The age-herald., 1898-05-31
HONOR TO THE
 PATRIOTIC DEAD Senator ThuFstOn of Nebraska Delivers a
 EulOgy in Their Memory. ABSENCE OF SEC1lONALISM DHelt Upon in Glowing Words By tho
 Orator of the Day. PRESIDENT MCKINLEY PRESENT Ceremonies Held in Various Parts of Arlington Cemetery, But | AmptheaterNear
 Lee Mansion Was Chief
 Spotoflnterest
PRESIDENT MCKINLEY PRESENT

Washington. May S0.-In the center of the field of ''The Biyoac of the Dead" the great amphitheater of the national cemetery at of his cabinet today joined 5000 other citi- zens In doing honor to the patriotic dead. The ceremonies were held simultaneously in several parts of the cemetery. but the main ceremonies wre in the amphitheater close to the old Lee mansion. There were some two thousand or more people gathered, while on the platform was distinguished company, headed by President Mckinley, Secretary of War Alger, Secretary of the Treasury Gage, Secretary of Agriculture Wilson and United States Senator Thurston of Nebraska, the orator of the day. Just back of them sat Commissioner of Pensions Evans and other officials, the Chinese min ister, the Korean minister and parties from their legations. Prior to the services there was a procession of members of the Grand Army, the Sons of Veterans. the womans relief corps, ex-soldiers and sailors and the general public, headed by the Fourth Ar tillery band, halting for minute for brief services ait the Tomb of the Unknown" the band meanwhile playing a dirge, and then marching through the ground, pro- ceeding 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 Army of the Potomac, G. A. R. The exercises embraced number of addresses, poems, singing by a quar- tette and the customary reading of orders. The feature of the ceremonies, however, was the address of Senator Thurston of Nebraska, who was introduced as one who was ready to give his aid to the cause Of liberty and patriotism. His oration was listened to most attentively by the audi ence and prolonged applause greeted his references to the absence of sectionalism and to the presence of Admiral Dewey in the harbor of Manila.
 Senator Thurstou's Speech
 Senator Thurston spoke in part as fol-, lows: 'How sleep the brave who sink to rest, By all their country's wishes blest
 By fairy hands their knell is wrung, By forms unseen their dirge is sung"
 Blessed are the dead whose memory is perpetuated by the flower service Of grateful people and how truly immortal are those who give their lives for liberty
 To have lived long, purposeless, neutral
 
 ous hours to have bravely faced the in- finite, to have calmly met the master in humanity's cause is sublime.
 Why mourn these dead of ours? They sleep in the bosom of the land they loved. Here where the ground once shook beneath the tramp of contending hosts they are all at rest
 The. sentinels no longer patrol the banks of the Potomac Grant and Lee both lived to attest the goodness of God who pre- served the union. And over the river on the beauteous dome of the nations capitol serenely uplifted toward the etherel blue sky, kissed by the sun of day, wooed by the stars of night, tranquilly floats the uncon- quered flag of the greatest of the grandest nation of the earth.
 Why mourn for those who slumber here? Their epitahs are written in the grandest history of the ages. Before them will revently pass the procession of the cen- turies And every headstone round about, even those without a name, will be given honorable place in the mighty monument that is to commemorate the ennobling and uplifting in the human race.
 third of a century has passed since our heroes fought. since our loved ones fell. A third of century in which the reunited people of common country have realized the inestimahle hlessirs- f n fo shared together in the beneficent fruits of a progressive development and prosperity which hl~stands alone in the annals of the world. From this vantage ground of years; in this sacred spot. on the borderland where Iintcrnecine conflict ragged, in this hour when the hearts of the people gre thrilling and throbbing as never before at the bugle call tof the worlds humanity and the nations duty we will offend no American when we ntiinsly honor our dead
 Fohoes of ssoa. r,,otstcrs My countrylnen, these men who died may not have known, but you and I know now that the roar of their battles was but the echo of Gods footsteps marching on. am a believer in an overruling providence, in the infinite wisdom that guides the des- tinies of nations of men. am deeply im- pressed with the thought that this great western hemisphere of ours is under the especial guidance of Gods great plan; that we as a people are struggling onward and upward to the fulfillment of supreme pur- pose It was Gods providence that kept the new world in all of its virgin strength and beauty until tho re- tless races of men had reas he'd a cviuzaton fit 10 be transplanted here It vas Gods rst violence that gave strength and courage and victory to the lit tie band of sturdy patriots who wrought the mighty miracle of American independ- ence. It spoke in every line of the dec laration of independence; 1t inspired the pen of emancipation and the sword of Ap- pomattox, Columbus, Washington, Lincoln and Grant. Did chance select them each
 
 formed?
 Let the fool answer how he will. I prefer to see the finger of supreme design. That finger, may be, is even now moving toward another man; a man who shall lead our triumphant hosts to a great and glorious victory for liberty and humanity, who shall wreak Gods vengeance on wicked, cruel, nierciless Spain. and drive from this hemis- phere the last vestige of tyranny and op- pression And It may be that some sword sheated in the defense of the Judgment of God that liberty might be the heritage of every American child will now. by command of Jehovah Himself. leap from its scabbard to give liberty and self-government to the oppressed and down-trodden people of the beautiful island of Cuba.
 What an inspiring sight to see those who once fought against each other now rallying under one flag exultlng and. rejoicing that the azure of the human banner holds in equal honor every star of statehood, and