The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1902-06-06
The Afternoon Address.

The Afternoon Address.
Hon. II. G. Preston. of this city,
was selected by Ransom Post to de-
liver the address on Decoration Day
and his fine effort was listened to
by an immense crowd of people.
His address was very much appre-
ciated and it was delivered in Mr..
Preston's vigorous style. Following
is a portion of the address:
To a former commander-in-ch chief of
the Grand Army of the Republic is
due the honor Of putting into general
practice the decorating of soldiers
graves, and the setting apart Of this
national day for that express purpose.
On the 5th day Of May, 1868, at
the headquarters of the Grand Army
OF the Republic, in the city of Wash
ington, was issued very interesting
order, and more especially so to the
old soldiers of the nation. Here Mr..
Preston read the order issued by Cen
eral Logan for the observance of the
first Decoration Day.
On the lake front in the city Of
Chicago, many beautiful flowers from
many hands will today garland the
last resting place of General John
A. Logan. No man did more in the
defense of his country, and to main
tain those principles which gave it
life than he. In all that goes to
make up brilliant military and
civil career he has shown himself
to be the peer Of the best. His
fame in part is the records of the
battles Of Belmont, Donaldson,
Shiloh Vicksburg Lookout Noun
tain, Atlanta and with Sherman in
his famous march to the sea.
Veterans, you have lived to see
Logan, Grant, Sherman, Sheridan,
Thomas, your old leaders, reach the
very highest eminence in point Of
fame, and it did seem as if they could
go no higher, but in the order Of
things, Gods finger touched them,
and they stepped from the topmost
round Of the ladder Of fame to the
skies.
must pause to thank the members
of this post in extending me an in
vitation to address them and the
citizens today. I have high admira-
tion, and great gratitude for the SER
vices rendered by the old soldiers to
the great cause of freedom, and the
maintaining of our constitution in
handing it down unbroken to the
American people, and to all the world.
There is no organized body of men
that l could appreciate an invitation
to deliver an address as much as to tie
Grand Army of the Republic, and to
Ransom Post more especially, for here
/ have lived with you for almost a
quarter of century, during which
time I have learned to respect you
and your comrades, very many of
whom during that time have been
called to yonder camp Of the dead,
from whence you have this day paid
your respect to these old friends
and associates, by placing on their
graves the flowers Of remembrance.
The happening of great events has
been set apart by custom in COM
memoration of the lives of great men
and this habit is about as old as civ
llization itself. BY so doing it eXer.
cises an influence in shaping the in
stitutions of our country, and in de-
yeloping the true character Of man
kind. You may search history in
vain to find a public celebration
more appropriate, more grandly i'm
pressive, than the ceremonies of Dec
Grafton Day. Rejecting upon this
question, we are lead to consider,,the
events out Of which these cere-
monies have grown. AS we look
into the faces of the members OF the
various posts, they all appear to be
eloquent Of another time, less than
forty years ago, when the life of the
nation was in the balance. Our
thoughts are allowed to turn back as
we view the past so loyal with the
valor and glory of the deeds Of
the old soldiers, and the sincerity Of
their patriotic actions.
When Sumpter fell 1 was mere
lad, so I cannot recount to you the
incidents and personal experiences Of
the war Of the rebellion, but it would
be useless task in any event to un-
dertake' to tell these soldiers, these