Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-04-03
their memory, fora merica',

'Dliterate their memory, for A merica's
| -ons and daughters VIII Tenlsmli@ thou
With gratitude. Standing Oh Tins sa
red spot VIZ Involuntary eNcla'm, l.
he language OF aDOth~r. - Ltlr'5 u
| voice from these tombs that Is sweet
| han song There ~ "A remembrance.
II the dead TO which we turn even from
he charms Of the living, Oh, th'
aaye, the grave, 1t buries every error
covers every defect, II eXtingulsheS
| -ver, resent ment; from its peaceful
bosom spring nothing but fond regrets
md tender rtcOiectioDs.
But we have among Us grand arm>
10 less deserving. Men as brave, 10y al
md true ana as devoted tn liberty :
ause rs those who sleep tonight, b.
n ath southern soil. They fought a.
ntsvely AS those who rest in trenches
on battlede'ds. or those who who pei
! sired in southern prison pens. We
nave among as AS brave warriors AS
! hose who fell in that frightful charge
II Fredericksburg, or the unyielding
defense on the field of Gettysburg.
Accord the living. our brave l. V. [.
| and e. a. r., the honor they bravery
Won, and richly deserve We do well
! thus To call TO mind this evening the
crave deeds Of our soldiers. living or
lead, defenders of the nations flag;
hey fought not as hired mercenaries.
9s the warriors of Alexander; nor 10
extend the confines of their lands, as
he legions of "A Caesar: nor to CRAFTY
the Wanting ambition IF one man. as
he army of the first Napoleon They
fought in obedience To the noble in
stincts of the patriot. They fought for
Fatherland for the flag of their conn
nv. They barred their breasts to the
shafts of war that no Garm should come
~ the nations life Because they loved
The land of their birth, and the land of
heir adoption. A REGULARITY of no
people, but common to all II reclines
with the dusky hindoo beneath the
shetering palm, and cheers the Nor
wegian in his snowy hut.
Your comrades are one by one falling
10y the wayside. Time is touching
their hearts not harsbly, but as harp
ist LAYS his open palm upon his harp to
deaden It's vibrations. You mourn for
them as fellow soldiers. tender and rue
Long may you live to enjoy your well
earned laurels May your declining
davs be cheered by sense of duty well
and nobly done. May Won never liva
~ see the flame Of patriotism burn less
brightly in our country than now The
victory which your labors secured shall
be our dearest heritage The nations
life you saved will live in future ages
So let the stars anC stripes, under
which the sons and daughters Of the
states are To meet aud mingle in com
mon patriotism. speak of nothing but
union Not a union of couquerors or
conquered, but union which is the
mother of all. equally tender to all.
knowing nothing but pc ACE and equal
~ among her children Then the
American republic will live. Popular
cOmmOtion and partisan fury may dash
their mad waves against her. but they
SHAH roll back shattered, spent. Per
secution shall not shake her, fanati-
ciSm disturb. nor revolution change,
out she shall stand towering sublimely
like the mountain rock while the des-
pots of the old world tremble at her
feet and the thunders peal above her
head. Majestic, immutable. unchaug-
ing and unchanged while the stars and
stripes continue TO wave Ger the
land of the free and the home Of the
brave
Colonel Mckay called all members
Of Ira Amsbury Commandery forward
aud at the words, ali hail' beauti
tul flag was unfurled. The speaker
then said. Ladies and gentlemen in
behalf of the people of Elwell al d vi
entity present to your commander,
Colonel Mckay, this flag, for which
on as soldiers so noble rlsked your
lives. Those of you who were with
Gen ellis in the Forlorn Hope of Red
River know full we'll what its preserva-
ron cost. Col Mckay | leave Old
Glory in your hands hoping it may be
transmitted to your successor in com
mand AS nnsulled as ii now appears.
Col. Mckay then received the flag
which he placed in the hands Of Ma
thaniel StrVOr, color. bearer. He then
entreated Coler bearer Strayor to care
for this flag AS Loyalty as he did the
flag of his regiment which he took from
the hands of fallen comrade and proud
" carried forward to the close of the
battle. Then with three cheers for
'"Oid Glory" Col. Mckay dismissed the
ranks of ms command.