The record-union., 1893-05-31
THE PEOPLES HERITAGE.
A Tribute to the Heroes Who Fell in
Liberty's Cause.
Patriotic and Eloquent Address De-
livered by Hiram w. johnson at
the Memorial Exercises.

the Memorial Exercises.
Following is the oration of Hiram W.
johnson, the well-known and brilliant
young lawyer of this city, delivered at
the Metropolitan 1heater last evening
during the Memorial Day exercises:
The civilized world has dedicated one
day of the 365 of each year TO the COM
memoration of the birth Of Christianity.
AS the world dedicates one day to devo-
uonal exercises, Thanksgiving and prayer
for the birth OF its civilization, so we, as
nation, have set apart one day of the
365 and dedicated that day to rejoicing
and thanksgiving that we are nation,
and TO eXtolling the statesmen and war
riors who gave us national life. 1t IS
fitting and proper that, as individuals do,
nation should celebrate its birthday. 1t
is fitting and proper that we, as a nation,
glorying in our past, proud of our pres
entand hopeful OF our future, should have
one day among us for general rejoicing in
our national existence, and commemorate
ing the deeds of those who made the past
glorious, who gave us national life.
Now, too, another day have we set apart,
not for celebrating victories, or rejoicing
in hard-fought battles, but to keep green
the memories OF those who preserved TO
us the nation OF our fathers, and TO eX-
press, by act and by word, our gratitude
and appreciation of their efforts.
our thanks and the tribute of our love
and Veneration are as much due to the
brave and noble men who saved our Re-
public as to those who first gave itJto US.
AS the heroes of our Revolution gave us
anational birthday to celebrate, so the he
roes Of our Civil War have preserved to
US that national existence. " lthOut their
loyalty and their courage and their blood,
no national birthday would now remain to
91.r flrsaFv 4.NFt -,
our loyalty and love on a stated day in
each year, and garland the graves OF our
departed ones who gave their all that we
might still be a nation.
The Civil War is closed; let no man
seek now again to stir that strife between
brother and brother which cost million
lives and treasure untold. But while we
would not rouse sectional hate, we can
not forget the debt Of gratitude forever
due from US TO those who kept our coun-
try united and free. 1t is our right and
our duty to turn aside from the turmoil
Of everyday existence and the hurried
pursuit Of our ambition to recall at this
time the names of those who fought the
battle of our Republic, and TO eXtOl their
loyalty and their patriotism.
Born OF a generation since the awful
strife in which you participated, we
would not seek to arouse old prejudices,
but as Americans, believing in the prin-
ciples for which you fought, it is our
proud right to eXtOl our statesmen
and our warriors, to weep for those who
fell in battle and those who have since
passed away; to rejoice III the lives of
those who yet remain TO Us, and if from
the careers of all we can draw the lesson
which was so costly, our patriotism, our
loyalty, our fidelity, will be greater, we
Will be better men, better citizens, and
better able to add our mite to our coun-
try's greatness.
r., RI ;,h
imprinted upon your memories are mat
ters of history. In song we first learned
of that matchless march to the sea which
electrified the universe; that march, the
moral effect of which was greater than
many bloody battles, and placed among
the great commanders Of the world the
name of Sherman. In poetry we first
learned Of Sheridan. whose magnetic
presence rallied a beaten army, and
turned defeat to victory; who was to the
cavalry arm of the service what Sherman
was to the infantry, and whose courage
and daring are equaled by his kindness
of heart and lofty patriotism. From his
tory we know the calm courage and in
Vincible tirmness that made hardy old
Admiral Farragut lash himself to the
masthead of a wooden ship, and brave
the storm OF shot and shell, the fury of
fire-ships, himself alone exposed. We
have only read of the dogged persever-
ance of him that nothing could thwart.
no danger deter; but who, surmounting
all difficulties, overcoming obstacles that
would have daunted any other finally
forced the surrender at AppOtomatOX
We have been able to follow the declin-
ing years of his career, and contemplate
ing, as we can, the stoicism, courage,
manhood and tirmueSs with which, while
suffering mortal malady, he completed
his last work; we are able in slight de-
gree TO realize the nature of the hero of
iRl 81 I,ft~ az 4
We of this later generation have seen
this rugged character i'll adversely. have
known his noble nature, and knowing
his noble nature then, and the manner in
which he bore the worst Of all disasters,
we can understand the tOrtltude, the
courage, hgh-mnded patriotism and
loyalty which mado Grant invincible.
Greater yet, standing far above his fel-
lows, in times that made noble men, in
the calm light of history We see the
noblest of them all. Simple, vet pro-
found, tender as a woman, but of ad-
amautine tirmness in the right, broad
minded, tar-seeing, with his statesman
ship almost unequaled, such a charac-
ter the world has seldom seen. The
highest tributes OF intellect and ability
are now paid to MIN, and history recog-
nizes in HIM no peer. The most difficult
of tasks was his; but through the dan
gers of diplomacy, through blood and
battle, he safely brought this country,
only in the hour OF the truitiOn OF his
work, and when his hopes We're realized,
TO be foully cut down. y towering figure,
overshadowing all in that period of noble
men. stands grand old Lincoln, whom all
the world now loves. A nations graft
tude will ever keep his memory green.
All of these are gone; but they have left
Us their life's work, and their glorious
deeds are now recorded in history, never
10 be forgotten. You have participated
in the scenes that are linked with their
names; and as we recall those scenes,
those days of hardship and toll, of danger,
of battle and of blood, every patriotic
feeling within US is stirred and our hearts
well with gratitude. We owe you debt
we never can pay. Loyalty cannot be
measured by dollars, and the paltry re
cognltion that our country bestows upon
its soldiers does not pay one tithe your
due.
When we contemplate the awfulness of
war unknown to US, when we recall the
hardships and toll through which you
passed. when the horrors of Anderson
VILE and Libby we recolIect, and when
we remember that il was all done and
suffered that we might have united and
8 free Nation, we are oppressed with the
immenSity of our debt to you. We can
never pay it, May our appreciation and
our love tighten it.
One who had lived always in peaceful
scenes can but family realize the awful
ness of those dark dayS when this conn