The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1903-06-11

Meht upon what your own eyes sow a..u
your own hands did, but it very ptoPei-
y lies with this generation to ieS you
Know the estimate we place upUn y0 ea
efforts. This is my Justification TOT
talking to you today.
There is something wonderfully sa-
cred in the care of grave. me I'M -
mortal has departed, we know not now
or where, but how comforting II Is 70
vlslt the very spot where the mortal
!ay., NO one should be deprlve9 Inls
I TENDER duty, and those most aHecCeu
should be chiefly charged with II. IL
is, therefore, your right to decorate the
graves OF your fallen comrades, ana as
long as the days of the Grand Army OF
the Republic last, that special duty
shall be yours.
''There are bands of all sort in this world
of ours,
Fetters of friendship and ties Of flowers;
Old friend, we've drank from the same can
teen.'
We hear nowadays, occasional REFER
ence to the national government caring
for the graves of fallen Confederate
soldiers. No one can question the rec
tltude OF motive that inspires Tins
movement, but believe this honor be-
longs to the south. The tender re-
sponsibility cannot be divided.
1t is not the dead we honor to-day ey
flags and flowers and plaudits. BY CIV
ing we receive, by seeking to honor we
honor ourselves. The grief of personal
loss has well nigh spent ITSELF. The
last tear of the last mourner VIII soon
be dropped and dried. The burden OF
individual bereavement lightens, but
the debt of national gratitude grows
weightier with every passing year. II
to-day can say something to the Veter-
ans here gathered that will give them
an appreciate idea of the estimate a
younger generation places upon their
services l will have accomplished all L
hope to do. The fame of fallen union
soldier is secure The measure OF his
honor is full. No one can dishonor him.
How useless to beat our helpless arms
against the iron bars of fate! we are
all under sentence of death from which
there is no appeal A bunch OF vlolets
and kind word for the living is better
than all the garlands of Eden tor the
dead. This Nation should let you know
while you live what we think OF you,
rather than rely upon beautiful cpl
taphS for your monuments. SNORT Will
be the time before the last survivor OF
the Civil War must die. Within your
memory, revolutionary soldiers were
living who could tell their experiences.
The last one died in 1869. at Freedom
n. y, aged 100. Only one survivor OF
the War of 1912 remains, aged 1913; and
while the Grand Army of the Republic
to-day, with it's 6,41G Posts, numbers
263, AS comrades, we must not forget
that last year 5000 Joined their COM
rades in eternal sleep. The number OF
deaths annually must rapidly increase,
until within the life of some here to-
day. not one survivor of the boys OF
81 GA will be left. Memorial Day will
then be in new hands, and unborn
tongues will recount your deeds.
Soldiers of the Union Army, this is
the dispassionate estimate that
younger generation places upon your
service at an hour when the land was
black from treason. You saved the
flag from dishonor. You established
the indestructibility of the States, the
indissolubility of the Union, the per-
petuity of the nation. Upon the altar
of patriotism more lives were sacrificed
by the Union Army than the combined
powers of Europe have lost since Wat
erloo. more lives than England. vaunted
mistress of the seas, has lost in 800
years.
To my mind the grandest exhibition
of true Americanism occurred when
million soldiers, bearing honorable dis
charges, turned their steps homeWard
to begin civil life anew. Wise men
viewed with apprehension the dissolu-
ton of the Union Army. They seem to
have forgotten that our soldiers fight
for principle, not profit, that home is
dearer than tent. Other wars have
been for ambition, for revenge, for dy-
nasties and for thrones. This one was
for the preservation of the Union and
the honor of the flag. The public can lit
tie know the disadvantage under which
you labored in practically beginning
life again. When you left home in the
exciting days of 81, your ears were full
of praises and promises. Doors that
swung out when you left were closed on
your return. New faces were at the
window, new hands were on the farm,
new men were in the mill. And be it
said to the burning disgrace of many,
that promises made you as you shoul-
dered the musket were never kept.
The American is brave, he IS persls-
tent, but he is just, and without con-
uOUlllS Glc lcCOlu VI JUL DioohSio AZ
the south, many Of whom acted in as
good faith as we did, let us commend
them for the new south built on the
old. Theirs was hard task, and sad
one, as they turned homeward from
Appomattox, crushed and Inundated
by defeat, only to find their houses and
barns destroyed, their slaves free, their
farms devastated, and their money
worthless.
The soldiers graves to-day are Nee,
cas- to whose shrine come thoughtful
men and sorrowing women. am glad
we can locate so many wlndowless
homes of the boys who followed the
Stars and Stripes as the pillow OF cloud
by day and the pillow OF fire by night.
They were soldiers because there was
need of them, not from choice. Sordld
ambition never buttoned coat OF blue
on New England soldier. Thousands
and thousands of flags will fly to-day
on your comrades graves. The choicest
roses will nestle there. But let us not
forget the ia, 442 fallen comrades asleep
in unknown and unmarked graves.
Twenty-four thousand lie at Anderson
vile and Salisbury. How gladly would
we do something to honor their men,
DRY. But He who marketh even a
sparrow's fall has numbered them all,
and upon their mounds the sweetest