Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30
AT RICHMOND, VA.
Representative Thomas of Michigan
Delivered the Grafton.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
RICHMOND. Va May 3O.-Representa-
tive Henry F. Thomas of Michigan de-
livered the Grafton today at the Decora-
ton day ceremonies here, under the au-
spices Of Phil Kearney Post, No. TO-
G. A r. He said that he had the honor
of living in Virginia thirty-ffve years age,
and Indicated the circumstances under
which he found himself there. He was
there a soldier.
''Since them" he said, "one generation of
the whole human race have gone down
to their graves My old commanders,
Fitzpatrick and Custer, and their valiant
foe, Stewart, all dead; my old regiment.
the seventh Michigan cavalry, disbanded;
my old comrades and faithful steeds flying
over the territory between the Potomac
and the James Ike the shuttle of the loom.
one day beholding the spires of Richmond
through the clouds OF war and the next
bivouacked in full view OF the dome Of the
National Capitol all gone like dream
The throbh.ng hearts Of those who waited
and watched IN southern az well as in
northern homes for the music Of footsteps
which, alas. was rever 20 be heard on
earth again. all buried in the grave that
temple of silence and recon citation Lin
coin and Davis. Grant and Lee, Thomas
and Jackson sleep in that Dcundless grave.
where all distinctions that made them
foes are ended. and where that higher
life of universal friendship begins And
we. struggling few that he SUNNI ,rtn 2
angel has temporarily overlooked with
weary feet. and Blended forms and failire
eyes are gathered. perhaps for the last
time, to discharge a duty OF comrade-
ship, and join with theae kind people in
this ministration Of flowers around the
graves OF our nations defenders
oh, the changes OF thIrty-nve years!
Not a slave in the Old dominion state: not
a slave beneath the starry Tag of free
dom! Slave pens. once deemed necessary
to the peace OF society and the security Of
school house and the house Of prayerl
Our nation an unbrokcn Union from the
northern lakes to the southern gulf and
whose dominion extends from sea to sea -
EuIogizing the vfrgfninns.
He spoke in eulogistic toryns of the his
tory OF Virginia, and said; Tn prosperity
and In adversely; in peace and in war: bear.
Ing aloft its defiant motto, Sic sempe,
Tyrannfs- Virginia has ever been to tbs
cause of liberty landmark by day and 3
pillar OF fire by night. And wien her sol
became the battlefield fer civil war: wher
Der citlze n-soldisry confessed q divided al
lesiance between tho state and tho ma
ton. not the Grsek on htaranthon main,
not the French at Waterloo; not the con.
tinental army on SeratOsl's eyentful field
surpassed In deeds Of v1ior tho defender,
OF Richmond, the yiotors of Chancellors.
VILE the infantry charge ut Gettysburg
1T" he said. washington had neve,
lived; If jefferson had never written; II
Patrick Henry had never spoken; IL the
fame of Virginia had never gone abroad
u her yalor, her devotion, her inspiration
had never penetrated the north the Unior
army could not have been recruited In
ls62, and these men would never have
followed the Union flag to battle and te
death.
1t was In the schools and academies OF
this republic that these dead heroes first
learned That liberty and union were in.
separable terms 1t was out of our nattona
history and biography, and especially thai
OF virginia, that they learned that oivi
liberty was the first duty of patriotism
and that the union of the states was it,
supreme means to that divine end, ThinI
or this, ys who were In any way connect.
ed with the oonfsdsraey, That iibert,
Whlch our continental fathers sought yot
and and all our eeuhtrymsn both NORTH
and south, were willing to die for,
But you thought a divided Union Woult