The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-05-29

Memorial day, began DIR. Sooy. was
what the name implIes-a day OF COM
memoration. To the speaker. the day
was always one of sacred memories. yet
1t means other things. 1t led the mind
back to the scenes and events of other
days, to the time when certain issues
were at stake. Fancy could easily pic
ture the imperial south with Its slaves.
and to q time when, under the infu-
ences OF trade from southern points.
aholitionists were mistreated. In New
Jersey, the speakers native state. there
had been eliminated from the Protest.
ant Episcopal prayer books n picture
OF the Savior and fettered figure re-
ceiving the blessings OF freedom. This
was done owing TO southern or pro-slave
sentiment, and was repeated in similar
instances by other churches.
DR.. Sooy described at length the
events leading up to the great civil con-
tlict, which. while fresh In the men,
cries OF the veterans before him. were
past. The war was over and truly over.
With Henry Wattersop eulogizing
Abraham Lincoln from thu pulpit from
which Henry Ward Beecher had thun-
dered against slavery: with John OAR
gan, great southern editor. paying ell
oquent tribute to William Lloyd Gar
rison Mt Charleston. S. c., ''the cradle
of secession with such Orations and
Language rs the speakers used. DR.. Sooy
could say the nation was unit. No
cause was so dlscernlhle In bringing the
north and south together ms never be-
fore rs Memorial Day, and the beauti-
full custom Of the veterans decorating
the graves OF their foemen, and with the
country so united and In accord. loving
and fighting for the same flag, the boys
in blue would not be forgotten.
Unparalleled Hcroism.
Military heroism reached It's climax in
the civil war; confined DR.. Sooy. not cx-
ceptlng the late war with Spain. He
quoted statistics showing the great list
Of the wounded and killed In the more
important engagements. Ten minutes
time at Gettysburg was equal to ten
hours time in any of the bIoodiest bat
ties on European soil. There Is no ma
ton on the earth out Of which car be
turned such soldiers as this blessed land
where every man Is n sovereign. In
ten minutes 4 sovereign citizen could be
turned Into Il sovereign soldier. a tel
egram from Washington would sound
the tattoos almost Immediately In every
town and hamlet In the union. Anarchy
did not curse the United States rs in
the countries over the sea. Americans
shouldercd q musket from patriotic mo-
tircs. And the stuff that made the
members Of the Grand Army OF the Re-
public was shown In their SONS and
Srandsons In the Spanish war.
Tho Private Soldier,
DR.. Sooy paid eloquent tributes to the
rank and file. He would lay wreath
OF immorteles on the brow OF every pri-
Vate soldier The tide OF war was not
carried by only the grent commanders.
But, said DR.. Sooy. he would not con-
fine his remarks to heroIsm: he would
speak Of patriotism. and he dwelt clo-
quentiy on the inspiration every patriot
felt at the sight OF "Old Glory" or ut
the sound OF rally Round the Flag"
the "Star-Spangled Banner" or other
OF the national airs.
Incidentally, he related several incl
dents Of the civil and Spanish wars in
which the men had been so stirred. DR..
Sooy said he honored Admiral Dewey
for no one thing more than his crit md
determination In making the two Aus
trlhh men OF war salute the Stars ana
Stripes. He also revercd Memorial Day.
because It appealed to patriotism. and
In dwelling on the decorating with
sweet flowers the graves OF the departed
heroes OF the civil and Spanish wars.
DR.. Sooys language was beautiful and
touching.
Quoting Sir Philip Sidney to the Of:
feet that Il was hard to point out 4
war that was n good war, DR.. Sooy
turned TO the recent acquisitions or
countries temporarily held by the
United States. and he intImated quite
plainly TINT this country should not be
In hurry letting go OF Cuba until the
fact was established that the island
wouldn't DRIFT back into non-progrcss
control. He looked upon the Anglo
Saxon race as the savior of the peoples
mlsruled by Latin races.