The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-05-24
IESr0RIAL DAY.

observance of Decoration day as it is |
understood today is shrouded in some
mystery, in spite of the fact that the |
significant national rite is not yet So
years old. Towns innumerable, both
in the north and in the south, lay
claim to having originated the day. |
After sitting, with perfect impartiality, |
all the testimony relating to the i'm
portant subject, the best authorities
are inclined to accord to Mrs. Charles
y. Williams, of Columbus, Ca, the
hon or of being the mother of Decora-
ton day.
But before speaking at length of this
noble southern woman, who saw in
Memorial day" a grand opportunity
to reunite the surviving heroes of the
struggle between north and south, it
might be well to state that the decora-
ton of soldiers graves did not become
a really national custom until 1868, in
which year, under date of May 3, Gen
eral John A. Logan, commander in
chief of the Grand Army of the Re-
public, issued a general order from
which we quote:
The S0th day of May is designated for the puT-
pose of strewing with flowers OF otherwise dec
Grating the graves Of comrades who died in de-
Tense of their country during the late rebellion
and whose bodies now lie in almost every city,
village and hamlet churchyard in the land In
this observance no form of ceremony is pres
cribed, but posts and comrades viii in their
own way arrange such fitting services and testi-
mOnials of respect as circumstances may permit.
When General Logan issued this
order he had no idea that young and
old, soldier, and civilian, would respond
to his simple appeal with patriotic en-
thusiasm and that Decoration day
would become one of the established
holidays of the nation. And there is
no reason to believe that the beautiful
custom will ever cease to be observed.
If there we're, the Americans of the fu-
ture need but recall these words Of
gallant John A, Logan to remind them
of the duty they owe to the men who
died to save their country:
We should guard their graves with sacred vi
| GLANCE. All that the consecrated wealth and
taste of the nation can do to add to their adom-
ment and security is but a fitting tribute to the
memory of our slain defenders. Let no wantOn
foot tread rudely on such hallowed mounds. Let
pleasant paths invite the coming and going of
FeVerent visitors and fond mourners. Let no
vandalism of ayarice or neglect-uo raYages Of
| tIme-testify to the present or coming genera
| tions that we have forgotten as a people the
cause of free and undivided public. If other
| eyes grow dull and their hands slacken and their
hearts grow cold in the solemn trust, ours shall
keep it well as long as light and warmth of life
| remain to us. Let rs then at the time appointed
| gather around their sacred remains and garland
! the passionless mounds above them with the
choicest flowers of spring time Let us raise
above them the dear old flag they saved from
| dishonor. Let US in this solemn presence renew
our pledges to aid and assist those whom they
have left among us, a sacred charge upon a ma
tons gratitude-the soldiers and sailors
widows and orphans
With reverence and gratitude the
aged, the fair and the young of our
land strew the graves Of the departed
heroes with bright blossoms upon every
returning Both of May. They remem-
Der the service rendered by the dead.
But they have learned to do more.
They have been taught to make pleas
ant the last days and respect the gray
hairs Of those who survived the war
and are even now preparing to join
their comrades in the grand encamp-
ment on the other shore. 1t is we'll
that while We moisten with tear the
haDowed grave of departed friend, we
lend helping hand and give a cordial
smile to the wheeling veteran by our
side.
The southern Memorial day owes, as
has been said, its origin to Mrs. Mary
Anna Williams of Columbus, Ga. Mrs
Williams was the daughter of Major
John Howard, of Milledgeville, Ca, and
was superior woman. She combined
the loveliest womanly traits of charac-
ter with that self-reliance and deter
minatiOn generally attributed to the
sterner sex. She was literally educated
in the best schools of Charleston, S. c.,
and Philadelphia, and was accom-
plished in music, painting and Iangu-
ages. She married Major J. G. Viii
liams on his return from the Mexican
war. He was a lawyer of high stand
ing and speaker of the house Of repre-
sentatives about the time the war
broke out. While colonel of the First
Georgia Regulars in the army of Vir-
ginia he contracted disease from which
he died in 1862, and was buried in
Columbus, Ga. Mrs. Williams and her
little daughter visited his grave every
day, and often comforted themselves
by wreathing it with flowers, While
the mother sat thinking of the loved
and lost ones, the little girl would
pluck the weeds from the unmarked
soldiers graves near her fathers. and
cover them with flowers, calling them
"her soldiers graves" and say they had
no one else to care for them. After a
short while the dear little girl was
summoned by the angels to join her
father. The sorely-bereaved mother
then took charge of these unknown
graves for the child's sake, and as she
cared for them thought of the patriots
graves throughout the south, far away
from home and Kindred, and in this
way the plan was suggested to her of
setting apart one day in each year that