The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-28
,9KMonsAL DAr AT HAND.

1GENoRgAL DAT AT HAND
Meuorsz; Gay VA 800 - useersd IA
Hherevsr . 0raaa ArDy post EXISTS Ne
neses Of prsparstson for . rrc7sr Gale
bration Of the great national event nay
b heard
This arnuai rscursncs WI bring fresh
~ 70 memory rscsllscffons Of fearful DAYS
which tried mems sosis- Amid the buds
and blossoms OF early spring time. friy
. third Of . century age. long threat
ened storm broke with fearful violence
upon our happy land. awakening an un-
varisks natson from rsssfui peacs 70
. sad reaisxasfon Of . Imaginary reeei-
Hon against fts very lite and the best In
seresss Of humanity Prom that moment.
from tie moment srmscrs alarm guns
broke the stiffness that prevailed over
cAarsesson harbo.. from the moment the
suctrcs.ns forts gave fuiI throat 70 The
angry ut,erances u revolt and evef9 re-
beiiIon against the lawful authority OF
tbs best governmsnt and the fairest Aano
the sun has ever gisded NTH her beams.
. nation Of warrior heroes spranG fro1
the mighty ioins Of Liberty. each one
Of whom chose rather 20 die than that
the glory and the honor Of the nation
should fade away. ana its nas succuno
70 that OF a misguided secession
The story of the war 10 chiseled upon
fun many q marble slab IN our peaceful
cemeteries, Ia evident no lee upon many
x-x a. 5000 ~~r1t.x3<A s1uolw
In our burial places; IL has been written
deeply and indelbIy on the hearts OF
Thousands in thar Northern homes. and
thousands more IN the land Il the orange
ana pairnstto. II - traced upon many
noss-coversd hil1ssdss In the South. ana
In her green and iuxursant valleys, and
the crimson tide has poured upon her
mountain cresn and mingled with tho
silent streams ~ II courSed TO the gull
From the border to the ssa- from the nv
ers to the lakes and the lakes to the dis
tant praiftes, and from Lookout usoun-
tain to Gettysburg. a broad. red path.
hedged .ith misery and death, has borne
sorrowfui evidence OF q bloody rebellion
and a giant atruGgie for national snprem-
scy and national existence. The world
had never before witnessed such . 81
gan,ic civil var. II amazed and startled
the universe: ~ compared with II all 9TH
ers were mimic displays of the glory and
tfnsei and pageantry Of war. One looks
In vain In ancient or modern history for
a companion picture. either ~ regards
49,
The legion with which Caesar crossed
the Rubicon. with which Alexander con-
qusred the then known world. with
which Napoleon and wellington confront
cd each other ct Waterloo. whose nerce
shock axftsted the very world TO its cen
ter, were not more gallant or heroic than
the blue legion under Grant. sherman.
Sheridan and Meade. or tho gray bAttal-
ions under Ice. jackson and Longstreet.
But time has healed the nations wounds.
The iron IL no longer In her soul and
sweet peace has smoothed the wrinkles
ana the burrows Of war The bloody
chasm has been bridged forever. The
nation - to-day stronger. the frassrnai
bonds more closely cemeated because Of
the awful sacrifices OF blood and treasure
In behalf Of the Gag which Grests our
eyes. whose folds are untarnishsd and
whose hster u undlmmed.
/, Is n,ting that the surviving comrades
should pay homage ~ the shrines Of those
who have gone. and that a nation should
bow In Acknowledgment Of the great oDli-
CATION due both the living and the dead
heroes. II IL eminently proper that once
year the busy marss OF trade should be
hushed, that the hum OF machinery should
cease. and that the PATRIOTS services Of
the men who saved the life Of the nation.
making II purer, nooier and stronger than
ever. should be remembered.
Decoration day has never been ard prob
ably never VIII be devoted TO rekindiirG
sectional snimosities. TO engendering I'M
kindly feelings. 70 studying the philos-
ophy Of hatred and rancor. but rather to
| perpetuating memories dear TO every
| patriotic heart The event ennobles the
nation. II invokes treasured thoughts.
which cannot die so long as the story OF
| thu great strife shah be remembered.
| This annual recurrence brings freshly 20
mind the sacrifices made by those at
whose ton,bs nation pays homage. They
wcre men bearing the red scar of battle
which spoke and stTi speak In stronger
! and nohler language than the cross OF the
/ Legion Of Honor. or iron crosses bearing
imperial crcsts. for these honorable scars
I represented valor and suffering exhibited
IN defense OF the life OF the American ma
t.ou and liberties OF the American people.
ana m defense Of the only asylum In the
world for the oppressed % every cline
o. the great army which was mustered
on, under the shadow OF the national cap.
itol. and quietly and peacefully dlxaandsa,
scattering as the leaves Of the fores, do
uader susumnA winds. very many have
passed away 10 the great beyond. The
army OF the Union no longer exists its
/ depleted hattaiars are fast falling oesor.
the sickle OF death. Not by piatocns. or In
ni.s. DO they fail. but ore by one. a. IN.
ripsnes fruit falls from the parent ssen
before the whitening breath Of the hoal
king. they fan and are buried Yet q few
years more AMI the men who carried ths
old nag ans planted I, or the snrray's hat.
Elements VIII have ceased TO exist. vii
have died and been buried from the sight
ef men. The history Of their services. the,,
DARING ara their suffering vii live always
ana future ages viii gratefully recall tn,
Ger; OF xra,i,Sts cus 70 the veterans Of
lSs.-S