The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-06-01
TO THE MEMORY OF
OUR NATIONS DEAD

ious amazon? Was Lydia Darrah, who
overheard the plans of fine British off,
GERS for contemplated attack and then,
under pretense Of going to mill, rode to
the American lines to inform Gen. Wash
ington of them, just trying to make her.
self solid with the generalY Was Emily
Geiger, who volunteered to carry mes
sage to Sumpter's camp, and while on
her way was captured by Tory scouts
and to escape detection ate the message,
and on being released proceeded to Gen.
Marion who co-operated with Sumpter,
enabling their combined forces to defeat
the British trying to create the impress
sion that she was mannsh woman?"
The Judge, after outlining some Of the
causes of the war and incidents that
took place during those stirring tines,
said:
at was in this frame of mind that the
South in 1861 threw down the gauntlet
of civil war We did not want war, and
we made concession after concession to
avoid it and we're willing TO coucede ev-
erything except honor and the Union.
We loved the Union better than our
lives and we're determined to pc petuate
the blessings it had brought. Through
the valor and great deeds of our fathers
its blessings had been secured to all
alike.
THAT war is without parallel ia cost,
destruction of property and loss of life.
"Who will undertake to visit the
graves of the brave men who went down
in the awful shock of battle? Who will
search out the numerous hospitals and
follow to their last resting place the men
who languished and died there from
wounds and sickness? Who would have
pass in review the emacated, naked and
in many cases the insane victims of the
military prisons? Who will traverse
these states and count the empty sleeves,
the cork legs, and shattered constitu-
tions in order that the flag might be
kept floating over a reunited country
Who will measure the marches and
counter marches of that army over
mountains and daes, through sleet aud
storm, in heat aud drought, peiting
rains fording turbulent streams; hun
CRY, weary, half clad, foot sore and faint
from carrying the knapsack, rifle, ac-
coutrements and the never absent 10
rounds on rapid fire and the forced
marches?
"Who will go with me to Fort Donald
son, Shiloh, Corinth, luka and the
hundreds of battetields of that war and
look upon the thousands of dead aud
the tens of thousands of bleeding ard
mangled victims of an unholy and USE
less war. There is but a fragment of
that magnificent army surviving The
main body has crossed the dark river
and pitched it's tents Where glory
guards with solemn rounds the bivouac
of the dead What remains forms but
a sklrmish line of that mighty host be-
meath whose tread this continent rocked,
and trembed and vibrated The cheek
of the survivors is furrowed, the eve
dmmed, the hair silvered and the form
bowed The reverberation of that war
still ring in the ears of those who par
ticipated in it, but to the generation
which has since come upon the stage lit
tie can be realized 1t should not be
forgotten that behind the waving ban
ners, behind the inspiring strains of
music, there is a yawning chasm into
which the nation poured billions Of its
treasure, and what was inestimably more
bilious, aspiring ard patriotic lives"
An incident not at all expected by
those present was the presentation OF
splendid flag by the Post and w. r. Q.
This brought to close the exercises of
Memorial day for 1906 A program that
our people are to be congratulated for.
as it fittingly celebrated the day. This
day of all days of the year that was set
apart for the nations observance should
be free from sports Of every kind in or
der that the spirit of reverence should
be planted in tho minds of the Younger
generation, and nothing should detract
from the tributes offered to the nations
dead or the homage paid to her living
heroes who are rapidly passing away,
how rapidly this fact will show. Wedpes-
day Brodhead Post, containing 40 mem
bers, decorated la graves Of their de-
parted comrades. Soon this little com
pany will be unable to perform this
sacred duty, and the welfare of the
country demands the observance Of this
day in such a manner that the patriotic
spirit OF those who come after US will
deem it privilege to perform this rite