Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-05-31
MORAL DAY.
Exercises Of Deeper Significance Than Usual
Address by Rev. J. r. Boardman.

The observance uf Memorial day. AL
though IN point az order much the
same AS IN previous years. seemed.
Yesterday, Ia take Oh. IL possible. a
deeper and more sacred significance.
Notwithstanding weather ~ early morn
ing soon gave place To the better con-
dilinn which the proper observance or
Decoration day justly invites. and the
veterans. as Well as am others. We're
thankful.
Thr procession formed i'm front M
city nan. at A. NJ. according tn thr
order previously published in thu
journal, ana took ~ ,ha usual Iiue WI
march before proceeding to the GENE
terry.
Al Of the organizations participating
ia the parade made a very creditabIr
appearance. but We know the Justice
Nc especial mention for the companies
"f the Boys Brigade Their first Ip-
rcarance in public was was a sur
pris" ana delight tn their friends The
active young mrn. spirited and alert To
the commands of their efficient officers.
preceded the battle scared veterans as
military escort ana assisted nohIy i'll
Tho duties of decorating the graves at
the cemetery.
The soldier dead were honored-with
AL sincerity ana sacred dignity.
The evening exercises at Wilson han
We've largely attended. John y. Hub
hard Post ana Company q. Boys Eri-
gade. attended and occupied front seats.
Company q was organized ny Rev j.
L. Boardman. the orator of the day,
less than a year ago.
In his Introduction Mr.. Boardman re-
ferred to the historic perspective neces-
sarv to the proper understanding Of the
political history Of any nation. We
must look at the system If national
government from the point Of View Of
what ii has been ana what it is. today:
then We are better able to prophecy
what ii shall be. The United States
has a rich political ancestry. Its type
Of government draws into itself all
previous types and adds its own unique
contribution. 1t accepts the Grecian
contribution Of the individual state.
the Roman idea Of federation by incOr-
poration ana the Teutonic idea Of fed
GRAFTON by representation. These it
harmOnzes into one system, strong
ly centralized government with indie
pendent self-governed states Mr.
BOardman next referred to these Amer
lean political ideas. unity. liberty. etc.
and traced the development Of the ma
tional consciousness from the founding
Of the colonies to the Spanish Ameri-
can war. He paid especial attention to
to the part of the Civil War in this de-
velopment Of the national idea. pre-
senting the view that the war not only
maintained the existing union but i'm
measureably enlarged the meaning Of
the term unity. He referred to the
part of the South in making possible a
test of the great constitutional provis-
ion that war could be declared by the
federal government alone and its CON
stitutiOn to the awakening of the ma
tional idea. The lesson Of the Spanish
American war was twofold. 1t demon
strated the actual condition between
the North and South as a condition of
far closer unity than was imagined.
1t also demonstrated the fact that
America need fear no foe who shall as
sail its sea coast or its frontier. The
enemy Of American development will
arise from within its own territorial
confines, and the principle which the
next conflict will be waged around
Will be like that of the Civil War,
moral principle.
Memorial day in the future will have
It's fullest meaning when the nation
shall bring with Its flowers and It's
oratory, the highest Of all offerings,