The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-30
MEMORIAL DAY.

1.-THE mystic chords of memory stretch
ing from every battlefield and patriot
grave to every living heart and hearth
stone all over this broad land will vet
swell the chorus of the Union when again
touched, as surely they will be, by the better
angels of our nature"
When in his first inaugural Lincoln wrote
those immortal words he did not foresee
| that before the prophecy in them would be
realized in complete fuItillment, the battle
fields OF the nation would be increased by
hundreds and the patriot graves by the
tens OF thousands. He did not foresee the
long four years of war that would be neces-
sary to free the slave and keep the Union
whole. He did not foresee the after years
that would be required to overcome Sec
tlonal preludices, antagonisms and hatreds
and bring about the complete restoration
OF that National patriotism which binds
every heart and hearthstone to the battle
fields and patriot graves by mystic chords
that will never again fail to swell the
chorus of the Union.
He did not foresee these intervening
years and struggles. but he did foresee the
end, and that which he uttered in the sub
Unity of prophecy is to-day realized in the
glory of redeemed Republic and the
strength of united people. To-day in
every State in the Union there will be held
the solemn and beautiful ceremonies by
which the Nation commentaries those
who on land and sea dared the dangers
| and fought the battles that were the saliva
| ton of the land from slaveryand secession.
Even in those States the folly of whose
citizens brought on the war, these cere-
| monies will have place, and the very men
who were formerly arrayed in arms
| against the Union will in not few in
| stances give honor to their former foes and
rejoice with them in the consequences OF
the great victory for liberty and the Union.
Around this holiday there cluster min
| gled sentiments OF rejoicing for the victory,
| mourning for the dead, generous forgive
| ness to conquered foes, and exalted honor
| to the patriotic heroes to whose courage
and loyalty the great victory was due. Out
of such mingled sentiments there can come
| no ordinary feeling. 1t is not time solely
for sad memories of the dead, nor yet
solely for light-hearted gladness in the
Nations greatness. 1t is a day for us TO
| remember that our proud Republic was
! not saved to US without the payment of a
great price in the lives of many thousands
of noble men; and as we strew flowers upon
| the graves of those who died and look upon
the aging faces of their surviving COM
rades, it is day for us to lift our eyes to
! the banner of the Republic and, in the full
knowledge of all it means and all that it
| has cost, renew our loyalty to our country
with sense of solemn conservation that
will be binding even unto death.
While the ceremonial observances of the
day will be directed mainly toward the
dead, it will be remembered that it is not
to those only who are lying in their graves
that the honors of the Republic are due.
The living veterans, not less than those who
are gone, deserve gratitude that should
be shown by the people, by the States, and
above ali by the Nation, in every way that
loyalty and love can suggest Every sol
der who offered his life for the Republic
when the Republic was in danger should
be guaranteed against want, pauperism or
dependence in his old age. A pension to
the defender of the Nation is an honor
both to the veteran who receives it and to
the Government that gives it. To the vet
eran it is an evidence OF the value of his
service, and to the Government it is a
proof that republics are not ungrateful.
Such honors the people grudge neither to
the Government nor to the veterans, and
as they are to-day, so on all days will they
be ever willing to show their gratitude to
the Grand Army by honoring both the liv-
ing and the dead.