The herald., 1898-05-31

THE SCENE OF A PATRIOTIC
GATHERING
THuRsToN's GREAT SPEECH
In Large Cities and Rural Hamlets
People Gather In Memory of
Brave Men Dead

WASHINGTON. May so.-In the center
lield Of THE Bivouac of the Dead" the
great amphitheater Of the National GEM
etery at Arlington, President Mckinley
and three Of his cabinet today Joined 6ON
o.her citizens in doing honor to the patri-
otto dead. The ceremonies were held
simultaneously in different parts of the
cemetery, but the main ceremonies were
In the amphitheater close to the old Lee
mansion. There were some 250O people gath
cred, while on the platform was distin-
guished company, headed by President Nc
kinley, Vice President Hobart, Secretary
Of War Alger, Secretary of the Treasury
Gage. Secretary of Agriculture Wilson
and United States Senator Thurston, the
orator of the day. Just back of them sat
Commissioner of Pensions Evans and
other officials, the Chinese minister and
the Korean minister and representatives
from other legations. Prior to the cere-
monies there was procession of members
of the Grand Army. the Sons of Veterans,
the Woman's Relief corps, ex-soldiers and
the general public, headed by the Fourth
Artillery band, halting for brief service
at the Tomb of the Unknown" the band
meanwhile playing dirge, and then
marching through the grounds. proceeding
to the work of decorating the graves.
The president and party were very
prompt in arriving, and soon after they
reached the platform the assembly was
called to order by Commander Arthur
Hendricks of the department of Potomac,
G. A. R. The exercises embraced a num-
Der Of addresses, poems, singing by quar-
tet end the customary reading Of orders.
The feature of the ceremonies, however,
was the address Of Senator Thurston of
Nebraska. who was introduced as one a.
ways ready to lend his aid to the cause OF
liberty and patriotism. His Grafton was
listened to most attentively by the audi
ence. and prolonged applause greeted his
reference to the absence of sectionalism
and to the presence of Admiral Dewey In
the harbor of Manila.
Thurston's Address
Following is an abstract Of the Grafton
of Senator Thurston:
" How sleep the brave who sink to rest,
By all their country's wishes blest;
BY fairy hands their knell is rung;
BY forms unseen their dirge is sung
BLESSED are the dead whose memory !.
perpetuated by the flower service Of r
grateful. people. and how truly immorta
are those who give their lives for liberty
ITO have lived long, purposeless, neutra
years is nothing. To have lived u few glo
rious hours; to have bravely faced the
infinite; to have calmly met the Master ir
humanity's cause is sublime. Why mourn
for those who slumber here? Their cpl
taphs are written in the grandest history
of the ages. Before them will reverently
pass the procession of the centuries. And
every headstone round about, even those
without a name. will be given honorable
place in the mighty monument that is te
commemorate the ennobling and uplifting
of the human race.
My countrymen. these men who died
may not have known, but you and
know now, that the roar of their battles
was but the echo of Gods footsteps NOV
Ing on. am a believer in an overruline
Providence, In the infinite wisdom tina
guides the destiny of nations, as Of men
1 am deeply impressed with the though
that we as q people are struggling onward
and upward to the fulfillment of a su
,preme purpose. 1t was Gods providence
that kept the new world in all its virgin
strength until man had realized a civil
cation fit 20 be planted here. 1t was Cod
providence that gave strength and cour
age and victory to the little band of sturd!
patriots who wrought the mighty circl
of American independence. 1t spoke II
every line of the Declaration of indie
pendepce, it inspired the pen of enamel
patton and the sword Of Appomattox.
inspired Washington, Lincoln and Grant
1t selected each for his glorious work, 81
gloriously performed Let the fool an
swer how he WILL prefer to see the fin
ger Of supreme design. The finger ma.
be, is even now, moving toward anothe
man; a man who shall lead our trium
plant hosts to glorious victory for lib
erty and humanity; who shall wreal
Gods vengeance on wicked. cruel merci
less Spain, and drive from this hemis
rhere the last vestige of tyranny ant
oppression. And it may well be that som
sword, sheathed In defeat by the judg
ment of God, that liberty may be the heri
tage of every American child, will now
by command of Jehovah himself. leap from
Its scabbard to give liberty and self-gov
eminent to the oppressed and down-trod
den people of the beautiful island of Cuba
What an inspiring sight to see thos,
who fought against each other. now raj
lying under the one flag, exulting and re-
toicing that the azure field of the unior
banner holds in equal honor every star Of
statehood, and singing together the re-
arranged music of the Union-"Yanke,
Doodle and Dixie" the favorite airs.
stTyndar -
to sermonizing, the reading of homlies
and to the discussion Of public questions
on Decoration day 1 believe our servic;
should be love service of prayer and
praise and song; that out of the heroi,
memories Of the past we should draw new
Inspirations of patriotism and find new
ardor for the preservation of the free in.
situations which come to us through the
baptism of fire and blood. But, my coun.
trymen, for the first time in the history
Of Decoration day we are at war. Cnce
more upon the soil of old Virginia the
federal bayonets are agleam. From day tc
day the boys In blue pass by; the reveillt
Of the bugle is heard even in this city
Of the silent dead. This time, thank God
the war Is not sectional; there are M
brothers arrayed against brothers; nc
Americans against Americans. There Il
only one uniform in all the land. one fiaf
IN all the sky. one sentiment in the breasts
Of All the heroes Of the republic.
WAR Is terrible thing. to be Stunned
ard avoided whenever and AZ far ~ pos
sHfs