The Topeka state journal., 1903-05-30
COL. SNOD0Y'S SPEECH.
Old 'sJayhaWkero Makes Mem
orial Day Address in Indiana.

served during the civil War with the
Seventh Kansas cavalry (The Jayhawk-
ers) was the orator OF the day at the
Decoration Day services here today. un-
der the auspices of John c. Fremont
Fost NO. 4 c. A. r. His address wos
very interesting one and was listened to
by several thousand people.
Colonel Snoddy said.
lit IS a pleasure to me to be here;
and I entertain the BELIEF that it II good
for us all that we have met on this ma
ti0nal sabbath. The exercises and the
ceremonies of this occasion are tun Ct
goodness to all Of the people. This is
day for loyal thought and patriotic
emotion and pathetic gratitude.
Coming, as / 90, from the plans of
Kansas. which lie under and next to the
bring from there a message of F'rater-
nifty. an exhortation to Charity and
lesson of Loyalty Kansas, the child of
Lincoln and the beneficiary of the Ia
bOrs of Henry S. Lane and Oliver T.
Morton and their patriotic compeers,
sent more soldiers into the army for the
Union In proportion to her population
than did any other state; and not one to
the Confederate army. make mention
OF this not in any OEerWeenlng pride5
nor with any thought or intention of
detracting from the well earned patriot
lc merit of Indiana. but simply to con-
vey to you just impression of the
superlatiVe sense Of loyalty which then
which today burdens her zephyrs.
am with you TO assist, what little
can, in the discharge of sacred, patri-
ofic duty. and am admonished bv that
which has already passed in my sight.
here, today, that you need no extrane-
Gus influence nor foreign exhortation to
lead you to a faithful discharge of that
duty.
Evidently you remember that from
1851 to 1865 the soldiers Of the army for
the Union touched elbows from the At
1antic to the eastern base of the Rocky
mountains. and with the uuicksteD of
patriotism and the firm footballs of
courage, marched in the harvest of
death at Gettysburg. journeyed through
the pail Of treason in the Wilderness;
endured untold miseries in the trenches
of Vicksburg; fought above the clouds
at Lookout mountain; sang the songs
of Liberty and Union from Atlanta to
the sea; and strobe over the burning
mari Of hundreds of southern battle
fields; and drove rebellion from the
land; but not until 10 900 of the brave
boys in blue had fallen, dead and fatal
ly wounded in those gi1tedged hells Of
treason, and 100000 more Of them had
died Of sickness and other causes incl
dent to army life.
But out Of that carnage peace has
come and with it all of the blessings
purchased by the enormous sacrifice. 1t
is one Of the mysteries of Providence
why humanity, in its aspirations and
progress, must pass through such or
zeal ana 6uIEEIllR. But EuCn seems 10
be the edict of that Omnipotence, to
which we reverently bow.
A sOOd-hearted woman of your ad-
joining state inaugurated the beautiful
ceremony Of this day. And what per-
son but woman. whose soul was a
food of patriotism and whose heart was
g. fountain of gratitude. could have
thought Of such a beautiful and ap-
proDriate memorial to valor and cour-
age and devotion, and which, with its
beauty and sanctity, should steal silent
ly down the centuries and court their
admiration and command their deVo-
ton
The pageant presented today in the
loyal states of the union is a remark
able exhibition of grateful patriotism
on the shores where the angry surges
Of the Atlantic break with their cease
less roar; beside all of the linpid
streams which drain either side of the
Allegnenless along the shores OF the
Great Lakes whose placid blue vies
with the hues of heaven: in all this
broad valley through which the Father
OF Waters seaward rolls his tide on the
eastern and western slopes of the
ROCKY mountains; and in the camps
hlgh up on the great continental di
vide and down on the shores where the
Fippies of the mild Pacific break in
murmurs on its sands of gold: in all
marts Of comm cree: and in the inIanN
cities; and in the towns and hamlets.
ana IN the country churchyards: and in
the lonely cemeteries; and in all tb,
nelehborhoods of this vast ernDire are
satnered together, as we are here. loyal
Aearts and grateful souls, whose hands
VIII lay beautiful flowers. as the svrnbo4
OF their affections. upon our herues'
graves God cannot help but smile upon
sueh an exhibition Of patriotic graft
But in our reflections. here. a sense
OF sadness comes unbidden to US. Ever
and on this day in particular. we must
remember that MANY of orr sol5iers
were buried in hel RcTd
they 1elL Many others who died of
wounds or sickness are buried in nm
known and unmarked graves. MANY
otners, who were the victims Of the
cEuelty OF prison pens, which was more
atroctous because more refined than the
paroarism Of savages, are buried in
unknown trenches. These graves are in
the Southland. upon which it is its
peoples boast that Gods sunshine
falls with more blessed goodness than
elsewhere No obelisk nor broken
column nor even a. rude stone. marks
the resting place of these heroes. This
day viii come and go this year. and
IN all the years to come, and no flowers
viii be strewn by loving handsupon the
nallowed ground in which they rest, for
the places where they sleep are un-
known, or if not unknown, are conceal
ed by reasonable nalevolence The
soil of every state which joined the con-
lederacy is hallowed by the ashes Of
some Of our soldiers.
''There they repose;
While the seasons come to deck their
graves with flowers,
And gather them again when winter
frowns.
Theirs is no vulgar sepulcher Green
sods are all their monuments.
"And they tell a nobler tale than pill
Jared piles or the eternal pyra-
mids."
May their ashes rest in peace in the
Sand their blood and lives redeemed
from treason
we who are met here today to render
this beautiful tribute to the memories
of our soldiers who fell in battle or
ard laid them down to rest forever are
fortunate in being among some of their
known tombs-for we know that