The record-union., 1898-05-28
AT ST. JOSEPH'S ACADEMY.
PATRIOTIC EXERCISES BY THE
PUPILS.
Given in Honor of Memorial Day-
Address by Rev. Father
Walsh


noon, when the following programme
was carried out:
Prayer of the Church for Our Ma
tfOn," Rev. Father Walsh; Our Ban
ner," instrumental duet. Misses Glider
sleeve and Burke; Just Before the
Battle, Mother" vocal solo, Miss
Azevedo; The Flag of Our Country
Forever" recitation, L. Stefano; Gov
er Them Over With Flowers" vocal
duet, singing class; Music of Column
bia," instrumental solo, Miss F'laherty;
The Boys Across the River" recita-
ton by the fourth elementary; Scat
ter the Flowers on Our Soldiers
Graves" song, elementary; My Boy
Gan incident of the Maine tragedy
reading, Miss Holmes; Just After the
Battle" vocal solo, Miss Azevedo; Me
mortal Day" recitation, fourth inter-
mediate; America" ," instrumental duet,
Misses Keefe and Talbot; THE Amer
lean Soldier" recitation. Miss Arnold ;
Rest" vocal duet, singing class; Gen
eral Meade's Funeral March," instru-
mental solo, Miss Gildersleeve; address,
by Rev. Father Walsh; prayer for the
repose of the souls of the slain.
THE ADDRESS.
Rev. Father Walsh spoke in sub
stance as follows:
Young Ladies: The highly esteemed
Superior of this academy must. [ think,
have an exalted opinion of my patriot
ism, since she invited me to address
you on this occasion. In all sincerity,
must admit that she has not over
estimated it, for, from President Nc
Kinley TO Father McKinnon. | yield
precedence to no man in my fidelity
and love for my flag, never so loved
as when draped over the graves of
those who shed their hearts blood,
Drawing shot and shell, that that
gallant flag might wave triumphant
over you and me. Knowing, however,
that my ability is not commensurate
with my patriotism, I feel that [ made
a mistake in complying with Rev.
Mother Vincent's request, and can only
ask your indulgence
Pupils of st. Joseph's, you in your
beautiful exercises of to-day-religious
and patriotic in character-anticipat
the celebration in which, on next Mon
day, the American bards from the At
lantic to the Pacific will unite in COM
memoration of the heroes whose mem
ory is honored on Memorial Day. 1t
may not be out of place to touch upon
the two great wars in which the great
er number of those heroes fell.
Many, many years ago this great and
powerful country of ours was not
known as the United States. 1t was a.
dependency of England. and ruled by
England. always and ever greedy and
aggrandizing. She ruled the colonies
of America harshly, unjustly, tyran-
nically. Her system Of taxation was
oppressive and cruel SO lntolerable
had it become that the men of Amer
lea, no longer able to live in an atmos-
phere of tyranny, rose up against it.
A single instance is sufficient to exem
plify the iniquitous system and the
resistance with which it met.
England sent a cargo of tea to Amer
lea When it reached the shores of
Massachusetts the brave men of the
colonies, who drank in liberty and man.
hood with every breath, boarded that
English ship and threw the cargo of
tea into Boston harbor. This deter
mined step led up to the conflict In
which Americans were ably seconded
Ireland, whose brave sons freely gave
their lives in the cause of liberty. Vic
tory crowned the American arms at
Yorktown, when the English Com
Chief, CORVALLIS. was
forced to surrender Englands sword
to the immortal George Washington.
Soon after that great victory was
drafted that noble document which has
challenged the admiration Of the world
the Constitution of the United States
the safeguard of our National Gov
ernment. But this was won by the
life blood of thousands of heroes, whose
memories we recall to-day
Peace and prosperity blessed our
land, with but slight Interruptions. till
1861. Then came that dreadful calam-
ity known to every student of history
even to every boy and girl-as the war
of secession. The country was divided;
one party fought for slavery, one for
union and liberty. The immortal Lin
coin was elected President in one sec
tion of the country, but another Presi-
dent was acknowledged in the other
sectiOn-Jefferson Davis. A dreadful
conflict ensued-father armed against
son. brother fighting against brother
but under Providence war resulted in
the maintenance of the Union and the
preservation of the Starry Flag. Among
the thousands of brave men who fought
many survived, but how many thou
sands fell on the field of strife. The
survivors we know as the noble Grand
Army of the Republic, and it is to COM
memorate the slain that this beautiful
Memorial Day has been set apart and
observed from ocean to ocean,
But now again our beloved country
is plunged into war-again in a holy
cause.-The cause OF Freedom We feel
sure of its issue. Our glorious country
never has known defeat, and ere many
moons shall have passed the Stars and
Stripes will be borne home in triumph
Some, perhaps many, must first have
died-what matterl Isn't it a grand
thing to die for the Faith? Next to
that what can be nobler than to shed
ones blood for country? Lacordaire,
the world drenoWned pulpit orator, has
said: THE first duty of a Catholic ma
ton is to serve its God; it's second to
draw the sword for the Fatherland"
In defense of the proudest flag that
floats in the breeze fell the brave men
whom we honor to-day Our country
calls upon her subjects to visit on one
day in each year the graves of the 81
lent dead, and loyal citizens of Amer
lea men and women, boys and girls,
march shoulder to shoulder with the
Grand Army of the Republic to the
graves of the fallen heroes. to place
flowers on their honored tombs. 1t is
but just and right and grateful. Never
should we let depart from our mem
ory those who died that we might be
free Noble sons of noble mothers. long