San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-05-30
FLAGS AND FLOWERS.
MEMORIAL DAY IN THE ALAMO
CITY.
General Sam psOn's Grafton = The
Procession-The Services over
the Graves-Other Notes.


The weather could not have been more
au>picious for Memorial Day than It was
| Cool, cloudy and very little dust, with
| tine breeze from the southeast.
| This tended to induce the citizens to
turn out, but did not induce many So
cieties to participate il the parade. The
procession formed on Alamo plaza and by
$3.50 o'clock was on the move down Hous-
ton street. Mounted police headed the
! column, followed by the orator of the
day, Gen. Sampson, and members Of the
| city and county governments. officers of
| the G.. A. X. and veterans. Then came
| the military band, company of U. s. in
fantry, a troop of cavalry and battery
| Belsnap Rifles. who turned out four
sets OF fours The Confederate Veterans
| followed and then came the Krieger We
rein, Grand Army Posts, Turn Verein,
! Society of Christopher Columbus, italian
| Benevolent society, Mexican Union. Vet
erans of the Mexican and Texas wars in
carriages, Women's Relief corps and pri
| vate carriages.
After getting on Commerce street, with
| flags furled and unfurled, the parade
moved directly out to the national ceme-
| terry, which was soon reached and every
| nook and corner as well as open space
was soon filled with men and boys of all
nationalities, nearly, and ladies in
nearly all walks of life. The in
| the speakers platform, which was
decorated with creeping roses, and
| the American flags. This was soon filled
with army officers, prominent citizens,
G. A. R. and Women's Relief Corps dele.
| gates. q
Chaplain Robinson, of one Of thee. A.
| r. posts. opened the services with prayer,
1 cd N
| original and appropriate poem.
Gen. A. j. Sampson, g. A. r. men,
| Der, now American consul at Juarez,
! Mexico, was then introduced and deliv'
| cred beautiful GRAFTON, speaking mere
| ~ from notes. He said: Comrades, ladies
and gentlemen-This day is set aside by
| American patriots for pilgrimage to the
resting places of the nations dead. These
are more sacred than the pilgrimage of
\ the women of Palestine To the sepulchres,
| or the shrine of Mecca. From the shores
| of the old Bay state, where landed the
advance guard of American liberty
in vpi sweep and from @n he ,b Iakes SIM
kissed shores of the Pacific. all gather 10
/ scatter flowers on the graves Of departed
heroes this day. They sleep on undis-
| turbed and the gentle patter OF the fail
ing flowers calls forth no response. Time
will change all things and nature will
| smooth over battlefieldS and obliterate
| the smoke and blood of war. All are of
| the past, save in memory's throne and out
! of the decoration of graves will come an
inspiration of new national life. This
| day, as year follows year, is becoming
| more generally observed. 1t teaches its
lessons to the living. The ancients bnilt
pyramids and sepulchres for their poster
them stronger. Flowers will soon fade and
| die. Let US show the world that pair OTIS
never die. The republic rests on pa
| triots' bones and its foundations are firm
| We must remember that our dead shall
be embalmed in the hearts of our people.
| He spoke Of the thousands of soldiers in
| the cemeteries, the thousands In unknown
| graves, whose names are unmarked and
| whose bones are believed only with the
| rains of heaven and only wild flowers
! decorate their resting pIaccs In one
sense. nothing can recompenSe for the
| loss of noble lives, the sorrow Of thou
/ sends of homes, mothers, sisters. wives.
In another sense, there can be. Look at
i our own country, before and after the
war. How little we knew of ourselves
| then? How much we knew Of cur.
/ selves now! The sacrifice was not in
| vain. After the war, at the surren-
| der at AppomaIox, when Lee
| offered his sword TO Grant, that noble
man returned il and told him TO keep
/
| a token of friendship. As members OF the
G. A. r. we have no feeling but of love
! for any part OF the country, Will follow
one leader and on our banner is written,
"Friendship to all Both sides were
| equally right according to their belief and
| there were none Drawer than thts VINO
| fought us under the stars and bars, but
| only one side could win. If we had lost,
what would have been the picture; d.
| vided country, freedom on one side
| of the Ohio river, serfdom on the
| other. Our credit ruined and
every nation a menace TO us. But now:
| our commerce. our wealth, our power, all
| give US happiness and teach Others re-
| spect. and our nation is growing in each
| All are united, all will be Joined and
| happy ma iOn will be ours. He eulOgZed
! the generals on both sides in the late
struggle. and also the brave soldiers, and
appealed to the sympathetic for the wild
| oWs and orphans of the fallen. Let us
decorate all the graves and even the I'M
| known. He related a touching in
cdent of the effect of the song
Home, Sweet Home" on two armies.
camped for battle in October, 1864, when
| the rival bands were playing their mar
tial music and the peace thai ensued
when John Howard Payne's words were
played.
Another touching incident he gave of
union soldier. i'm heat. OF battle. while
passing over wounded, trampled Con-
federate soldier stopping long enough TO
place him against tree, give him his s.,
blanket and q drink from his canteen and
then rush on to thesbattle. Today COM
rades, we will share our last blanket. and
our last drop Of water with them. When
the Americans fell dead in the streets OF
Valparaiso, none asked which side they
were on in the war, but every
veteran of both sides was ready
and anxious TO resent our country'S in
suit. He mentioned ltaly's back down
and how even old mother England, in the
Behring sea dispute, had been compelled
-. 1891 n,,r min, tr,rn Cnrrn hinnh W..