Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-06-06


pointing down to the graves of the un-
known, saying. '"These are my sons who
died that 1 might live" Take off the
misnomer Everybody knows them. 1t
is of comparatively little Importance
what was the name given them in bap-
tism of water. In the holier and might
Ter baptism of blood we know them, and
yesterday the nation put both arms
around them and Rugged them to her
heart, crying, milne forever!'
Again, by this national ceremony we
mean the future defense Of this nation.
By every wreath of flowers on the SOL
diers' graves we say, "Those who die
for the country shall not be forgotten, 7"
and that will give enthusiasm to our
young men in case our nation should in
the future need to defend itself in battle.
We shall never have another war be-
tween north and south. The old decayed
bone Of contention, American slavery,
has been cast out, although here and
there deprayed politician takes it up
to see if he can't gnaw something off it.
We are floating off farther and farther
from the possibility of sectional strife.
Everything For Defense.
No possibility of civil war. But about
foreign invasion I am not so certain
When I spoke against war, I said moth
ing against self defense. An inventor
told me that he had invented style Of
weapon which could be used in self de-
Tense, but not in aggressive warfare. ]
said, "When you get the nations to
adopt that weapon, you have introduced
tho millennium. have no right to 60
on my neighbours premises and assault
him, but if some ruffian break into my
house for the assassination of my FAM
lily, and I can borrow gun and load it
in time and aim it straight enough, l
will shoot him.
There is 10 room on this continent for
any other nation except Canada, and a
better neighbor no one ever had. If you
don't think SO, go to Montreal and To-
ronto and see how well they will treat
you. Other than that there is absolutely
no room for any other nation. 1 have
been across the continent again and
again and know that we have not a
half inch of ground for the equity foot of
foreign despotism to stand on. But am
not SO sure that some of tho arrogant
nations of Europe may not some day
challenge u.s. do not know that those
forts around New York bay are to sleep
all through the next century. l do not
know that Barnegat lighthouse will not
yet look off upon hostile navy do
not know but that half dozen nations,
envious of our prosperity, may want to
give us wrestle During our civil war
there were two or three nations that
could hardly keep their hands off us. 1t
is very easy to pick national quarrels,
and if our nation escapes much longer 1t
will be the exception.
If foreign foe should come, we want
men like those of 1912 and like those Of
1862 to meet them. We want them all
up and down the coast, Pulaski and
Fort Sumter in the same chorus Of
thunder as Fort Lafayette and Fort
Hamilton-men who will not only know
how to fight. but how to die. When
such time comes, if it ever does come,
the generation on the stage Of action
will say: MY country will care for my
family as they did in the soldiers asy-
lum for the orphans il the civil war,
and my country will honor my dust as
it honored those who preceded me in
patriotic sacrifice, and once q year at any
rate, on Decoration day, shall be res
directed into the remembrance Of those
for whom I died. Here I go for God and
my countryl HuzzaP"
If foreign foe should come, the old
sectional animosities would have no
power. Here go our regiments into the
attlefeld-Fifteenth New York volun-
teers, Tenth Alabama cavalry, Four
teenth Pennsylvania riaemen, Tenth
Massachusetts artillery, Seventh South
Carolina sharpshooters do not know
but it may require the attack of some
foreign foe to make rs forget our absurd
sectional wrangling. I have no faith
in the cry, mo north, no south, no
east, no west!' Let all four sections
keep their peculiarities and their pref
erences, each doing its own work and
not interfering with each other, each OF
the four carrying its part in the great
harmony-the bass, the alto, the tenor,
tho soprano-in the grand march OF
Union.
Promise of the Resurrection.
Once more, this great national cere-
mony means the identification Of the
tombs, whether of those who fell in
battle or accident, Or who have expired
in their beds, or in our arms, or on our
laps. I suppose you have noticed that
many of the families take this season as
the time for the adornment of their
family plots. This national observance
has secured the arboriculture and fori-
culture of the cemeteries, the straight
ening up of many a slab planted 30 or
40 years ago, and has swung the scythe
through the long grass and has brought
The stonecutter to call out the half OBJ
liberated epitaph. This day is the bene-
iiction Of the resting place of father,
mother, son, daughter, brother, sister.
1t is all that we can do for them now
Make their resting places attractive, not
absurd with costly outlay, but in quiet
remembrance. You know how. If you
can afford only one flower, that will do.
It shows what you would do if you
could. One blossom from you may mean
more than the Duke of Wellington's
catafalque. Oh, we cannot afford to for
get them. They were so lovely to US.
We miss them SO much. We will never
get over it. Blessed Lord Jesus, comfort
our broken hearts From every bank Of
flowers breathes promise of resurrection.
holden times the Hebrews, returning
from their burial place, used to pluck
the grass from the field three or four
times, then throw it over their heads,