Sistersville daily oil review. [volume] (Sistersville, W. Va.) 1902-1905, 1903-06-03
ADDRESS OF He. WILLIAMSON
OF Everett. W. Va, Delivered at Point
Lookout Church Peasants Co. May
The 3Oth, 1908.

Ladies and gentlemen and SOL
diers of this community: We have
met agaln,a few of US, on this annual
anniversary, bringing with us
natures choicest flowers to scatter
upon the graves of loved ones.
This Is not day for mirth, for tes-
tlvi.y, or for gaiety. This day was
set apart as a day of mourning and
also as day of remembrance, We
are In sorrow today, not only here
In this vicinity but all this whole
nation to pays ONE tribute OF respect
to some departed friends. Who
In all this broad land Of ours today
has never lost a friend by the cruel
hand of war. Today I seem to
hear the tread of mournful feet
away up In the Pine clad hills OF
Maine. And down. down, down
upon the sunny hills Of Georgia
YOU will find the same mournful
procession today. Away out near
the Golden Gate kissed by the
waters of the mighty Pacific you
will find loving hands placing
earlands of Roses upon the graves
Of loved ones. Will the little drum
mer bow who left his fair New
Hampshire home and fell on the
field of Gettysburg be forgotten?
No ladies and gentlemen thousands
of loving hands are at this time
scattering the gems of the beautiful
flowers on the last resting place OF
many fallen hero who left his
home at country's call.
Patriotism Is the love of country.
No nation can long exist unless Its
people are patriotic. A man who
iearlessly faces death for the com.
mon cause of his country should
never have his patriotism ques-
toned or assailed. I believe as q
nation that we are patriotic. When
the magnetic telegraph flashed the
news from ocean to ocean and
from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Of
Mexico that the noble ship Maine
had been destroyed In Havana har.
Dor and 800 of our gallant seamen
found watery graves this great pa
triotic nation was stirred from CEN
ire to circumference and with the
words on their lips remember the
the Maine," marched onward until
the stars and stripes floated over
free Cuba. Will the brave boys
who fell while marching up the hill
of San Juan ever be forgotten?
No. my dear friends, their graves
are covered today with the green
grass of spring time, with here and
there a forget.me-uot or a lily OF
the valley placed there by sister
CT brother or by a comrade who
marched by his side. Louis Kos
suth, the great patriot, said: "Fare-
we'll thou land dyed with the blood
of the brave. Guard we'll those
red marks, they will one day bear
testimony In thy behalf" Let us
as patriotic people of the greatest
Republic that ever existed guard
we'll these sacred mounds and our
Nation Is secure. Soldiers of the
C. A. r. Grand Army of the Re-
public, to you Is placed the care of
these sacred mounds. And let US
teach the boys and girls this lesson
of patriotism to ever venerate and
cherish the memory Of those de-
parted heroes who gave their all,
their lives, that we might enjoy the
blessings of free and enlightened
government.
want to say a word or two in
behalf of our order, the Jr. o. u.
A. M. The principles of our order
are first, Virtue, second, Liberty,
and third, Patriotism, I need not
dwell on the last-patriotism.
There has been an impression In
some localities that Our order Is
infringing on the rights and princi'
pies of the G. A. R. I want to
correct that Idea here today for
good by saying that we do not seek
to take one bit of glory If we could
from the brow of him who went
out at his country's call and battled
for the rights that we enjoy today.
Our order Is far more liberal than Is
generally known, as we cannot be-
come a member of the G. A. R.,
but we admit and welcome into
our councils every white American
born soldier and make them hon
orary members of out organization.
Our organization Is strictly Ameri-