Birmingham state herald., 1896-04-28

kissing a fond farewell to mother, wife,
 sister or sweetheart, their prayers and
 blessings following him, sacrifices the
 comforts of home. the safety of peace,
 the society of loved ones and his business
 avocation to engage in a warfare for his country's honor, safety. rights and glory?
 And when he falls-whether in battle or from disease incident to a soldiers life
 all should join in doing his memory
 honor Gentlemen, it IS at the grave that
 We learn to forgive the wrong, acknowl-
 edge the good and proclaim the virtues.
 It is such occasions as these that
 strengthen the ties between the boys in gray and the boys in blue. As you to- gether today tenderly decorate the graves of the Confederate dead, let each forgive
 the other for what he believes was wrong, acknowledge that each was right in fight ing for his side and proclaim to the world, by your sympathetic and fraternal action, that the differences-reala and imaginary which engaged you in deadly conflict from 1861 to 1865 have been forever set
 tied, and that the courage and valor of both armies give to American armies glory and distinction possessed by no armies on the earth.
 Let each one as he drops the white flower upon the grave of his comrade or his late antagonist regard the color as an emblem of the purity of his intentions and patriotism; and when you drop the red one let it remind you of the zeal en- ergy and blood felt, exercised and spilled by the dead hero beneath the sod. And when evening comes and the dews con- dense upon their petals, the tears of na- ture will mingle with your own--givlng to the flowers additional beauty and fra grance. When the rising sun greets them with his morning smile his rays will kiss them a farewell benedictlon ere they wither and die in the glory of his merid- ian height. Thus the emblems of your love and fraternity will live, wither and die. but the memory of your dead com rade will be green in your hearts until you too shall have passed away and join ed your comrades in tbe spirit land.
 If our theology be true, and who can doubt it who does not wish it to be true, there will some day be grand reunion, which will last forever. When the cities of the dead shall be awakened by the last trumpet's call and all the dead re- vitalized with a spiritual and eternal vi- tality there will be no nobler hosts than those furnished by our battlefields. Is it drawing upon our imaginations too much to picture the leaders of soldiers of the lost and victorious cause marching to- gether, arm in arm, led by Lincoln and Davis, Grant and Lee, to the great white throne, where all are to stand or fall. according to the way they have lived. Methinks on that occasion no one will be adjudged guilty of treason or re- bellion who honestly fought for his cause dS Ilt It. HcH, SSi- tlemen, live together in harmony and peace Let the flag see here unfurled- the stars and stripes-be the ensign of us all, and to protect whose honor and glory let us dedicate our lives and to- gether work for the upbuilding, growth and prosperity of this Magic City-the brightest jewel in the crown of the in- dustrial new south
 Capt. Joseph F. Johnston was called on and he replied with appropriate re- marks on the occasion. He emphasized the good feeling that exists between the veterans of both armies, illustrated by the harmonious gathering of the day for a common purpose.
 The march was then made to the cem- etery, accompanied by sweet hymns from Chace's band. At the cemetery gentle hands laid floral tributes on the graves of the loved and heroic dead.