Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-30
AT ST. ELIZABETH'S.
Addresses by Prof. Ely, DR.. Richardson
and Others.

The exercises at st. Elizabeth's cemetery
were conducted under the auspices of John
| A Logan Post, G. A. R., Commander A. B..
Frisbee of the post presiding. Rev. w. G..
Davenport. post chaplain, offered the lnvo-
| cation and addresses were made by Mr..
Frisbee DR.. A. B. Richardson, superin-
tendent of ST. Elizabeth's; Rev. DR.. Asa s.
! Fiske, pastor of Gunton-Temple Church,
! and Prof. Selden M Ely, principal Van
| Buren, School. Mr.. ]. l.. McCreery read
| an original poem on Decoration Day, and
Iincolns Gettysburg address was read by
Alpheus Dawson. The patriotic music for
the occasion was rendered by the choirs Of
| st. Elizabeths and of Anacostia M. E.
| Church, Daniel Smithson, director; E. t.
Davis. organst, by a children's chorus
composed of pupils of Van Buren, School.
Miss Lille Zimmerman, leader, and by the
ST. Elizabeth band.
In his opening address Mr.. Frisbee men
toned the fact that the Logan Post had
conducted services at the cemetery for the
past thirteen years. On behalf of the post
he thanked the members of the Woman s
Relief Corps auxiliary to the post for their
assistance in the memorial exercises and
for decorating the graves of departed SOL
ders.
DR.. Richardson's Remarks.
When DR.. A. B. Richardson, the superin-
tendent of the government hospital, was
introduced he was greeted with round of
applause.
II have no extended speech to make to
You today" said DR.. Richardson. but will
let that be better done by those speakers
who are to follow. The part have to take
in these exercises is rather to welcome you
to ST. Elizabeth's and to assure you that
while l am here Logan Post shall always
be given a welcome to these grounds each
recurring Memorial day
This occasion is not meant only to COM
who but to recall
as well the services Of those who are Lying.
ST. Elizabeth's has a duty to perform In
this way every day in the year, and 1t Is
my hope that her people will draw from
these anniversary occasions the duty they
owe to those in their care at this inStttu-
tion-a duty more sacred than that at any
other hospital. Today not only should
there come the grateful remembrance and
commemoration of those who have died, but
also of those brave defenders who yet
live. 1t is certainly fitting at this time,
when nature springs forth into bloom ana
vitality, when naturally we are Inclined 10
turn to the other aspect-to life, growth,
development-and to forget the feeble, the
decrepit the infirm. that we pause to think
of those to whom we owe so much. Ana
even now. we commemorate this event,
l am quite sure that any one who was not
present in the stirring times OF the GUS
cannot feel what 1t meant Ito take part
in those days. Sentiment now enters INTO
this anniversary, but the days of the civil
strife were days that Slapped the strength
and life Courageous 1t is Of course to en-
ter battle. but it requires real courage and
strength to endure the routine and prlVa-
lions of the camp life.
Continuing. Dr. Richardson dwelt upon
this side of army life, and. concluding said:
1.-The army that has done SO much for the
glory, unity and integrity of the country
shall shortly pass away. We at the iasti-
tuition receive from the Soldiers Homes
men who formed a part of 1T, and none is
under sixty years OF age. Here we shall
n duty f1,lIx y,afh
ing undone to make the remainder of their
lives, as far as practicable. full of ease and
comfort The same should be done for the
other members of the Grand Army of the
Republic the country over All gave them
selves freely in the hour of danger and trial,
and now in the hour Of the countrys glory
they should be cared for"
AlpheuS Dawson, who read Lincoln's Get
tysburg address. related an interesting an
ecdote of the great President with whom
he had become acquainted 1T was when
Richmond had fallen" said Mr.. Dawson.
in prefacing the reading of the address,
land several hundred of us. knowing of
Mr.. Lincolns return from Richmond went
down to the White House with band and
called upon him to appear. After little
time he did so. and in response to the cries
for a speech said: II enlisted to make
speech down town tonight. and If you
dribble it all out of me now, why l won't
have anything to say then.
But I have in mind my favorite piece
hymn, anthem or what it's called don't
krow-but the Attorney General says we've
captured 1t now, and it's ours-it'S my ia
vorite piece, and I'm going to ask your
band to play 1t. It's called Dixie And
such Dixie as was played on that occa-
sion. continued Mr. Dawson, I've never
heard before or since"
DR.. Fiske. in his Introductory remarks.
said that three great crises in American
history had called forth the great men
needed to meet the emergencies. The crises
mentioned were the revolutionary war, the
civil war and the war with Spain.
Hardships Endured by Patriots.
patriots of the early republic and of their
efforts to establish nation where liberty
might reign supreme. In speaking of the
civil war he declared that 1t was Inevitable
The Mason and Dixon's line divided not
only the slave and free states. but also the
states believing the one in states rights and
the other in the power of the Union The
two questions were involved in one issue
Each side was convinced Of the righteous
ness of it's cause and the opposing armies
were composed both of Americans, and all
was staked on the issue. The result has
been the consolidation of the Union, with
both sides to the conflict equally loyal to
the flag.
The speaker paid glowing tributes to the
memory of Abraham Lincoln and Gen.
Ulysses 8. Grant, placing them beside
Washington in the hall Of fame.
The motives which induced the United
States to engage in the war with Spain
were suggested by DR.. Fiske In speaking of
that crisis in the history Of this country;
simple humanity and declared there was in