Evening star., 1895-05-30

Gen. Felix Agnus.
impassable gulf: the officer in command
on the other side signaled for the party
to return, but they mstook the signal for
an order to charge. The brave fellows an
swered with cheer. and with dash be-
gan to charge toward the summit of the
mountain, where was a triangular plat
form, defended by breastwork, behind
which were hundreds of the foe. On and
went the handful of brave British SOL
diers. and as there were but eleven of
them, the contest could not last long:
eight fell quickly in the charge, and the
others soon followed in their efforts to get
closer to the enemy. Among these wild
hill men it was custom when one of their
great chieftains fell in battle to bind his
wrist with a ribbon either of red. white or
blue, the first denotins the highest rank
and bravery. As was their wont. they
stripped their enemys dead and threw
their bodies over the precipice. and 1t was
them stark and torn but deeply as these
savages hated their foes, round the wrists
OF every British hero they had twined
red ribbon, thus in death honoring them
all chiefs and mighty braves.
Today, as We look back over the deeds of
our civil war. We feel that every soldier
who lost mis- life for the Union has the
mark of the hero upon him. And better
than that, We plant upon his grave the
most glorious flag the world has ever
known
The Meaning of the Day.
Standing on this spot, Gen. Garfield said:
'Tf silence be ever golden, it must be here
beside the graves of these 1900 soldiers,
whose lives were more significant than
speech and whose death was a poem, the
music of which was never sung"
With you feel the best tribute Is the un-
spoken gratitude of the heart, but it is
right we should show by words and song
ln,ra for tha it fc
honor to stand before you in the midst of
these memories. looking yonder to the cap
ital of our mighty nation and recalling the
work which reunited the Union and made
all this greatness not only possible, but
certain, for tell YOU my friends, that the
civil war not only settled the questions of
the past. but it also determined the lead
ership OF the future. 1t not only abolished
slavery and brought the yawning sections
.immovably together. but 1t prepared this
nation for the larger destiny which means
the extension Of liberty to all the nations
of the world. Within a quarter of CEN
tury We have seen every throne and every
shackle of slavery banished from this
hemisphere: we have witnessed the growth
of free Institutions in the other half of the
world. and as an object lesson of what
republican form of government means we
behold in France, which next to US Is the
greatest OF republics. the nation that COM
bineS within herself larger prosperity
and more kinds of industries and resources
than any country of Europe. The process
sion of the world Is marching to the tune
of freedom and the republics are leading
the parade.
Majestic COneourse.
In every way the observance of this day
Is important. And 1t is pleasant to know
that each year 1t grows more full and
more tender. Think, today my friends, of
what can be witnessed in every part of
this great country. Suppose we could call
haf he thop
of veterans, the hundreds Of thousands of
men and women and children who are In
the thousands of places reverentIy honor
Ing the deeds of the heroes. Would 1t not
your souls with love and thankfulness?
Would it not show that not only are re-
publics not unsrateful, but that the great
heart of the people cherishes more firmly
every year the affections for the men who
gave ,heir lives to the Union?
Even during this week record the
death of the Secretary of State, but his
achievements either as statesman or as
Judge disappear to make room for his ca
reer a soldier For it was in that field
that he first earned his laurels and hence
forth, on every both of May, Walter Gres-
ham will be remembered as one of the
Grand Army which did SO much for this
country.
In our paintings the symbol of memory
Is always beautiful goddess with a scroll
She is erect and precise. and In her is the
dignity Of severe Justice. But the symbol
of this day is the American mother, the
American daughter, with her arms full of
flowers and her heart full OF love- bending
over the graves of those she los, and ming
ling WITH her grief her pride in what they
did. God bless her. If it had not been for
her faith, her strength, ker devotion her
charity. her self-sacrifice. you old fellows
who went through 1T all would not have
been worth half as much as you proved
yourselves to be when the fighting was
fast and the rations were short. A letter
from her has made a hero of more than
one discouraged soldier who felt like Civ
ing UP. And 1t is to great extent because
the wor1en sanctify this day by their love
and their attention that it grows all the
time in Observance and significance.
Another National Holiday.
We have four strictly national HOLIDAYS:
On the I'D of February we honor the
name of Washington
On the 4th of July we exalt the DecIara-
tion of Independence.
In November we give thanks to Almighty
God for His blessings to us as a people and
a nation.
On this day we consecrate our thoughts
to the Union and pay our tributes to the
men who saved 1t.
And before long I hope to see another
holiday added to these-a day in honor of
Union what Washington was to the cause
of liberty-Abraham Lincoln. We owe 1t
to his services and to ourselves to make
his birthday a holiday throughout the
land. My friends, / only wish that he We're
here TO tell you in his beautiful way
The Story of the War.
Certainly we have yet to see how great
II really was. Like towering mountain