The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-06-05


Belfast Company, L. r., X. OF Pr. j.
Stephenson, captain
\. +. Clark Camp, :. of We. +. Pillsbury,
captain.
| Thomas II. Marshall Post, G. A R,-M c.
Dlworth acting commander.
Officers of Post and clergy in carriages
Disabled veterans in carriage
Thomas II. Marshall Relief Corps and A.
f. Clark L, A S, in buck boards
| City Government in carriages
1oung ladies in carriages
Citizens in carriages
| The route of the procession was down
Market street to High; down High to iunc
ton of Church; up Church to Grove up
Grove to Congress over Congress to Main ::
up Main to Grove Cemetery, where a square
was formed around the Grand Army lot.
The flag on the e. A. r. lot was at half
mast and a handsome evergreen mound
with bright blossoms prettily arranged was
erected ITO the Unknown Dead" The
grave Of every veteran in the cemetery was
decorated with small flag
| The regular Memorial service of the
! Grand Army was read by the officers of the
| Post, interspersed with music by the Mon
roe Band
| After the services the procession returned
directly down Main street to the place of
starting and disbanded
Belfast Opera House was filled to its full
| capacity in the evening. The only decora-
ton consisted OF two large flags draped over
the stage. The officers of the Post, orator
and officiating clergyman, occupied seats on
the stage, and the Monroe Band, reinforced
by eight Belfast musicians, We're seated in
the front of the hall Following is the
order of exercises
"IIail, Columbia, Monroe Band
Cover them over with howers," Quartette
John Parker. {. +. White, Miss Helen T.
llIlWorth, Miss Ada cunningham; with
Miss Florence Clough as accompanist.
Adiutanf NJ. c. Dilworth
Address of Welcome.
Commander \. Z. Clark
Prayer, Chaplain \. o. St1ddard
| Solo, The Lost Chord, +. @. Ihorndike
Miss Mary +. Faunce, accompanist.
Flag exercise, drill and singing by classes
OF young masters and misses under the
direction of Miss Lillian Spnnel.
solo, "Tenderl! think of the dead
Miss Helen f. Dilworth
Address, Frank p, Wilson
carer, MY God to 1Aee, ,luartette
"Amerlca, Monroe Band
| heheulctloh' heN- u. +. Edgett
The II emorial address by Mr.. Frank P.
W Nllson of Belfast was patriotic and logi-
| ical discourse, and was delivered in a man
ner that convinced the hearers that the
speaker possesses qualities most essential
III his chosen calling of the law, a logical
mind and eloquent tongue. Following is a
summary of the address
On the night of another Memorial Day
we meet to commerate IN words and actions
the heroic deeds of those who, at their
countrys call, went forth to work out the
nations veal upon the field of battle In
lew short years all OF us here tonight, and
our chlldrens children, viii have passed
away, but this day and its memories will be
| cherished till time Shall have swept into
oblivion the record of the American nation
and the story of the Union soldier This
day, one of the greatest in the calendar of
national events, is dear to the hearts of the
people. Over the grave of every soldier
waves the flag of his country, and CRATE
full nation remembers only his virtues. his
love for his country. AS We stand at his
grave we hear the voice of the future
"He is gone but not forgotten. His mem
ory can never die
Mr.. Wilson then feeingly referred to the
speech of Lincoln at Gettysburg, portion
OF which is read at each Memorial service.
| characterlZng 1t as masterpiece and model
of American eoquence. That was the be-
ginning of Decoration Day, which has since
been set apart as a day on which a grateful
nation pays tribute to her citizen soldiers
who died that the Union should be preserv-
| ed inviolate
Another object of the service of this day
| is to inStill into the minds of youth that
love of liberty and freedom which actuated
the Pilgrim Fathers, and which caused their
sons to resist the tyrant'S demands. This
love of liberty led your comrades and your
selves to follow the path of duty in 6l.
This 1t was that swept the Spaniard from
the Western Hemisphere in '9S.
1he simple act OF placing flowers upon
the graves of your comrades speaks more
eloquently than the pen of the inspired
writer or the voice of the ablest orator
Those from foreign lands who seek home
tins day, an incentive to good citizenship,
and learn with what reverence this nation
| looks upon her soldier dead.
| The speaker then reviewed the events
preceding the war, and spoke of the work
of Phillips, Garrison. Sumner and others.
| The people of the South did not look upon
/ slavery as did those of the North They
knew it as their Inheritance, which they
would defend with their lives. Neither
side thought the war would be long The
North did not realize how deeply the
poison of slavery had permeated the South,
nor the intense loyalty the Southern people
would manifest to their cause. Neither
side weighed the fact that they were near
of kin and that family struggles are often
times the bltterest; that each was equally
loyal to his cause. equally brave, the differ
ence only in that the ancestors of one land
ed in Massachusetts, and of the other in
Virginia. For ten years the Southern
threats, of secession had been empty blus-'
ter, The North did not believe the leaders
could precipitate the cotton States into re-
bellion. The firing on Sumter cleared the
political situation as by magic. The seced-
ing States stood behind the guns. 1t was
then that President Lincoln issued his call
for 5000 volunteers and 100000 responded
AS this youthful army left home each said
to his wife, his mother or his sweetheart,
I'VE will be back before summer" Many
of the best informed men of the nation be
lieved that the rebellion would end when
this army reached Washington. But alas,
h, W they were mistaken. Many home
around whose hearthstone sits no father,
many white-haired mother still mourning
for her only son, many lonely life tells
the sad story that the YOUTH never came