picture of the difference between
the system in which men volunteer their serv-
ices to their country and that under which men
are forced to do duty with the musket. A
country where the former prevails is safe for
all time, while under the latter there is constant
danger. There have been instances where the
presence of armed men j.. the community has
caused trouble, but in each of these cases
these armed bands had ir their ranks few mer
who trst saw the light under the folds Of the
American flag. The American soldier is first
of all and above all an American citizen. There
is no reproaeh on him who comes TO his coun-
trys service at the eleventh hour. The
speaker traced lightly the course Of the Ma
tional Rifles, paying special attention to its
career during the war as one OF the first bodies
of volunteers to offer its services under the call
of April 81, and he mentioned the names of
some of those who won honor in the strife with
the uniform Of this organization their
shoulders. Fully 80 per cent of the members
had received commissions in the volunteer
service. Such organizations, he remarked,
were the leaven in the mass of I'M
taught patriotism that swarmed to the
defense of the country in the hour of
need. Referring to the deaths of sherman and
Porter, he said: Another march to the sea has
been accomplished. but this time il is an illimit-
able shore that has been reached and ghostly
squadron and an angelic commander that
awaits the arrival of the soldier. There. too. is
that grand commander, who only yesterday
breathed his last amid the lame nations of q
whole nation. A wish goes up that sherman
could be laid with Porter and Sheridan in the
nations Arlington, where Grant might with
propriety have been laid and where vet, it is
hoped. his ashes will rest. The nation will
sooLer or later claim its own and the states and
| cities that now guard with reverent care the
bones of their cherished heroes will relinquish
them to the careful guardianship of the nation"
Private Burton L. Doyle then recited a beau
tiful original poem, with death, immortality
and comradeship theme. The sweet
strains of the ''Inflammatus," from Rossinl's
| ''Stabat Mater" interpreted by Mr.. Walter
F. Smith with his cornet accompanied by the
band, swelled out and added to the feeling of
sympathy that seemed to surge through the
house.
Mr. Z. B. HAYS EULoGY.
The eulogy to the memory of the dead was
delivered by Comrade Z. L. Hay, who held his
audience in perfect attention throughout the
half hour that he took in delivering his words
OF grief and regret. In the roll call. he said
silence only answers to the names of eight dear
comrades, the echo Of the old familiar names
only makes reply. The company not there
to bury these men, but to praise them and to
| bring back their memories, some fading. some
bright with sharp regret. The custom OF pay
/ ing tribute to the dead is an index OF ciyiiiza-
ton. Words live when monuments decay and
good deeds survive both. The speaker then
| ran gently over the records made by the eight
men who have stacked their guns and taken the