Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1895-06-08
Memorial Address.

taDt and interesting a part or the exer-
cises embraced in the program prepared
for Memorial Day, and which was un-
avoidably crowded out Of our issue Of
last week, will be perused with interest
by CHRoSIcLE readers:
Soldiers Of the Grand Army of the
Republic; Mr. Chairman, Ladies and
Gentlemen.
IL is with great embarrassment that
undertake to address you upon this, the
Nations sacred day; feeling which has
it's origin, first, in a realization of the
fact OF my utter inability to do full JUS
tice to the great theme before me, and
second, the fear Of expressing that
which should not he presented upon an
occasion of this solemn character. Again
l am met at the very Threshold, with
tho question. What can | add to what
has so repeatedly been previously said?
When remember thai through all these
years since we emerei from that DESC
lating war Of the rebellion, local speak.
ers in every little hamlet in all this
broad land. have once each year sound
ed he praises, and extolled the deeds Of
bernism Of the brave men whose graves
We this day strew with flowers, that in
all the larger cities and great national
cemeteries, the leading orators OF the
world have annually culled the fsirest
lilies and sweetest tuberoses Of rhetoric
In praise of the patriots who died that
this country might be free in fact as it
had ever been in name, can only ven-
ture TO proceed, us | recall the fact that
no true American will ever tire oflisten-
ing 10 recital Of the heroic achieve.
ments of the soldiers Of this great re.
public, living and dead. When / see a
man, which regret to say sometimes
do, who has a sneer for the old soldier,
can only say Of him that, the Creator
has been unkind in with. holding from
him sufficient intelligence to compre-
| bend the beauties and benefits of our
| form Of popular government, and that
he is not endowed With the true ring
Of Americanism. For my part desire
10 say that, hope the time may never
come when away down deep in my
heart, | shall not have great big ten
der spot for the men who saved the ma
ton, and left us unsu!lied, the old flag,
from which not Il single star has ever
been allowed TO wander, and union OF
states which bids fair to endure to the
end Of time.
I Now, trust that you may not think
il miss that here recall the fact that,
while we haye met this day to pay an
humble tribute to our nations defenders,
who have joined the Grand army oyer
the silent river, We should not forget
the living heroes who are rapidly hast
ening on 10 join their departed conrad
es on the other shore. to whom we
should publicly return our heartfelt
thanks, as it would be but brief period
when We will be willing 10 travel hun
! dreds Of miles to look upon the living
face of battle-scarred veteran.
We cannot afford to manifes, even the
senblance of ingratitude, and regret
that it cannot now be said that every
soldier with an honorable record is re-
ceiving pension of at least fifty dollars
per month. 1t might bo claimed by
some that this would be too much, and
TO those who think SO l would recon-
mend o thoughtful consideration Of
their brave deeds and great achieve
ments upon the hard-fought field of
Gettysburgh, where, at the Little Round
Top, the death dealing shot and shell
came upon them with such fatal effect;
where OH Spottsylvania's field, at the
Bloody Angle three thousand brave men
fell. l would have them follow me i'm
their imagination. and contemplate
their brave charge up the rugged sides
of Lookout Mountain. / would have
them view, with me, their noble hero
ism when they stood with Grant at
Shiloh, and on a hundred other CORY
fields, not to mention the starving and
suffering endured at Belle Isle, Ander
sonville and Libby.
Why! would not stand one moments
space of time where these brave men
have sto cd so long confronting death
did know that should l survive its
perils, would be made Emperor of the
wide world. Right here let me say that
| am now speaking of the real heroes,
the private soldiers, the volunteer SOL
diers eff the Union who made the grand
est exhibition Of pure patriotism that
has hitherto been made by any army of
men ever assembled upon the green
Earth. True, We are proud of our leaders
but they haye been we'll remembered
by grateful people.
The widow cf the great captain re-
ceiyes twelve thousand dollars per year,
while the widows Of private soldiers
killed upon the field Of battle, or what
was far worse. met starvation in prison
pens, years after their great sacrifice,
receive the paltry sum Of from six to
sixteen dollars per month, when Justice,
pure, even handed justice demands that
they should receive at least fifty dollars
per month from the moment their dead
husbands faces were turned upward
toward the stars. I am strongly in favor
Of remembering the living soldiers. with
grateful thanks, and willing to bare my
head when he passes by, and feel that
he should be awarded something moro
substantial to aid in his support upon
his downward march to the fnal re-
veille.
am and will ever be proud of our
volunteer soldiers. who possessed the
true spirit of patriotism; that which
springs from love Of country, born of an
intelligence which realized the great
truth that without q united country
there could be no such thing a. perfect
home, which to most men is the very
crown Of LIES endeavor; an intelligence
which made clear to them the fact that
patriotism was essential to the preserva-
tion and well being Of every free gov
ernment.