San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-05-30

states reunited in a grand nation
will forever dwell together in uni.
ty. "What God hath joined to-
gether let no man put asunder."
No more shall brother be pitted
against brother in fratricidal strife,
but as a common enemy and led
by this junior guard, whose bright
uniform and brighter faces reflect
the glory OF the old army, the Blue
and the Gray will march shoulder
to shoulder, against the world, IL
need be, but among ourselves let
us ever remember the prayer OF our
great captain, "Let us have peace"
While we all have great pride in
our regular army as the nucleus Of
the military establishment, from
whence come discipline, organiza-
ton and generalship-the nations
defense depends upon the volun-
teer soldier-with him war is
not a life work, but an
unhappy incident in his peaceful
career. He goes only at the call Of
duty, and from his intelligence
and patriotism, trained for brief
time by the skilled regular, he be-
comes, as a soldier, the admiration
OF world. When his services are
no longer needed in war he gladly
returns to civil life, and finds that
"Peace hath her victories, no less
renowned than war;" and that the
"post OF honor Is the private sta
tion." 1t is no wonder then that a
nation pays grateful and graceful
tribute to the volunteer soldier,
and that among Americas favorite
sons, none are more beloved than
the Blue and the Gray.
l have often thought on occa-
sions like this that we are some
what prone to dwell upon the SER
vice of the soldier and omit tribute
to that other grand body OF men
the orators and statesmen of the
war. 1t was they who kindled our
provided for our fami.
lies at home, sustained us in the
field ,-warded off foreign interven-
ton, fastened the closing of the
war, utilized our victories in re-
constructing a new nation, and
gave direction to national thought
which is likely to last as long as
the government itself. Lincoln,
Chase, Stanton, Chandler
and the noble war governors of the
north-they deserve the same trib-
ute at the hands of the youthful
veteran as is given to his military
commander.
They too are gone-eulogy can
not affect them, nor calumny dis
tract.
Their ears are deaf to human praise,
Their lips to mortals mute,
Their words still great echoes raise,
Their thoughts bear endless fruit"
Comrades, this is a sacred day,
and this is holy ground. Hardly
a home in all our land but contrib
uted some kinsman to the great
sacrifice. They were our fathers,
sons and brothers. We have done
what we could to honor their men,
DRY. We have paid them military
honors, and loving hands have
decked the graves where they
sleep the sleep that knows no wax
ing. AS the wind moving over
the waving fields OF the coming
harvest bends all heads in one
direction, so the services of this
Memorial Day incline our hearts
in common sympathy, as friends
and foe alike are joining the ST.
lent dust Of the grave. The men,
cries Of this day are not confined
to Americans nor bounded by the
surf line of the Atlantic. Over in
that old home OF British indepen-
dence, among the countrymen Of
Sidney. Hampden and Cromwell,
sunny France, the home Of Lafay-
cite and Hugo-from the land Of
Bismark and Won Moltke, from the
bleak hills of Scotland, and down
where the bells Of Shandon sound
sweetly on the river Lee, and the
"Shamrocks" OF the Emerald
Isle-the lovers OF civil liberty are
saying, "Today the Americans are
decorating the graves OF our kins-
men, who died for their adopted
country"
1t was the pleasing conceit of a
French poet to annually marshal
the ghosts Of Napoleon's soldiers
and make them pass in review be-
fore the heroic statue of the EN-
peror. So, comrades, il it be true,
as many believe, that the spirits Of
the departed are permitted to re-
visit the scenes Of their earthly
life, we can readily imagine the
gathering Of our spirit BROTH
ers on this sacred day at
the tomb OF Lincoln. In
tho narlu morn tho air radnlant