The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-10-16

shall say in which capacity you hav
wrought best for tho republic &? Eacl
year you como together with thinnet
ranks, but undiminishod spirit to feot
anow the undying flame upon tho alta
your ranks arc thinned, for the plac,
of each fallen comrade Is filed with {
| loving momory. And who can ever
forget tho faces which never had 6
chance to grow old-tho brave young
warriors who foil in battle and gained
the prize of immortal youth ? Fo1
thom thoro is no shadow of struggle or
poverty no trouble of gray hairs or
failing strength no care of tho pres
ont nor fear of the future. The un-
fading light of morning is forever in
their eyes tho blessing of a grateful
nation hallows thoir names. We salute
them with loving toars, from which
tho bitterness is gono. Wo hear their
young voices in tho clear notes of tho
bugle and tho murmur Of tho fluttcring
flags. Our answering hearts cry,
=" Hail and farewell, young comrades,
Till wo meet again |"
Our fathers ordained that in this
republic thoro should bo no distinc-
tions but human nature is stronger
than laws, and nothing can prevent
this people from showing honor to all
who havo deserved well of the coun-
try. Every man who has borne arms
with credit has earned and is surc to
receive special measure Of regard.
And it is our peculiar privilege to
n r, n, hot Il, Il
volunteer, havo always been worthy of
esteem. In distant generationc, under
dttfcront flags in conflicts great and
small, by land and by sea, they have
always borne their part nobly. The
n,cn who fought at !.0uisburg beneath |
the meteor ilng of England tho men
who stood with Washington Mt York |
town with Lincoln in tho Black Hawk |
war with Crockett at tho Alamo !;
with Taylor at Buenn Fista with |
Grant at Vickburg and with Leo at
AppomattOX wero Of tho stuff of which |
not only soldiers, but citizens, arc
made. And in our own time tho |
young men who stormcd tho hill of |
San Juan, and havo borne our flag
with such honor to the forbidden city |
of Pekin and tho junglos of Luzon,
have shown that then progcnitors brcd
truc. The men Of today arc as good
Americans as tho mon of yesterday,
and the men of tomorrow, with Gods |
blessing, will ho tho same. The domi- !
nant characteristic Of every American |
army that has ovor stepped to the tap
of drum has been valor and human
ity. They have-in tho long run
carried nothing but good to any land
they occupied AS our comradc Nc
Kinlcy--of blessed mcmory-snid : |
" Tho flag has never floatcd ovor any
region but in bencdction."
BY order of the President of tho
United States, these historic grounds
the property of tho nation, arc during
this encampmont dedicated to your
uso. They will receive from your
presence an added sacrodnoss and
valuo. In tho history of tho twentieth
century, which is opening with such
brilliant promise, not the least lumin-
Gus page will treat of this meeting of
the Grand Army Of the Republic
soldiers and citizens whom the republic
delights TO honor.
Secretary Moody said he had asked
Admiral Dewey how he had felt in
contemplating tho mines and torpcdocs
in Manila bay tho night before attack
ing the Spanish fleet in the harbor of
that city, and that tho admirul's reply
was he simply had asked himself what
Farragut would have done if con-
frontod with similar conditions. The
Secretary concluded that men inspired
by such traditions as these never could
turn thoir back on the flag.