Gilpin observer., 1906-05-31
DAY
6. l. R and Women's Relief Corps Again
Pay Tribute to Their Honored Dead
Graves Decorated.
". {. WT1HRoW DELIVERS A GRAHp GRAFTON

Yesterday, Decoration day, as usual
was observed by the G. A. r. and the
w. K. G. in a fitting manner. In the at
ternoon the Womans Relief Corps and
members Of the Arand Army of the Re.
public assembled at their hall on Main
street, where they formed in line and
then march to the NJ. E. church. In the
ranks Of the G. A. r. two or. three Of the
local post who marched beside their COM
rades year ago were missing, having
gone to their reward. At the church W.
E. Withrow made the memorial address,
after which the march was continued
to the cemetary in carriages, where
many and beautiful flowers we're placed
on the graves of the departed. Mr..
Withrow's address follows:
Members of the Grand Army of the
Republic, Ladies of the Relief Corps,
Ladies and Gentlemen, American Citi.
zens, All:
1t is my solemn duty today to address
you on the lessons of patriotism, but to
those, the living and the dead who have
furnished us with that example OF devo-
tion to the cause of Liberty which today
stirs the heart Of every true American
citizen belongs the honor of this occa-
sion.
We come not here with sorrowing
hearts to bury the dead but rather with
gladdened hearts to resurrect the memo
ry OF those who are dead. Your Com
mander-in- Chief Tanner, in his annual
address of April 9th, directed that you
secure speakers for this day "who will
teach the lessons Of patriotism for which
your comrades gave the last full meas
ure of devotion" Were l to ask the
smallest boy in my audience why he is
here, he would answer me, "to see the
soldiers" Do not tell me that we Ameri-
cans are not hero-worshipers in the tru-
est and grandest sense Of those words;
patriotism, such as a Roman soldier
never knew; devotion to a faith far
greater than Mohammedan ever learn
ed; no. nor did the years before the
walls OF Troy teach an Achilles that
measure of patriotism which today
bows this mighty nation at the shrine of
her heroes of 81; an united people with
but one memory-that of deeds done
with but one thought, the thought Of
reverence, with but one purpose, to
decorate the graves Of departed ones
and thereby honor the living.
And so come we here today, lest in the
busy routine of our daily lives, we for
get to whom we owe so rich a legacy;
and yet We can but drop a flower on
your graves; no, we can do more; we can
go with you to the scenes OF 81, and
live over with you those memorable
times of peril and suffering, the fruit of
which We so abundanty enjoy.
Our Revolutionary fathers from out of
the privation of the colonies had brought
forth the Union and had left as a sacred
trust to their descendants Union, so
strong that no foreign power dare lay
hostile hands upon our shores; and yet
SO weak within. that even those i.lustri-
Gus men who signed in ink her constitu.
tion, must have seen that the day was
hOe aai NiSbohb "hch SOuoLlluIlOu
must be signed in the blood of million
Of their sons. From the signing of our
constitution our political history is but
series OF compromises and in the sign.
ing OF that very constitution there was
a recognition of North and a South;
in exchange for the right of Importation
OF slaves until the year 1908, the South
gave to the North tariff for the pro.
lection OF Northern industries. A spark
OF dissention lay smouldering in the
very foundation Of our government OF
which our foretathers and its founders
were so justly proud. Then came the
period OF construction and territorial ex-
pansion, during which time the people
Of the North we're too busy with selfish
interests to give attention to philan-
thropy and the South grew rich by the
labor Of its slaves. For time that fire
OF dissention is quenced by the Missouri
Compromise OF 1920, only to be famed
into blaze by the tariff OF 1928. and
fed by the fuel OF the notification of
1882, the annexation OF Texas, the war
with Mexico, the Fugitive Slave Law
and the words OF the supreme court OF
our land that the nego Of African par.
entage was man without country.
That sacred trust, that Union, which
love OF Liberty had purchased so dearly;
that Union which love Of Liberty had 80
zealously guarded; that Union which
had rendered US 80 prosperous in pesSe
and 30 triumphant in war, was about To
be dissolved into the weaker .psftS ,%b6h
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