The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-06-01
THE EVENING EXERCISES.

Mr.. Harris Eloquent Memorial Day Ad'
5ress TO the Old soIdlers-O other Features
OF tho Evening.
Saturday evening Memorial Day ex-
ercIses were held in the assembly hall
Of the odd Fellows building by the
veterans organizations, Holiday and
stephens posts Of the G. A. r., Womans
Relief Corps and U. S. Grant camp,
SONS Of Veterans. The audience was
made up OF veterans and those ident7
fed with the two auxiliary 0rganize-
lions. The principal address OF the
evening was made by Mr. Charles Sur
dett Hart. He was the recipient OF
6esS,tv concentrations at the close.
His sentiments Of patriotism and ira
tornity were applauded to the echo,
especially at the close, when the APP
plause lasted fully three minutes. he
said: --4-----'
"How far the war for the Union is
behind US! Men long since old enough
Ia ili the highest public station In the.
country were not OLD enough 70 take
mari IN making that stupendous chapter
n history. We boys of that day knew
that some great thing was going on.
and that 1t meant fighting, but we did
not appreciate 1t. We looked in sort
If ecstcy OF awe on the armed men
Rathering in the streets. Our young
hearts were touched by the Hobs OF
grieving women taking leaVe-alaS!
Tor too many the last long leave- 2,
those they loved. We heard the talK
OF battles by sea and lana, OF VlcIorS
and defeat, but we did know the vast.
" important difference between a Bun
T1....' ,1,,l a GnkfuChtiFsg
"Those were days when history was
making as never before; when at last,
after nearly century OF experiment
bordering close on the abyss of disaster,
we were about to fix with the bayonet
and for all time the character OF our
government We had boasted that We
were q, FREQ people-and we held slaves.
We had lauded ours as an "lndissoluble
Union OF indestructible stateB"-and
lie right 10 dissolve the Union was
stoutly maintained by a large. intelli-
gent, influential and determined nouy
OF our countrymen who held TO tnelT
doctrine as to blrthrisht and pressed
II with i persistency that bespoke IN
tense conviction.
"There are Issues not to be settled
in the arena OF debate. Such an issue
was fought out on the battlednelds OF
the war for the Union-fought with n
determined bravery that gave to us
Americans a new appreciation OF our
strength, and to the world It's FIRST real
conception of the giant power OF the
young republic OF the west. Yet In tho
: beginning there were none who foresaw
Inc end: what II all would cost in blood
nnd treasure and misery; what
mighty social, industrial and political
change 1t would bring about the
prophets could not read from Sumter
70 Appomattox-a short span, but so
cIouded by the smoke OF battle, so Oh.
scurcd by the frenzy OF passion that
the keenesL vision could not peer
through It.
"Mcn offered their lives because tho
seusc Of duty moved them. Statesmen
stored the ship Of state to bring 1t safe
through the storm, but ever uncertain
whit port 1t would bring up In. The
soldier Grant hurled his leglons upon
inc armies OF the Confederncy with n
force and fury that seemed mer-
cllcss alike to friend and foe. HiS OBJ
feet was to crush the rebellion and to
crush It quickly. The Inspired patriot
Lincoln gave his great mind ana MS
great heart to preserving the Union:
How the rebellion was TO be crushed
wus of little moment-crushed 1t must
How the Union was to be preserved
was Of less Importance than the Union
preserved; and, thanks be to the God Of
nations, the Union was preserved.
Glory be to him who brought to these
shores the Cavalier and the Puritan,
who put It In tho hearts OF tho fathers
10 plant In a new soil the germ of free
dom, the Union was preserved; freedom
wns fact as nxed as the stars; and in
tho best blood Of the republic was writ
in letters that time shall not dim, that
forevermorC the sun Hhall shine upon
q Union That cannot DO dissolved and
that no American win ever want dis
solved,
you served on that grim court Of
arbitration, you men who wear the
bronze badge OF our true American mo-
blllty, you and your comradnq who
sleep IN the churchyards. That duty
done. you turned from the camp aud
tho battlefield 10 discharge tho no lesa
high duties OF peaceful citizenship. In
the twlnhllng OF m eye You were trims
formed. The finest lighting force the