The San Francisco call., 1896-05-31
While the Dew Was Yet on
the Grass They Visited
Their Plat.
EXERCISES AT M. E. CHURCH,
For the First Time All the G. A.
R. Men Did Not March
Side by Side.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL,

SOo Broadway, May ~. !
Always ready TO respond to patriotic
duties, Oakland was given over to-day to
the exercises incidental to a general OBJ
servance of Memorial day.
This was the first occasion on which the
G. A. r. posts in this city nave not acted
In harmony in the services and exercises
at Mountain View Cemetery. Lyon Post,
being under suspension, could not partici-
pa te as post, and it would be difficult
to say whether the feeling of the post was
any less acute than that of their COM
rades. There was a feeling among all
that their ranks were broken, and old
soldiers, knowing that their opportunities
for marching side by side are decreased
each year, did not notice the absence of
their comrades of the suspended post
without many expressions of regret.
The mem bers Of Lyon Post took no part
in the regular G. a. r. exercises, but they
opened the observance of the day by going
to the cemetery and performing their du-
ties to the dead as an independent body.
Assemb!yman Clinton G. Dodge deliv-
cred the grafton.
He said in part: THE scenes we wit
ness to-day mark another event in the his
tory OF our country, and, though they are
but a repetition OF what has annually
greeted the eyes Of a sympathiZlng world
for over generation, still while patriot
ism lives in our land they will lose none of
their solemn impresSiyeness or their effect
as teachers of loyalty and devotion to the
cause of humanity. With uncovered heads
before the graves of these, whose names
are on the scroll OF Immortality, we bow
and paw that sacred homage due from a
grateful people to those who made popular
government and universal freedom a iv-
ing reality.
Upon the deeds and names of those
who consummated the grand result of
National unity, oratory has showered with
lavish effort its silvered words, and yet
human tongue or pen can but made
quately pay the tribute which these de-
serve. Their best monument will be their
immortal remembrance by posterlty, the
unsullied honor of the flag they fought
beneath, and the eternal preservation OF
the results they secured. We love their
names. We love the record they impressed
upon Nations soil. We love the stain
less flag they handed back to US with
every star in its accustomed place. War
may desolate the land. but these heroes
can never rally to the Nations call again.
The wild cheer, the onward, sweeping
charge, the music of the cannon s
blast, and, high above the surging
mass, the banner that made more
than human freedom of men, these will
not call to life the patriot dead. Then
work is done. The laurel wreath is theirs.
Whatever human hand or tongue can do
to render justice 10 their names and work,
with overfiowing hearts we pledge the eff
fort at these sacred shrines. These graves
speak beyond the present. Their echoes
roll past the living far down the aisles of
futurity. They tell the story of mans de-
yotion to country and freedom. Imperish-
able may be their lesson and eternal the
fruits of their victory"
The rest of the programme was as fol-
lows: Distribution of wreaths and strew-
ing of flowers; singing of America" by al
present; taps by drums. r. j. Adney
acted as marshal.
Lyon Post then returned from the scene.