The age-herald., 1899-05-31
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GENERAL WHEELER.
He Delivered the Memorial Day Grafton
 in Boston.

Boston, May 3O.-Ths section of the state was favored by excellent weather today, only a threatening sky in the early morn ing, and nearly every citizen observed the holiday in one form or another. The prin- cpal event in G. A. R. circles was the Memorial Day oration delivered at the Boston theater under the auspices of Ed ward Kinsley Post 113, by General Joe Wheeler. of Alabama.
 General Wheeler said in part:
 General Wheeler opened his speech with an eloquent tribute to the part played by Massachusetts in the history of the Ameri- can commonwealth, whose soldiers had played conspicuous parts in all it's wars and whose statesmen had ever been fam ous in the halls of congress. He alluded to the prophecy of General Horace Binney Dargent, who, thirty years ago, on Me morial Day in the city of Boston, predicted the day would come when this anniversary would be celebrated "after some day of glory when the sons of rebels and our sons shall have fallen side by side in some com mon cause of foreign war, as our sires and their sreS fell side by side under the eye of the great rebel, the Virginian, Washing ton."
 Already" said General Wheeler, "the words of this prophecy have been fulfilled, for the warriors who fell side by side at La Guisamas, San Juan and El Clancy, men from the north and south, among them some of your brave boys from the Second Massachusetts, were buried together in the great national cemetery at Arlington, while brave federal officer who took part in the great struggle of our civil war and now the chief executive of the nation, by his presence conferred honor upon their fu- neral obSeQueS."
 Continuing, General Wheeler said: '"rhe enjoyment of peace is a blessed boon to humanity, but the history of the world from the earliest period teaches that the only security for peace is to be always pre- pared and ready to engage in war. That nation whose people are ready to respond to call to arms with men and resources for any emergency is the one tho most certainly be ahle ###.. -aH ton and horrors O. .-H I.# dominant spirit whit. is one of honor, chi H4. ism so long will .a5#. ..aHH. achieve power and
 true nobility taught
 has made our coun
 of the world"
 Declaring that it was the duty of every American to uphold the president and his cabinet when it has become thoroughly committed to a defined policy, General Wheeler said:
 Patriotic devotion can be exercised by volunteering to serve in the field but it may also be most proftably exerted in en- couraging confidence among our people at home. Certainly no good and only evil can come from words and acts which tell rival nations that even a portion of our people, however few are not in full sympathy with our government; or, what is worse, that any Americans actually do sympathize with our country's enemies. Such a course can not fail to weaken confidence and embar -raSs the executive power. Those who ln- sst that the power of the United States is so great that 1t must always triumph will admit that difficulties or obstacles cre- ated by some of our own people will have the effect of retarding at least in some degree the prompt and happy restora ton to perfect and lasting peace.
 q am one of those who firmly believe that whatever is, is right, and I cannot doubt but when conditions are thrust upon a country by course of events following a well judged and righteous action on the part of the people and the government, the consequences could not be other than beneficial not only to the people of our own country but to the world at large.
 There is one sentiment which should be impressed on every mind and nstiiled into every heart:
 My country, may she always be right; but, right or wrong, my country.