Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-31
wArTERsoN's TRIBUTE TO BLUE
All Men and All Sections Rejoice mt
Their Triumph.

Thetr Triumph. ..
LOUISVILLE, KY. May 30.-Unon sol
diers who sleep in the cemeteries Of Louis
vile and New Albany, Ind. were remem.
bered with flowers today. The exercises
while simple, were impressive. The da,
was generally observed as a holiday, bust.
ness houses and schools being closed. The
procession formed at the entrance to Cav,
Hill cemetery and proceeded to the hillside
where sleep 1000 soldiers who wore tn,
blue AT the graves a beautiful musica
service was rendered. The orator OF the da,
was Hon. Henry Watterson.
Mr. Watterson spoke in substance a.
| follows:
The duty which draws us together, and
the day-although appointed by law-come
| to us laden by deeper meaning than they
have ever borne before and the place which
witnesses our coming invests the occasion
with increased solemnty and significance
Within the precincts of this dread but beau.
tiful city-consecrate in all our hearts and
all our homes-for here lie our loved ones
two plots OF ground, with but a hilrock be-
tween, have been set aside to mark the rest
ing place OF the dead of two armies that in
life were called hostile, the army Of the
union, the army of the confederacy. We
come to decorate the graves of those who
died fighting for the union. Presently others
shall come to decorate the graves OF those
who died fighting for the confederacy. Yet
If these flower covered mounds could open
and the brave men who inhabit them could
rise, not as disembodied spirits, but in the
sentent flesh and blood which they wore
when they went hence, they would rejoice
as we do that the hopes of both have been
at last fulfilled, and that the confederacy
swallowed up by the union, lives again in
American manhood and brotherhood, such as
were contemplated by the makers OF the
republic.
1t is required Of no man-whichever flag
| he served under-that he make any renunci-
alton shameful to himself. Nor is it the
part Of wisdom to regret tale that is told
The issues that evoked the strife of sections
are dead issues. The conflict, which was
thought to be irreconcilabe and was cer-
tainly inevitable, ended more than thirty
years ago. 1t was fought to its bloody con-
clusion by fearless and honest men. TIC
some the result was Iogical-to others 1t was
disappointing-to all it. was final. AS nc
man disputes it, ret no man deplore 1t. Let
| us rather believe that it was needful to
make us nation. Let us rather look upon
| 1t as into a mirror. seeing not the ,desoiation
| OF the past, but the radiance of the future
| and in the heroes of the new north and the
new south who contested in generous rivalry
up the fre-swept steep of Ell Caney. and
| side by side -emblazoned the national
character in the waters about Corregidor
island and under the walls of Cavite, let
| us behold hostages for the old north and
| the old south blent together in union that
knows neither point of the compass and has
| flung its geography into the sea. 80. 100
Great as were the issue we have put
| behind US forever, yet greater issues Still
| rise dimly upon the view.
Who shall fathom them? Who shall fore
cast them? / seek not to lift the veil on
what may lie beyond. 1t is enough for me
| to know that have country and that my
country leads the world. l have lived to
| look upon its dismembered fragments whole
| again; to see 1t, like the tabled bird of Won
drous plumage upon the Arabian desert
| slowly shape itself above the flames and
| ashes of a confagration that threatened to
| devour 1t; have watched it gradually un-
| fold its magnificent prop ortions through
alternating tracks OF light and shade; ! have
stood in awe struck wonder and fear lest
the glorious fabric should fade into darkness
and prove but the insubstantial pageant OF
a vision; when, 10, out of the misty depths
of the far-away Pacific came the booming
of Deweys guns. quickly followed by the
answering guns of Sampson and Shafter and
Schley, and l said: at is not a dream. 1t
is Gods promise redeemed. With the night
of sectional confusion that is gone, civil
strife has passed from the scene, and In the
| light of the perfect day that is come, the
nation finds, as the first fruit of it's new birth
of freedom, another birth of greatness and
| power and renown.
| At the close of his address the children
strewed blossoms over the graves and
taps were sounded.