The National tribune., 1900-06-07
SERVICES AT ARLINGTON.
Posts of the Department of the Potomac and
Spanish War Veterans Honor Their Dead
Comrades

man S Rellef corps ana other loyal orders,
and accompanied by over 200 veterans of
| the Spanish American war, held impress
sive services at Arlington. The orator of
the day was Representative Brosius, of
Pennsylvania, who took for his subject
the lofty theme of Patriotism"
From the first word to the exquisite
| peroration with which he closed he held
the immense gathering riveted with eyes
and ears.
If there was any place within the
bounds of the Republic, he said, where the
| citizen could come to learn the lessons and
feel the inspiration of patriotism it is
| where the earth is hallowed by the dust
of heroes who on land and sea sealed their
devotion with their blood. On this day,
| dedicated to the commemoratiOn of their
services and sacrifices, it was suitable to
contemplate the beauty, the duty and the
glory of patriotism, and from the angel
of the hour strive to wrcst the blessing of
a higher conservation of mind, heart and
service for our country. As no other iec-
| Grafton, he continued. ever riyaled in
| splendor and no other title ever carried so
many rights, privileges and honors as that
noble one Il am an American citizen" SO
no other relation laid upon us such com
mandng duties or imposed such respon-
| sible obligations to our country.
| PATRIOTISM" he exclaimed, "means a
due sense of these obligations and duties
with q commensurate disposition to their
observance and performance. 1t is the
| highest civic virtue. All nations do hOm-
age to the sentiment of patriotism, but in
| America it is q distinguishing perfection.
| II touches every side of our life, conSe-
crates every hearthstone, inspires the edu-
cation of our children; is the theme of the
orator, the inspiration of the poet and the
study of the painter. Our cOuntry'S flag
symbolizes all that is worthy of admira-
tion and love in the institutions of the
| Nation.
"These may stand for the uncountcd
hosts of patriots, heroes and martyrs, sol
diers and sailors, bivouacked on the eter-
nal camping ground, who speak to us to-
| lay as only the dead can speak to the liv-
| ing, eXhOrting us to be true to country. to
upnold the land we love in her noble exer-
| lions TO move forward on her majestic
march to duty and destiny. Comrades Of
the Grand Army Of the Republic, surviv-
| ing soldiers and sailors of our civil war.
| you do not need this counsel. The world
| has witnessed the demonstration of you"
| 1atriotism. The bronze button you wear
| is the visible deEOtenent of yoIr service
in your country's cause No title of honor
| sheds greater luSter on it's wtarer and
| no decoration is prouder than the bronze
| badge of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie.
| But, my comrades, we are sensible that
we now have rivals for the love, honor
| and gratitude of the American people. We
| have mad another war, and other patriots
have rallied round the flag and borne ii
to victory and glory. But there will be no
controversy among us, for there will be
10 claim for precedence. It was NapCl-
| con who said that all soldiers who have
been baptized in the fire of battle
in their country's defense are of equal
| rank.
"Thc Spanish-America war, in the Or
Ter of Providence. did not come without
blessings on its wings" he continued. "lt
has restored in all sections the old union Of
hearts in common love and devotion to
country and flag. 1t has made US brethren
in the bonds of patriotism. The dark
| green waters Of the Ottawa river enter the
st. Lawrence and the two streams flow
side by side without mingling their waters
until they are dashed together over the
rapids below, a remnant of sectional bit
| 5erncss which survived the civil war had
Kept the North and South from mingine
in perfect sympathy and mutual affec-
ton; but having been dashed together over
| the rapids of the Spanish war,
all our nobler feelings and aspirations for
COUNTRY have mingled and a true unity of
faith and love has been re-established in
all Ann rican hearts. H'
! 'To every citizen in every State the flag
speaks n common language and appeals to
common sensbilities of national pride, ven
Grafton and honor, 1t means, as our Pres
idcnt has well said, the same thing in al
sections of the country, and we have more
love for our country and more people love
our flag than ever before. We realize as
never before the truth of Gen. Gordons
eloquent utterance to Il Northern audience
| " hen he claimed to voice the feelings of
all surviving Confederate soldiers: AS
stand here tonight said he, in your pres
ence and in the presence of the great God
who is the Judge of us all, | present to
you my honor and the honor of all surviy-
ing Confederate soldiers that we are ready
to join with you in waving aloft the Stars
and Stripes, and we join with you and all
who love that flag in saying that by Gods
help there shall never come to it one blot
or stain: that as long as the ages remain
that flag shall be the most proud and po.
tent emblem Of human freedom in all the
world
$40 this noble sentiment l am sure all
patriots will be willing to add that hence
forth our flag of freedom shall mean the
same wherever it floats, that when once
rightfully planted it shall never be dis
placed by an emblem of despotism, and
at all times and in every place it must
stand for liberty and opportunity, for just
humane and righteous Government"
Particularly effective and impressive
was the orators perOration.
when | contemplate" he said, the su
premacy of that lofty standard of patriot,
ism which will guide our footsteps in the
sure pathway to National duty and honor
4 vision of ineffable spendor bursts upon
my Imagination. / see this Republic III
the vanguard of the world standing dis
tinctly for humanity. liberty, justice and
progress, the essential principles of West
ern civilization; advancing in harmony
with that providcntial order by which all
races are at last to come under higher
social regime. l see the extension Of our
language, our literature, our laws, our in
IstitutionS and our commerce over the vast
spaces of the earth and the islands of the
sea. | see the greater America welding
with just and benevolent hand her great
supremacy, mistress of the sea, holding
the scepter of commercial and financial
empire. / see the realization Of the dream
of patriots and the aspirations of states
men that our country through its social,
political and commercial influence. should
become the means Of diffusing civilization
among the backward peoples in the
oceanic spaces to the west of us as well as
those on the shores of Asia. i see peo-
pie meeting their measureless responsible
ties. following the pointing of the finger
of duty and destiny with profound sense
of their obligation to those ethical princi-
pies which constitute that righteousness
which eXalts nations, never forgetting
| that man is more than nature; that wis
dom is more than glory; that virtue is
more than dominion of the sea, and that
justice is the supreme good.
Il see American valor cOmmemOrated
in n magnificent, monumental memorial
bridge connecting the Capital with beaut-
ful, consecrated Arlington, the Nations
Walhalla. see our, Capital City the in
telectual and educational as well as the