The times., 1898-05-31


Our flag TO vindicate.
There'n be fewer q our boys to fall
In the Of ninety eight
With each succeeding year of peace the
eolemnity of day set apart for honoring
our dead heroes has grown
Men pause for but a few brief hours
10 honor the memory OF those whose lives
purchased a united country.
The clashing Of military trappings, the
hurried passing Of troop trains, the gath
ering Of transports and the war bulletin
boards forbid men to forget that year
hence there may be new graves TO de-
mand our loving tributes-new disman-
tied homes 10 receive mems sympathy.
1t was such thoughts as these that gave
this day an air OF unusual enthusiasm,
mingled with sadness, and not since the
establishment Of Decoration Day has its
appearance given rise TO more genuine
sympathy with the cause that lost or more
loyal appreciation Of the cause that won.
The weather made itself strangely in
harmony with the conflicting emotions Of
the people Frowning clouds and happy
sunshine struggled for supremacy in the
heavens, and when the parade began TO
form between and 10 o'clock on Penn
syIvania Avenue near the Treasury it
was impossible TO say which would carry
the day. But the sun, temporarily. at
least, gained control and scattered the
rain clouds in various directions, while
he looked down upon the scene of color,
enthusiasm and sadness in undisguised ap-
provaL
The line Of parade formed on the north
side OF the Avenue.
How naturally the old veterans fell in
at Attention how easily they picked
up the old drill tactics and maneuvered
back.and forth across the Avenue, await
ing the command to move
1t was but a few minutes after the
scheduled time when the commanders
gave3a last squint along their lines, the
bands struck up lively march and the
parade moved. The line of march was
up Fifteenth Street TO Pennsylvania Ave
nue. along Pennsylvania Avenue TO Jack
son Place; up jackson Place TO II Street;
along II Street 10 Thirteenth Street;
down Thirteenth Street TO Pennsylvania
Avenue; thence 10 Thirteen-and-a-hal
Street
Services mt Arlington.
The memorial services at Arlington
Were entered into with a spirit Of feeling
Quickened by the grim visage Of war.
The services We're begun by sound
ing the assembly The Fourth Artillery
Band then rendered Jungmann's Dear
Natiyss Land" THE ArtilIerists' Oath
was sung by a male quartet Arthur
Hendricks, department commander then
called for order. The band rendered THE
Nayssde Chapel" and the Post Depart
ments.chaplain, Rev. Benjamin Swallow,
invoked divine blessing.
The Quartette then sang A. B. Winch's
Memorial Hymn
The Reading Of Orders followed. An
army hymn by the band preceded the ora
ton which was delivered by Hon. John
M. Thurston.
de spoke as follows:
How sleep the brave who sink TO rest
BY all their country : wishes best
BY fairy hands their knell is rung,
BY forms unseen their dirge is sung
blessed are the dead whose memory is
perpetuated by the flower service Of a
grateful people, and how truly immortal
are those who give their lives for liberty
ITO have lived long, purpOseless, neutral
years is nothing; 10 have lived few glo-
rious 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
tleep~5n the bosom Of the land they low
ed. Here where the ground once shook
beneath the tramp Of contendIng hosts
they are at rest
The sentinels no longer patrol the banks
OF the. Potomac. Grant and Lee both lived
to attest the goodness of a God who pre-
served the Union. And over the river on
the beauteous dome of the Nations Capt.
tol serenely uplifted toward the ethereal
blue-kissed by the sun Of day, wOGed by
the stars Of night-tranquilly floats the
unconquered flag Of the greatest nation
Of the earth
why mourn for those who slumber
here2 Their epitaphs are written in the
grandest history Of the ages Before
them will reverently pass the procession
of the centuries. And every headstone
roundabout even those without name
viii be given honorable place in the
mighty monument that is to commemorate
the ennobling and uplifting of the human
race
in what l0velier spot could we have laid
the nations dead? the foliage and the
flowers; the sunshine and the shade, the
perfume and the song. Is il not good to
be Of those who keep the eternal bivouac
here?
In this city Of surcease
There is only rest and peace
From the fatings and the wailings meath
the sun.
And the wings Of the swift years
Beat but lightly Ger the niers,
Making music for the sleepers, every one.
There IS only peace and rest,
But TO them IL seemeth best
For they lie at ease and know that hfe
is done
This is day of memories. A day when
we meet in the hallowed past and hold
communion with our holy dead A day
when We recall the glorious aspirations
which thrilled mems souls in that his
toric time when TO love ones country
was 10 lay down ones life. A day filled
with that same spirit Of freedom, patriot
ism and devotion which breathed into the
common dust of ordinary humanity the
sublime inspiration Of heroic deeds. A day
when We rekindle the fires of patriotism
on the altar Of our liberties and once
again renew the loyal vows that these
cur noble dead, In the years gone by con-
secrated with their hearts blood
third Of a century has passed since
our heroes fought. since our loved ones
fell A third Of a century in which the re-
united people Of a common country have
realized the inestimable blessings OF
peace, have shared together in the benefi-
cent fruits Of a progressive development
and prosperity which stands alone I'm the
annals Of all the world. From this van
tage ground Of the years, in this sacred
spot. on the borderland where internecins
conflict ragged, in this hour When the
hearts OF the people are thrilling and
throbbing as never before at the bugle
call Of the worlds humanity and the ma
tion's duty, we viii offend no American
when We nttingly honor our dead We
honor them not alone as brave men who
marched with steady step into the jaws
Of death, who unhesitatingly barred their
L