Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-05-31

"a tQN ILL 4 u
1iLd t6eir frleu1IG md tS6 xetc
which followed Nere of "A lnterestlng
and Impressive nature
The general ceremonies were con-
Quoted by Richard Robertson, past de-
partment commander OF the State. Mr..
Charles T. Reed faultlessly rendered q
beautiful vocal solo, entitled, Memoir
ial Day. after which Mr.. Robertson
made the opening address.
He made a few pleasing remarks,
speaking of the observance of Decora-
ton Day this year being much better
than in former years, and maintaining
that it augured we'll for the future of
the G. A. r. Mr.. Robertson, in con-
Guiding, introduced Mr.. w. O. McClus-
key, who made a very thoughtful
memorial address which deeply I'M
pressed his hearers.
MR.. M'CLUSKEY'S REMARKS.
Past Commanders Soldiers of the G.
A. R.-Wives and Friends:-When your
committee called upon me few days
ago, and honored me with an invitation TO
take part in the. solemn exercises OF tnis
sacred day. without a moments heSita-
ton l declined. / declined not from any
unwillingness on my part to pay tribute
to the memory Of the sleeping heroes that
For the loyalty and devotion to the mem
Dry of the soldiers, who, answering the
can of the immortal Lincoln, gave their
lives that the God-g.vcn principle of hui
man rights and human liberties might
dweT with us forever.
ss'Humble though / be. / yield the palm
to no citizen in all this broad land OF ours.
II said to your Past Commander that
1t would be presumptious in one having
no official connection with the govern
ment, bearing no title, either civil or
m a i'1a,1f IF
imposed titles are to-day-haying neither
the education nor profession that would
naturally fit him for the performance OF
a duty that the very highest in the land
have esteemed a privilege. and that It
seemed to me more appropriate II one
who had he.ped to bear the burden OF
by his CID comrades. We're assigned 70
this sacred duty. He replied that many
of these who were available had engaged
in these services before, others whom
they had expected to get were assigned TO
other places, and he did not deem It
improperly to ask one who occupied no
this great country. Especially so as the
great mass of this mighty army, the
men behind the guns, were from the
humber walks of life: your Past Conn
cepted.
I.While no one would more willingly
have undertaken this duty; none couId
lessness. and if ever in my life | had
desire to rise above my station in life it
is at this solemn moment. Standing as
am in this
SACRED CAMPING GROUND
of the dead among these lowly mounds Of
EARTH that you have tendersy and rev.
erently covered with the tokens OF your
love and affection, long for the gift OF
oraltory, | long for a power to command
wealth of words in which to pay hitting
tribute to the memory of those who
cemented with their life blood and made
o11bfr Nf he hnCf ~
ment the world has ever known.
LAS l look into the faces of these aged
and battle SCARED veterans, many OF
them familiar to me, from my Childhood,
n fancy l am carried back TO my boy
hod days, and, as a flood of memory
comes rushing Ger me, | recall the dark
65. Well do l remember with what won
der ana admiration | looked upon the
sturdy young men of my ne-gnborhood,
who answering the cal for volunteers
flag. How grand they looked in Their
suits of army blue. Every man a hero
Wen do remember the dilemma OF my
young mind, when | witnessed the part
ing of mother and son. | could not recon-
ellie the. JOY and glory of the solder with
the sadness of the mother. Why these
tears? Why these heart-Droken Sobs |.
Why press him to her heart again and
again? Why cling to him with love and
tenderness, and ask Gods blessing 10
rest upon him? And then when the last
kiss had been given, and the last good
bye spoken why return TO the home that
had been robbed of its brightness and
sunshine, there to spend the nights and
days in waiting and watching and pray
-ng? / could not understand these con-
hicting emotions but a little later, as my
young mind developed, | began TO under
stand what war meant, not alone TO the
perosc wives and mothers at home, but
20 the nation. When a newsooy upon our
streets l heralded the tid.ngs from the
front, | recall the early battles of the
war. when gloom and darkness covered
the North, Is victory seemed to perch
upon the banners of the South, ard we
foeman worthy of our steel had been
found; and when the wounded and dying,
aye. and the dead came back to US.
and | listened to the mufded drum, and
looked with awe ind reverence upon the
funeral of the gallant Col. ThoDurn who,
with thousands of Others had been siain
in battle, | began to realize what was
meant by the horrors of war. And since
manhood has come to me, and history
and the survivors tell OF the hundreds Of
thousands that were slain, and the hard
ships and privations they endured with
heroism and bravery, not alone the blue.
but the gray as We'll a bravery and
heroism that called out the admiration of
the world, the mighty questions they set
grim
ARBITRAMENT OF WAR.
feel that while time shall endure, this
nation should never be found wanting In
respect and loce, for the memory of the
dead: and with profound gratitude make
the last days of the surviving remnant of
this army of glorious achievements who
in the midst of increasing infirmities Of
ageare stiA contending with the difficult
| ties and hardsh.ps of life. days of pleas
antness and their pathways paths of
| peace
1T is not my purpose or intention To-
| day to revive the bitter memories ana
| recollections Of the war for the Union.