St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-05-31
ECHOES OF THE WAR.
The Old Veterans We're Given
Possession Of the City
Yesterday.
Grim-Visaged Warriors Par
ticipate in Ella borate Ex-
epeiSeS.
Gen. S. L. WoOdfOPd, Of New
York, the Orator Of the
Day.
A War in This County About
Every ThiPty-Five
Years.


the nation has been sOdevotedly ObServ-
ing the sacredneSs of May so as the day
set apart all over the land for decorat-
inc the last resting places of the coun-
try's dead heroes and martyrs, the OBJ
Servance has never been SO unanimous
as it was yesterday. Everybody, With
out cast, without class, united i'll the
ceremonies that had been arranged UNI
der the auspices of the different posts
OF the Grand army i'll st. Paul. The
parade was exceptionally large and i'm
posing. and the ceremonies at Oakland
were particularly affecting.
The forenoon was devoted to decOrat-
ing the graves of the dead sQldiery, as
is the pious custom of the day. This
was done by committees specially bur-
dened with the duty. At Calvary GEM
etery, divine services were conducted
by Father Hebron, and the choir was i'll
charge of John f. Gehan. and Capt. M.
j. O'ConnOr delivered an eloquent ora
ton. During the course OF his address
he suggested the prOpriety OF erecting 4
soldiers monument in this cemetery,
and he was authorized to appoint COM
bishop Ireland to be the chairman of
of the committee. The other names are
to be announced through these columns.
The day was perfect. The sun rose
In All Its SplendOr
upon the rich verdure of a Minnesota
May, and at the hour for the line of
march to be taken up, 2 o'clock, every
street presented an animated aspect.
All the thOrOughfareS were crowded,
and everybody was bent upon seeing
all that the occasion afforded. The
street cars were a perfect jam, and
buses found all the patronage that they
could care for, and thousands walked or
went to Oakland cemetery IN private
cOnYeyances, so that by the time the
procession arrived there every avail
able foot of space within hearing dis
lance of the stand that had been erected
to accommodate the orator of the day,
Gen. Stewart L.. Woodford, of New
York, had been taken. 1t was sight
to delight the patriotism of the old
veterans that participated in the events
of the day. Mothers were there with
their children, and the little ones were
suffered to gambOl upon the green
sward at VIII and enjoy themselves
without cOnnne.
The funeral march Memorial" by
the Great Western and the First Regi-
ment bands, opened the programme as
the distinguished citizens and their
ladies took seats on the stand. Among
the latter were. besides Gen. WOOdf0rd,
Albert Scheffer. Rev. s. q. Smith,
States Judges Shiras, Nelson, SanbOrn,
DIR. j. Ii. Murphy. Judge Kerr and
Capt. WV. Braden. Dr.. Smith uttered
a fervent an eloquent prayer, and the
Mendelssohn Quartette sang owe
Gather Here With Reverence" and
then Gen. WOOdford was introduced.
He made an effective and eloquent ad-
dress. He said:
WOOdfOrd Surprised.
Comrades and Citizens: 1hirty-three
years ago, when | was little more than
a boy, vas permitted to journey far
from home attentions and to visit for
the first time the beautiful little village
of st. Paul. 1t has never been my fort
une to stand in your crowded and
buStlling streets from then until yeSter-
day. Where 1 left village tilirty-three
years ago | yesterday found great CITY,
teeming with commercial prosperity, a
city busy with colossal manufactures,
a city crowded with an intelligent and
progressive population, and occupying
what seems to me the most beautiful
site that this government has ever seen
this side of the Atlantic ocean, and
equal in its wondrOus beauty to the
heights of Edinburgh.
| have been profoundly impressed with
the startling fact that of the 65,000.000
people who today constitute this i'm
perial republic, not one in five of all our
men, our women and our children was
alive and in this country when the War
of the Rebellion broke out. There are
not today more than 100000 people
who lived either as child or as man
when the first shot was fired upon Fort
Sumter and inaugurated the civil war.
That which to us who took part in the
struggle, and which we look back upon
as part of our lives never to be torn
from memory. is to this large mass gath
cred here before me only matter of
history told in story and emphasized by
the sight Of one-armed and crutch-bear-
ing veterans. 1t is fitting gathering
today, not merely OF old soldiers who
recall memories of camp incidents and
battlefield tragedies, but it is fitting
gathering to engrave upon the young
hearts of the youth of the land,
and instill into their young lives the
meaning of what that struggle was. 1t
is appointed to all men once to die, but
death comes in varied forms and from
varied causes, Some men die from a
neglect of the laws of living; they court
death and die untimely and useiessly.
Some ripen as the fruitage ripenS for
the harvest. Others, with high sense
of patriotic duty. serve at the same time
their country and their God and mount
up Calvary and die that the
Nation May Live.
Such men are martyrs and heroes, and
it is to do such men honor that we meet
today. Some of them died in battle;
some of them wasted away in hospitals,
and some of them wearied and went to
sleep on the march, while some came
home and. wearied with working, went
to sleep when their days work
was done; but they all did
their duty. They answered their
country's call, and they all went to their
death as Joyous as the bridegroom goes
to the arms of his love. The meaning
of their death is the cause of orr gather
ing today.
Now, word to the boys If l could
look into the eye and catch every ear of
every lad within the reach of my voice,
| would ask the simple question, Why
did these men die? Life was to them as
bright and as beautiful as it is to you,
boys. They had homes just as dear as
you have; they had hopes as radiant
and they had love Just as sweet and
memories as tender. Yes, life was as
sweet to them as to you. Boys. they
died for their country, and that death
tells what the country is to you and to
me. Do you ever stop 10 think what
ruaanS fISO