Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-06-05
DECORATION DAY.
FLORAL Tributes to Thousands of
Our Honored Dead,
VINO Fell In Defense OF the Flag. the sym,
Dol ana Safeguard of Our Liberties The
Day Almost Universally Observed
AT the National Capital.

poi ana safeguard OF Our Libcrties-Ths
Day Almost Universally Observed
AT the National Capital.
WASHINGTON, May Memorial day
was generally observed in Washington,
Inc senate adjourned over for the day
ana the house held only l5-minute
session. All the departments and the
business houses were closed and the
day was given up to patriotic obsery.
ance and tributes to the heroic dead.
Inc bronze statues of the nations
heroes on land and sea in the govern
meht reservations and parks were
shrouded in the flags under which they
fought.
At ten o'clock there was an impress
slve parade of the &. A. II. and other
patriotic organizations, which at II
o'clock broke up, the several posts
holding memorial exercises in the vari-
GUS cemeteries. The most imposing
ceremonies were held at the National
cemetery at Arlington on the Virginia
side of the Potomac, opposite Washing
ton, which was, before the war, the mag
nihcent estate of Robert Il. Lee, the
confederate chicftain. This beautiful
piece OF property was purchased by
the go vernment from the Lee heirs,
IN 1854 for Sl5O, 900, after having been
held as national cemetery since the
| close of the war Here bivouac almost
40, 900 of the nations dead 1000 whose
identity will never be known being
buried in a single grave. Among the
most famous of the heroes buried be-
meath the spreading oaks and elms are
Gen. Sheridan, the great cavalry
leader; Admiral Porter, the hero of
Mobile; Brighten. lIarney and Gen.
| RicketS.
The exercises at Arlington to-day
were made particularly memorable by
the presence of President Mckinley.
They began at 12 o'clock with ma
tional salute of 2l guns from the light
battery, Fourth artillery, U. S. A.
The beautiful ceremony of strewing
flowers on the graves followed Led
by the Marine band the G. A. r. and
other organizations which had formed
in front of the old Lee mansion,
marched to the tomb of the unknown
dead, where the band played dirge
while the massive monument was being
decorated.
After this the procession separated.
With gentle hands and loving hearts
the graves of the vast army beneath
the trees received their tributes of
flowers The humblest of the coun-
try's defenders was not neglected
The organizations and guests after
wards gathered at the amphitheater
which was decorated, where the exer-
cises took place,
The program mmc at the amphitheater
opened with buglers sounding CAS-
sembly.' After the funeral march, by
the Marine band, the Burial of the
Dead was sung by the choir.
ThomasS S. Hopkins, department com
mander, called the assembly to order,
and Rev. W. II. Black invoked Divine
blessing. The choir sang again, and
then Representative bolivar, of Iowa,
delivered the Grafton of the day.
This was followed by music and a
poem delivered by DR.. Thomas Calver
Hon. Webster Davis, assistant secre-
tary of the interior, followed with an
oretion, and the exercises concluded
with Beethovan's Funeral March of a
Dead Hero played by the Marine
band.
Hon. Webster Davis, of Kansas City,
Mo-, spoke as follows:
Surely the Union soldiers are the idols of un-
dying renown, for in every emergency, in every
danger, In the shadows of every cloud however
dark they were always found clinging to the
constitution and the Union, as the sheet anchor
of hope for the welfare Of their children, Some
sleep to-day in the graves of the sunny
south some in lonely ravines: some in
graves and trenches marked Unknown
yet they are not unknown nor forgotten. for
their names are engraved on Columbas temple
OF fame where they can never dim their splen-
did luStre would just Us leave honor living
hero as TO immortalize dead saint, and when
we love liberty and union well enough to defy
all hazard in their defense We speak equally OF
those who have pitched their tents on the
plains OF the spirit land and those who yet
walk with us the walk OF life. Standing
here on the heights of Arlington bill
lowed with ten thousand heroic dead; we
feel proud OF them ALL but we also are proud OF
their comrades who yet survive; and we are
glad that one of them, the gallant William Nc
Kinley, stands at the helm OF the old ship OF
state and with firm hand has turned her prov
toward the beckonng seas of n still more pros
porous future, while waving at her masthead
with Stars that appear TO liberty-lovng people
like the morning stars of God, and Stripes like
beams Of morning light we see the banner OF
the republic bearing the beautiful inscription:
No east no west no north, no south; but the
United States of America, the home OF the
heavcn-born gift, liberty.
And don't forget our patriotic mothers. 1t
was womans many acts of kindness that ap-
peared in the soldiers night OF gloom like the
pure radiant tnts that gid the eastern portals
OF the day May the young men OF the north
and south feel that they are brothers; and hail
the good time coming when the last wound of
the war shall be healed. Let us be determined
our country shall not encourage in any manner
whatsoever the efforts made by some to create
another sectional line to separate the east from
the south and west, for we want but one cOun-
try and but one flag and that flag the Stars and
Stripes.
Every effort should be made to advance in
the realm Of science elevate the character
of our people, care for the unfortunate,
promote peace and good will mar
row and obliteratc forever the widen
ing chasm between capital and labor,
ameliorate and improve the condition of the
toilcrs in the workshops and mills and fields
until the shadows of darkness and gloom snail
melt away before the dawning light OF
brighter day Of contentmcnt, happiness and
peace
Decoration Day in New York.
New YORK, May 3l.-A rainy fore
noon interfercd greatly with the OBJ
servapce of Memorial day in New
York and vicinity, but it did not pre-
vent it.
The tomb of Gen. Grant in Riverside
park was well remembered. for there,
besides the tributes from local posts OF
the G. A. r., was received box in
scribed: "Flowers for the Tomb OF
Gen. Grant, Riverside Park, New York
CITY; from the Conservatory, Executive
Mansion, Washington, D. c." The box
contained a large number of choice
flowers.
The parade was reviewed at the
Worth monument, in Madison square,
=. s,I... nitr officials and