Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-18

i
Of Pericles in eulogy upon the deae
soldiers of Athens and not even then
has anything been seen like the cere.
monies and proceedings OF our owr
Memorial days. The procession of ole
veterans carrying their tattered battle
flags. marching to the strains of music
which cheered and inspired them ir
the clash of arms ami fierce conflict
OF actual war, placing the first flowers
of summer as the tribute of their af1ec-
tion. upon the graves of their dead com
rades. the presence of fathers, mothers
| wives, sons and daughters testifyine
their unwavering love for the departed
brave, and the patriotic interest mani
tested by the community on Memorial
day. have no precedent among nations
Of ancient or modern times
And only in our country Is anything
| like our Memorial day celebration
and ceremonials known today Here
| where the equal rights of men were
de clared by our forefathers as tho
basis upon which they were to erect a
htw government where liberty was
their watchword and their war cry
| during their seven years struggle for
independence; here where the prin-
ciples which they enunciated were hap
tized anew in the blood of your COM
rades in 1861, and triumphed a second
| time In your great victory over the
slave holders rebellion where the
dignity and immunities of the individ-
| ual are recognized and regarded; here
where men love their government be-
cause they make it and make it of a
character beneficent to all, do the peo-
pie honor in the highest degree the
| brave who are living. and express
their affection in the most delicate.
| tender and impressive way. for their
fallen countrymen whose self sacrifice
Ing devotion and brave achievements
excite the just pride of our people and
command the gratitude of the best of
mankind.
| am glad to observe that Memorial
day is growing more in favor as time
goes on. The people turn out in larger
numbers every year to celebrate 1t.
They mean that it shall not go out of
fashion. Its significance is more and
more felt and understood. Its great
utility in awakening and keeping ac-
tive the patriotic feeling of the nation
is more and more recognized, and the
need of keeping alive in our minds the
most vivid realization of the gigantic
cifcrts and tremendous sacrifices which
were made to save the nation integrity
and to preserve the great stronghold
of freedom upon the globe, deepens
and strengthens in the hearts of the
people as we drift away from the
epoch of the great conflict.
And this is source of the greatest
qualification and encouragement So
long as the people remember and are
impressed by the highest examples of
patriotic devotion which their country.
in its times of greatest trial, has af
forded and are inspired by the heroic
achievements of their ancestors, they
cannot fail to be proud of their coun-
try and turn to it in every emergency.
There is a lesson for him who will
study it in the soldiers home, a lesson
to gladden. the heart of every patriot.
What has produced it? Has it not
sprung up out of the popular gratitude
for the old veterans of the Union armies ?
What else could have caused the cree
ton of these Ravens of rest and pro-
lection for the nations defenders in |
their declining years?
And the affection of the people for |
those who offered their lives as shield |
fer their country in its hour of danger |
is a measure of their love for their |
and their institutions Had
you fought for what the people disre-
garded they would have cared nothing
for YOU Therefore l assert that
the most earnest patriotism expresses
nd ion fnrsl
the nations champions and protectors, so
he who honors not the old soldiers and
cares not to see them comfortable in
their old age is not lover of his coun-
try and a good American.
Believing this it has been my pur-
pose and effort to secure to the Union
such recognition upon the
pension rolls and elsewhere. as a CRATE
full country. approaching the meal
cuabe value of their great services,
should not hesitate to give them. OF
course every cndeavOr in this direction
has met with some opposition. The
most righteous cause will inevitably
lino some opposcrs.
There was coppcrhead party in
Greece $50 years before Christ, led by
Eschines when the Greeks were fight
ing to maintain their liberties against
Philip of Macedon and in Demos
themes Characterization of ESchines and
his followers there is to be found q
better description of the old copperheadsl
who opposed our soldiers and encour-
aged the rebels during our late war,
than in anything that has been said or
written service. 1t would make mighty
wholesome reading for some of the
who spend so much time
IN slandering and OBTAINING the old SOL
iIers now. 1t was copperhead party
ed by Hanno in Carthage which con-
tinually INSTRUCTED Hannibal while he
was fighting the Romans and finally .
prevented that matchless warrior from
finally and forever his coun-
try's great enemy.
And it is only temperance of this
1eplorable and reDrehensibe side of
human nature. this spirit of treachery
which still turks in the hearts of a
small but no less repulsive and offensive
part of mankind. that crops out in mis-
and abuse of those ,
brave men whose heroism saved the
very shield of liberty and good govern
ment which protects them.
In the recent session of Congress we I
could not legislate for the Union vet
Grams as some of us wished to do.
With Republican House, Dolly
L q rdap Senate for which nnbodv cOull