Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-05-12
GENERAL ORDERS NO. II.

Headquarters Departmental of Pennsylvania, Grand
Army of the Republic, Philadelphia,Apl D, ~.
!. lis thirty.three years since the
rifle and the sabre were displaced by the
hammer and the plough; thirty-three
years since the uniform OF blue was ex.
changed for the habiliments Of peace;
thirty three years of achievements that
impress the truism. "Peace hath her
victories no less renowned than war;
Monuments have been reared to our
heroes and to their heroic deeds, some
casting shadows on placid waters, others
standing above mountain tops; "but
neither classic bust, nor monumental
marble, nor lofty cenotayh, nor stately
urn, nor enduring bronze, nor everlasting
gsanite, can add to the glory of our dead
comrades in this land they loved SO well.
Again we are approaching Memorial
Day, again with fragrant flowers, sweet
music and patriotic eloquence, shall we
stand by the side of the graves Of our
comrades and pay to them the tribute of
our hearts atfection-of our loving re.
memberance Of their gallant deeds-and
over the little green mounds, which are
now their bivouacs, renew our devotion TO
their memories and 10 the for which
they battled.
Loving hands shall place the ever
green and the rose, the lily and the violet.
on the hillocks Of green which mark the
resting places of our soldier and sailor
dead, sweet voices shall sing their praises
and tervent hearts shall teach eloquent
tongues to reverentially voice gems of
thought in memory of our heroes gone.
Our Memorial Day is not a day for
sack cloth and ashes; it is not q day for
mourning or for fasting, nor should it be a
day devoted by any patriotic American
to frivolous festivities or to holiday pas
times. 1t is day for the flag, tor flowers
for music, for patriotism, day for com.
muning with the dead who died that the
Nation might live, for the dead who
offered all that they had that ''this Nation
might not perish from off the earth"
Let all the people gather spring-tinIes
brightest garlands to decorate our heroes
graves; not one shall be forgotten. In
twining wreaths on monuments to leaders
we pay tribute TO those who were led; a
rosebud on the grave Of private soldier or
sailor symbolizes our love for the memory
of all who wore the Union blue whether
on land or on sea; whether they sleep
their last sleep amid tablets Of marble or
of bronze or found their final resting.plac
beneath the waters of our rivers and seas.
1.-The meanest rill the mightiest river
Ro. uin Cling with their fame forever"
2 arrangements have not already
been made for attendance of Posts at
Devine Service on Sunday, May 29th,
they should be perfected at once. This
is one Of the essential features of our
Memorial Services and churches of all
denominations will gladly aid in your
participation in the worship OF God
3 1t is recommended that where feast.
bic, Posts will arrange with the Pastors of
the churches at which this par. of the
service is held, to select texts illustrative
OF "The gains to American citizenship by
the success of the Union soldier" and
''The unquestioned and everlasting right
of the cause OF those who battled for the
Union"
t. The success attending the visits to
the public schools by the comrades on the
school-day next preceding May 30th has
been SO great that the continuance Of the
custom is urged. Tell the children in
your own way what the old flag represents,
how it was followed in suffering danger
and death; how it was brought back with
not star missing and with freedom Tor
all emblazoned on its stripes. Impress
love of country and the duties and bless
of American citizenship; what it cost to
preserve it for them and for those who
shall follow them. Tell the school
of our Memorial Day, and what
it means, and the future men and women
of America, with the object lesson OF
patriotic teaching from the lips of living
men who bore their part gallantly on
will remember them while
memory lasts, and they will learn too
what patriotism means.
5. Interest your neighbors in Memor-
ial Day, whether they be soldiers or non-
soldiers. Make place for organizations
10 be with you. Though Post be num-
erically small it can make its ceremonies
and its services on Memorial Day go in.
teresting that men, women and children
will want to participate in paying homage
to our dead comrades.
6. In localities where there is more
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