Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-06-01

nt arms, they smiled 4 smile of incrednlity
ana rdictlc. They said il was To be il
tempest IN teapot. They expected to see
TWO armies making themselves the laugh.
ing stock of the world because Of their in.
competence, Instead of that. after a few
months OF drill and two or three battles
tltH saw two great armies, and what | say
o. cue say of both, they moved with the
Skili and bravery Of soldiers trained for u
hlclimeln the artualities of war, and their
smile was changed to a look of admira.
Ton and wondcrment. This means
that native in the average American
citIzen are rugged soldery qualities that
may he depended upon for the defence of
this country in the time OF need. 1t means
that Americans who are pcaccable, indus.
trlons and lHwahiding citizens in time Of
peace are capable of becoming skilful and
braNG soldiers in time Of war. 1t means
mat the vast expense Of keeping an I'M
fnense standing army in time of peace is
all unnecessary. Il means that ii is not
only a matter of economy, but ct Justice
and future safety to the nation to pension
these brave defenders of the flag, thus re-
WafdlhS their patriotism and encouraging
1t in succeeding generations We hear d
great deal of talk nowadays about our eX.
tr;tNhEant pension system, | want to say
That have not amy sympathy with IL. /
think that such talk for the most mart
pusillanmous talk, many of such people
are ptslllanimous people. and such treat
ment Of the old soldiers is pusillanimouS
treatment and am not far from saving
that il is pusillanimous meanncss. have
no doubt there are persons on our pension
rolls that ought not to be, But while
there are persons on the pension list who
ought not to be, there are great many
not there who ought to he. There were
many who were not there whooughtto
been, mean that there are great many
III their graves to-day who onght TO have
been pensioned. and were not, and they
died with Just sense of the ingratitude
Of the nation they fought TO save, and
died because they SO fought. ] would
rather 10 Iaen would be IN the pension
roll who ought not to be there than one
of who ought to be on. If this govern
ment would make II more difficulty for
unworthy men to gei on. il ought TO make
1t easier for worthy men to get on This
country as 1t now Is with its vast domain
and incompatible resources is by reason
of the defence of the brave boys in blue,
otherwise it would have been dismem-
bered and would be to-day and into how
many pieces God only knows. Ii | had
my way ! would give to every soldier for
the Union who rendered substantial SER
vice for year or more Il liberal pension
50 liberal as by economical use of il. to
rake il impossible for poverty to cross his
threshold. would pay it to him, too, not
as a gratuity, but as a debt that it is his
right TO have us much as il is his right to
haveany other debt. have had these opin-
ions for years, and / now express them thus
publicly and do not care how much more
public they are made have opinions IN
politics and state MS well as IN religion and
church and am rs free and frank to eN-
press at proper times the former rs the
latter.
Again thank you for this opportunity
to address and beg you to continue your
pilgrimage to the graves of your fallen
comrades and Strcw their graves with
fragrant flowers and keep their memories
fresh ana fragrant.
The post marched back to town, stop
ping on tho way at st. Joseph's, Green
Hill and Mt. Salem cemeteries. at each of
which there were appropriate. but less
elaborate ceremonies. The sad offices con-
tnued until noon and when the veterans
returned to their headquarters they were
tired and dust.covered, but all were anx-
ious to participate in the exercises Of the
afternoon.
Smyth and Sheridan posts visited Will
minglon and Brandywne. Rivervicw
Asbury and Old Swedes cemeteries. At
RiyerYiew cemetery children from the
public schools beyond the Brandywine
assisted the veterans in their work of
strewiug graves.
Grant Post went to the old and new
Cathedral cemeteries and Sumner Post to
the colored people, cemeteries.
The chief feature of the Decoration Day
ohseryanceS in Wilmington was the parade
of the Grand Army posts, which started
shortly attGr go o'clock, The line of
march was from Fourth and Market to
Eleventh, to Delaware avenue, to the
Soldiers Monument, To Eighth street Park,
where the meeting was held.
The old veterans MARCHED well, and the
parade was handsome aud imposing. A
number of school children were in the
line and flags were beautifully displayed.
The order OF parade was as follows:
Platoon OF Police.
Chief Marshal jacob Sitter and Stat.
Department Commander aud Stan.
Post Department Commanders.
Smyth Post Band.
Smyth Post, No /, samuel J. Wood, Com
inander,
du Point Post Drum Corps
du Pont Post, No ., Henry Stradey, Com
Garfield Camp, Sons OF Veterans, George j.
Adams, COmmRnder.
Drum Corps.
High schooi boys and lads from schools No. /, 1
and and othors, hu tterically in line, Past
Post Conmander Joseph Duffy, mar
shal, and Lewis II. Wright, aid.
CRY OFFICERS.
Mayor and City Council, Board OF Education, in
carriages.
A GREAT CROWD AT EIGHTH STREET PARK.
An immense gathering had preceded the
procession TO Eighth street park, where
| the concluding and most interesting eNer-
cses were held. The pretty square pre-
scented a most animated and picturesque
scene when the organizations had masScd
| in front of the speakers stand and the
| school children arose to sing. National
/ It,,ts,r Ni1n.rptp ~ ntaInr pafnr II
| presided and j. y. Elymer was musical
| director. The exercises began with the
| HYMN My Country, lis of Thee" follow
| ing which prayer was offered by the Rev.
| :. VI Morgan, Jr. Next the children sang
| columbia, the Gem Of the Ocean" after
which Chief Justice Lore was introduced
bv Chairman Ayars and delivered the
opening address. He said:
rHE ADDRESS OF CHIEF JUSTICE LORE.
Soldiers of the Grand Army of the Re.
public your General Order No, 1, styles
this Memorial Day as tho day of flowers
and sadness of memory and hope"
Flowers YOU have already strewn upon
| the grave, of the veteran dead. If III the
| shirt world they can look down upon you
today, what thrill of joy and gladness
| must be theirs, at this act of homage rem
dered by tic fast fading remnant of the
old guard and by "a loving people, to the
memory of those who fell IN battle. or
were swept away by wars scourges,
wounds and disease. Tenderly you have
trodden over their graves lovingly you
| have laid upon those graves bouquets,
wreathes and chapets OF flowers plncked
from mother earth in this her spring time.
Flowers which are natuie's spring prom,
iscs OF antumn's fruit and abundance, and
which are the earthly expression OF divine
| perfection. Most wonderful of all in the
| nuFyn # human history a nave Strewn
! those flowers impartially upon the graves oi
/ ,,ian nd Of I',rnfpIprutp dpal Those ~ Id