Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-05-30
MEMORIAL EXERCISES.
Tributes of Respect Paid TO the Soldier
Dead RY Their Surviving Comrades.

Tributes of Respect Paid to the Soldier
Dead by Their Surviving Comrades.
ltGrand Army hall never presented a
more inviting appearance than this
morning. The place was one solld bank
of wild and cultivated flowers. the former
culled through the fields by children who
had been taught to be mindful of the debt
they owe to those who gave up the best
years of their youth and manhood i'll the
service of their country; the latter, many
of them at least, the gift of men and
women who cherish the memory of the
departed heroes of the great conflict of the
civil war. The hall was respondent with
flags and bunting and the surviving
veterans who attended to the details of the
work seemed to move around with the
same elasticity of step which was theirs
when, together with their dead comrades,
they traversed the southern battlehelds
and followed "old glory" to the lannon's
mouth. The decorations on some of the
private residences were most profuSe and
much more general than on former occa-
sions. Nature itself seemed to Join in the
general outpouring of respect and esteem
for the soldier dead and lent all the charm
that a lovely spring day could give to the
occasion.
At O'Clock one stroke was struck by the
the flowers on the graves of the dead sol
diers in Riverside and st Joseph's ceme-
teries was begun, the children assisting in
the exercises. At Riverside cemetery c.
Collard Adams delivered the Grafton eulo-
giving the dead and giving the children an
excellent idea of the storm and distress of
war. Mr. Adams took for his text. Post
Nubila PhUbis," After the Clouds, Sun
shine" At st Josephs cemetery Vice
Commander w. c. Mckinley gave very
touching address, the children also assist
ing in the work of decorating the graves.
At the close of the exercises the children
were each presented with handsome
badge with the letters G. A. Il. neatly
printed on n ground of red, white and
blue. The cemeteries presented a beAuti
full appearance, not only the graves Of de-
ceased soldiers being decked with springs
choicest gifts, but also the graves of many
who had lived and died in the quiet of
their own families. No one seemed to
have been forgotten.
At 10 o'clock the exercises were opened
on the green. The monument was hand
somely decked with flowers and an I'M
mense throng of people gathered to wit
ness the ceremonies. Mayor Kilduff pre-
sided. The exercises consisted of an ad-
dress by NJ. l.. Wiegner; prayer by E. t.
Harding; singing, "AmerIca,' by the audi
encc. Mayor kilduff delivered few very
appropriate remarks on the day and the
memories it awakens. The Quartette sang
Cover Them Over" Ex-Mayor Webster
delivered an able address on the citizen
soldier. He said:
again the day has come set apart in
horror of the dead who risked their lives in
honor of their country, nor less do | re-
gard it in honor of the surviving veterans,
whose numbers in the passing years are
rapidly Jesse ming. Great changes have
taken place since the war and none more
marked than the peace and quiet which
now prevails compared with the fierce heat
and passion of those days. To no one more
than the veteran can there be Il greater
realization of the change. When he went
FORTH the community in which he lived,
the state, the nation-all were blaze of
excitement such as they had never before
seen or known. Younger men can have
no adequate appreciation OF the intense
feeling pervading all classes of society. OF
all this the soldier was the center, the eX-
ponent not only of his going forth but
also in his return home he was welcomed
as the hero that he was. He played the
prominent part in those days and the peo
pie showed him that they appreciated the
part he played. After the war was over
and the survivors had returned to their
former avocations in civic life, the heat
and excitement so long kept up gradually
abated."
The speaker then gave a very interesting
sketch Of the scenes and incidents which
led up to the civil war and gave graphic
account of the heroism of the citizen sol
der on the field Of battle. In concluding
Mr. Webster said: The true and honest
sentiment of the country is and always
has been intensely loyal to the citizen sol
der Never was there truer appreciation
of their great services than exists to-day.
Never time when the people We're more
ready to rise up and do them honor. As
the years 90 by those who survive will be
held in increasing respect, no less than
the names of the dead We wish their
declining years may be their best years.
that the sunshine of peace and prosperity
may shine upon them, and heaven bounti-
fully bless them. But if darker days shall
come, as come they may, it is our privi-
lege, sons of veterans, to tighten so far as
is in our power, the burdens of their ad-
vancing years, of cheering with our sym
pathy of maintaining the observance of
therday and paying due honor TO their
memory. May our part be well and faith
fully performed till the last surviving vet
eran shall be welcomed by God above"
After dinner the post assembled in q. A.
II. hall and marched to the opera house
and the members took up positions in
different parts of the hall acting as guards,
which added much to the excellent order
which prevailed throughout the whole eX
ercises. The musical selections were of n
high order and the spirited poem of Rev
J. G. Davenport and stereopticon exhibit
ton of scenes from the battltfelds of the
civil war, by the Rev J. \. Mulcahy, were
highly appreciated The members of the
city government received invitations to be
present and many awaited themselves of
the privilege. After the exercises at the
opera house. the Woman's relief corps
proceeded to Riverside cemetery escorted
by members of the post and camp where
the annual exercises ut the urn erected in
memory of the unknown dead were held.
The exercises commenced with prayer by
the chaplain, Mrs Hattie NIoulthrop, fol-
lowed with addresses by Mrs Jennie
Corner, Commander Quigley and Captain
Wiegner. The exercises closed with a
literary programme followed by the sing
ing of America"
A volunteer detail from Wadhams' post,
accompanied by the Mattatuck drum corps
attended the flag raising at the East Noun
tain school.
DOWN THE VALLEY NOTES
Doings of a Day In Naugatuck and Union