The San Francisco call., 1896-05-31

work was done is apparent. Comrades, fellow
citizens, ELL let us be faithful 10 impress upon
the minds of all, and especially the children
and youth of our land, the importance of the
day. and as the years roll on of keeping up
this ceremony; let us see TO it, my friends, that
this sacred, this holy day, does not degenerate
into mere holiday and picnic occasion.
No grander pilgrimage can be ed upon
than this, laden with gratitude and devotion,
sweeping the whole Nation into Its ranks,
bringing with them their floral Offering, lift
ing us all for the day at least, out of our sell
fshness into purer, nobler, kindlier realm OF
feeling and thought. To the ola soldier who par
ticipated in all that experience of the four
dreadful though glorious years, IL seems as if it
were but Yesterday. We almost hear the roar
of cannon, the bursting shell, the rattle of
musketTy the mss, the WILL WILL anu snuu OF tne
and the veil on the other, and these in fre-
quent repetition until the final victory came
and we returned in peace and quiet to our
homes.
But, alas, how many of our brave comrades
we left behind. l say to us who were there,
when we recount these experiences, it seems
but Yesterday; but when we see before us men
in middle life who are rally1ng their forces
into their grand organizations to perpetuate
the principles for which we fought when we
are gone the Sons of Veterans, the Army and
Navy Union and kindred societies, and find
them relating TO their sons the story of grand
pas valor and patriotism in the War of the Re-
bel,ion, we are reminded that time is passing;
and when we recall some OF the glorious prin-
ciples that were established and perpetuated,
when peace came. Perhaps it may, after all,
be said that these thoughts would come with
better grace from another than an old soldier,
but who, after all, has better right to speak
on this subject than an'old soldier2 l thank
God that / was able TO give to my county, three
years of efficient service in the war. and al
though wounded in the head at Cold Harbor
and shot through the body at Petersburg, and
was a -boarder at Hotel de Libby for three
months am still alive by the grace of God
Thank God we can say in the language OF the
immortal Webster. in his speech concerning
the Union, When my eyes snail be turned TO
behold for the last time the sun in heaven may
not see il shining on the broken and dishon-
ored fragments OF once glorious Union; on
States discovered, discordant, belligerent and
on q land rent with civil feuds or drenched it
may be in fraternal blood. Let this last feeble
and lingering glance rather behold the gor-
geous ensign of our Republic, now known and
hOnored throughou the earth, still full high
advanced. its arms and trophies.s treaming in
the ir original luster not stripe erased or pol
luted nor a single star obscured, bearing for
It's motto no such miserable interrogatory as
What is all this worth? nor those other words
of delusion and folly, Liberty first and Union
afterward, but everywhere spread all over in
characters of living light, blazing in all it's
ample folds they float over sea and over
land and in every wind under the heavens
that other sentiment dear to every American
heart, Liberty and Union now and forever, one
and inseparable."
There came next a dirge by the band,
the strewing of the graves with flowers by
comrades parting salute of three volleys
fired oyer the graves by squad of twenty
men of Lincoln Post, under the command
of ]. II. Wilson, the officer of the day; a
benediction pronounced by the Rev. DR..
Ollie, and, finally, "taps,". sounded by
the bugler and signifying that the lights
are out.
The shaft of the monument in front of
which was the firing squad, stood upon
rising ground and was twined with ever
greens. The flag beside it fioated at half
mast. The speakers stand at the foot of
the slope was wrapped in the folds of the
National colors. and between it and the
monument, at the head of the slope, were
the white rows of headstones, fanked with
flags and decorated with flowers.