The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-05-31

that most of the grandest monuments
reared, that lift their heads nearest the
heavens, and which command most OF
the attention and reverence, have been
erected TO honor men who have acnleVeu
military renown.
thing, viz: That there is a warm place IN
tho human heart for those who stand as
the defenders of the nation; that the
b1avely stand for the defense OF the
nation and fiaG in the -Four OF peril anu
need.
WAR is cruel; it is the essence of the
horrible; get it is necessary, and those
who stand ready in bloody war to protect
the flag hold a position of honor.
I would, therefore, have every Soioler
feel that he holds an honorable place,
that they are a privileged class when
appointed by the nation as the especial
guardians of its rights and safety.
This is doubly so with the Soldlery
Of this republic of the western world |
firmly believe that Goo has highest ana
noblest designs; that he proposes IN ms
great republic, on these broad and fertile
plains, to develop p perfected CIVILIZATION;
completed mankind. Ihere1ore, me
soldier who wears the uniform or the
nation and is charged with the defense or
the flag, is but cooperating with Goa
in his high plane, and with the best OF our
race is attaining this, Gods high purpose
in this republic.
This IS the best nation on which the
sun shines, ours is the grandest flag that
kisses the breeze: hence, every Soldier
honor of which he should never De
ashamed.
But grand as are the monuments ma
tions have reared for their heroes, better
than marble or granite shaft, IS THIS uay
we celebrate, our Memorial Day.
What a Strange scene is This we witness
strange, unusual, and yet so fitting.
To-day the nation hats from Its actlV-
ity. Behold a nation in its cemeteries, IN
tears, decking graves with lovely MOWERS,
offering songs. orations and every mark
of honOrl Such a scene is nowhere else
seen in the world 1t has been left for
this country, for this republic, to rise TO
this loftiest height in honoring national
defenders.
This is the grandest monument ever
yet reared for heroism; but 1t IS not TOO
g1eat-the men were worthy OF II.
who, then, are these men for Whon
the nation to thus honor?
..They were not professional soldiers,
making battle for the SpoilS of war; seek
ing the personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Oh one
bind chains upon their fellowmen. They
were citiZen-SoldierS, Sprlnglng TO the ue-
tense of their endangered nag ana coull-
try, AID when the battle vas ended re
turned to their homes to again become
citizens and TO enrich every department
of human activity and enterprise.
''Who were they? They were Sucn as
returned; those with whom we mlnSle ana
MANY of them are in our regular army
and among our best soldiers. some are
our best lieutenants. captains, majors
observation-disclosures, our commanding on
GERS, and higher generals, and every
where they are most effective ana re-
spected. ,,r
highest and best civil officers Every per
son since the war; except one, lifted 10
the highest position in the gift OF the peo-
pie, was a soldier in the clvll war.
"A large proportion of our governors
since the war were soldiers. Tney are III
the United States Senate, House OF rep,
resentativeS, on Judicial bencheS' anu III
all the professions and business, ana ev-
erywhere they honor the places they oc-
cupy. 49,,
returned.
But what did these men do to merit
and to command such exalted honor?
Here we might detain you time unllm-
tied. but circumstances forbid tho success
achieved cost these men much.
ut cost four years of hard and ploooy
war 1t cost us 100000 men shot dea az OF Oh
the field of battle. 1t cost US ZOO,uVO
deaths in the hospitals. 1t cost US over
100 600 men in southern prisons. 1t cost US
the terrible experience of 25C0 battles. II
cost US the lives OF nearly oVU'VVO OIL oui
1t cost us Shiloh, Antietam. Freder-
icksburg, Gettysburg, the terrible caI 10
paign of 1864, in which we lost u ,.ooH0,
men. and many other battles scarcely
equalled in blood and carnage IN the
1T takes courage to fight such battles
Yea, it takes more than courage; II taxes
loyalty. love of country, devotion to the
flag And such we claim was the spirit
of those who fought in the civil war 10
sublime victory. Hence they are worthy
of this day, and these honors
Let us, then, observe this Memorial
Day; let US guard it well. We, today;
deck the graves not only of those VINO zen
who have fallen since from the ranks OIL
the regular army. Many of them fell IN
lesser battles, but were equally DrdHS
with those of the civil war They would
have proved their heroism on other ana
greater battlefieldS had opportunity Oh.
fered And so is it of these brave men Oh
the Sixteenth infantry now BEFORE nle;
With a commanding officer who served
through the whole war and there wore
the star and commanded a dlVlslon anu
ought to have a star on ms shouloer W
day. with officers under him of proven
bravery many of whom fought at Get
tysburg, Cold Harbor and other nerce
battles of the war; with many IN une
ranks who faced death on many stern
ba.ttlefeld. Should the nation call, these
men would display as much herolSm anu
make as great sacrifice as did our boys III
.sThen let US guard well this day and
thus honor cur fallen-guard 1t well, Tor
it is more worth to the living Ihan ine
dead. we hold that this day WIN WIN
its beautiful ceremonies is the mlghueSt
of all agencies in teaching patriotism ana
loyalty to the rising generations.
Comrades. let these graves be our
shrines to which we make our annual Pill
erimage; our affairs, where we swear
anew our loyalty to the flag the const1tu-
tion, the country. And may L not ADD
when also we shall swear anew our loyal
ty TO our God and his cause
First battery and Troop c, First caval-
nv. n. G. u, were among the visitors TO
the Post. To the former was accorde1 Ihe
honor of firing the salute, which the boys
did in such precision and unity, that the
officers were charmed. 1t is becoming a
well-known fact that the First battery Is
rapidly becoming second TO no orSaniza-
ton in the country. The favorable atten-
ton of the officers and men at Fort
Douglas was called to the remarkable
proficiency exhibited by Troop c. The
National Guard of Utah is growing in ia
vor with everyone, and will attain its
proper position and standing after awhlle