The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-31

Powell, Miss Pauline Gehret, Miss Louise
Fetz, Miss Emily Jehl. Miss Eta La
Chapelle, Mrs. w. F. Muhlner, Mrs. James
Igo, Mrs. John Pettee, and they being
assisted by grand chorus and military
band.
The feature of the exercises then ensued
in the form of an Grafton by Samuel NJ.
Shortridge. Mr.. Shortridge was intro
duced by Captain Currier as gentleman
whose voice and hand for Republican prin-
ciples were always ready in behalf of the
army and navy"
Mr.. Shortridge said in part: "This is a
day for mourning and tears; a day rather
for golden silence and reflection than for
silver speech. Uncovered by the graves of
our heroes we stand sadly yet proudly,
regretful and yet thankful. We have not
come to open old wounds, to stir up old
animosities or resentments, but to impress
upon the hearts and memories Of our youth
| that the dead fell not in vain, to write upon
their lives that the American people is not
unmindful of the tears, the blood, the
death through which this flag has passed
which now rears itself in glory, and to i'm
! press upon age our appreciation of the past.
This day is set apart that we may pay a
poor debt of gratitude to those who bled
and fell that this blessed banner of the
morning stars may float free forever to the
breeze. [Applause.l
"As in the older days the Roman wives
and mothers went forth on the Appan
way to meet the returning legions to fall
upon loved hearts or to look in vain for
their darlings missing from the ranks, SO
we, to-day, in the sound of the mighty
Pacific and elsewhere throughout our great
country step forward to embrace the re-
mains of the men who risked everything
that their country might live. We well
come them here; We strew flowers for
them; we cannot by human utterance
| tell them how we love and revere them
| We assure the brethren of the Grand Army
! that our hearts are with them-that great,
noble army that went forth to rescue our
| land.
"Ah, but, my friends, to those who an
| swer not, to those who died with the name
of their country on their lips, what shall
we say? They cannot see us, their ears
are stopped to our material expressions of
gratitude. They are past all weary
marches and cruel fights; on the eternal
CdHlpAiiS STOuuuS tneiT UenJS are pltched.
And of those who poured out their life
blood, reddening the plains and hillsides,
the memories remain with us forever.
"Grand Army of the Republic-and by
that | mean all those who fought and
struggled and feared and hoped and
prayed for their country-I tell you your
movement was inspired by the noblest
sentiment and was the grandest that ever
existed down to the present hour. ZAP
plause.l And this Memorial day was set
aside to express gratitude for your work.
While not here, as l said, to stir up strife,
yet 1 maintain and will say that your
cause was eternally right and eternally
just. [Applause.]
ssThank God that white-winged peace
hovers over the land from Plymouth Rock
to Won Golden Gate. where the sea chants
an eternal anthem; that over fields once
red with carnage vines and flowers creep
and bloom; that over land and sea Ameri-
cans receive fitting recognition every
where. We have one constitution, one
hope, one destiny, and if we are proud of
all this then we have the Grand Army and
the soldiers and sailors to thank for it all.
would not plant in one boys heart sim
gle seed of dissension, but [ tell you, fell
low-citizens, the way.to make the banners