The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-06-07

Viying veteran, with tottering step and |
tremulous voice, to still wear the !
bronze button of honor and to talk of
the dim and misty past when million
of his brothers were in arms in the
blood-stained fields of the southland
There can be no other Grand
Army of the Republic. There
can be no substitution that
would not SAVIOR of false pretense;
and I am glad today that in the coun-
ellis of that Army it has beendeter-
mined not to attempt to perpetuate it
beyond the present organization. The
name will never fade from memory,
but will live on and on as symbol
of valor and sacrifice in themost appall-
ing crisis Of our country's history
When the last roll call has been sound
ed and every boy in blue has answered
"here" for the last time on earth, still
will the custom of decoration day re-
5 main, lacking, it is true, somewhat in
solemnity, but precious still in its OBJ
servance.
At this time, and in this connection,
cannot forbear at least a passing ref
erence to the boys in gray-our broth
ers of the south-for though we were
absolutely sure during and even long
after the war, that they were wrong,
and do not now yield the point and
never will yet we must not forget now,
strange as it may seem, that they read
from the same bible, and prayed to
the same God that you did, and sought
hi 81 no
i and that life, and home, and loved
ones were just as dear to them as were
yours to you; and, further, that it was
their cities that were destroyed and
their fields laid waste as the tide of
war turned to the south. They have
long since paid the penalty of their
error. Every drop of blood that was
drawn with the lash was fully atoned
with another drawn with the sword.
Let us be satisfied now to leave those
issues where the close of the war left
them, and judge not now that we be
not judged; remembering that: "Ven-
geance is mine, l will repay saith the
Lord
When the conquered men of the
south yielded UP their swords in de-
feat. and folded away their tattered
flags, and, returning sullenly to their
homes, saw the havoc and desolation
that war had brought upon them, it is
not strange that they were still bitter
in heart and unyielding in spirit. The
human heart the world over is stub
born thing. But Time with his scytne
is great leveler. Out of the ashes
of their dead hopes, they rose phenlS
like with a new vision. AS the years
went by, they began to see and real
ize that their brothers from the north
in taking up arms against them, were
moved more in SORROW than in anger;
and midst the thunder bolts OF wal
were striving before their blinded eyes
for their own ultimate good as well
Following the fever's pestilence anG
the holocaust of flame, and the devas
tation by storm and flood in the sue
ceeding years, they saw the same hand
that proved so mighty in battle, minis
tering in distress, with the gentlenes:
and tenderness of woman. The OF
and wine of love were poured int
their now fast healing wounds. The.
understood as never before. a new
Interpretation came to them of tn,
words of the Master: Greater low,
hath no man than this, that he la.
down his life for his friend" Neithe
hate, nor passion, nor prejudice coult
long stand against tears and flowers
and prayers. AS the years have flow
and the hearts of the surviving vetel
ans of the south have mellowed wit
advancing age, and a new generation
has come to take the place of the ole
the bitter animosities engendered b
the war, the sectional intolerance o
birth and education and place than
God, have largely disappeared. Nov
while the Grand Army OF the Republi
is still living distinctive, vital organ
cation, how appropriate, and how bea,
tifully suggestive of the realization c
that more perfect union for which the
struggled so fiercely, is the custom
now growing more general with eac
recurring anniversary of the day, fC
blue and gray alike to unite in deco
ating with flowers the graves of TIL
dead OF both armies.
''Under the sod and the dew
Waiting the judgment day;
Love and tears for the Blue
Tears and love for the Gray
A war in any country is a dreadfl
thing. A war between two section
of the same country is terrible in IL
extreme. Deplorable as war is, no,
ever, under any circumstances, thel
is one thing worse, and that is nations
cowardice There never yet has bee
war that the nations contending ha,
not emerged on a higher plane and CT
iliZation has advanced accordingl
Prior to the war of the rebellion v
We're practically two different Peep
held together only in name, having tt
same general government-the OF
filled with hate and prejudice and d
termined on a separation, the 9th
resolute and determined to know not
ing save the unity of the nation al
it's preservation. 1t was either w
or two distinct governments. II
heal III 1,,irN Il -