The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-06-06
Memorial Day Observance.



lent poem written for the occasion,
was read by its author, S. F. Emerson.
A quartet composed of Elmer L. Har-
ris, Albert Watson, Floyd 6. Nye and
j. Haraey white, sang, "The Heroes
Who Rest.
The names of the 129 veterans of
tn e northern armies, who are buried
in the Skowhegan cemeteries, called
the "Roll of Honor" were then read
by Captain Wing, after which Post
Commander S. F. Emerson introduce
ed the Rev. Fred A. Ieitch Of the
Centenary Methodist church as The
orator of the day. Mr.. Leitch spoke
for one hour and held the closest at
tention of his audience throughout.
The address showed that the speaker
had appreciated the occasion as one
worthy of his best effort and had pre-
pared himself with great care. This
was evident from it's careful arrange
ment, as well as from the extensive
data presented, SO much of the events
of '61 to '65 that it might without i'm
propriety be called a condensed his
tory of that period. We take plea
sure in reproducing this address, very
slightly abbreviated, at the close of
this account.
The exercises at Grange hall closed
with the singing of "America' by the
audience and the benediction pro-
nounced by the Rev. B. b. Merrill,
pastor Of the Island Avenue Congre-
gational church.
The North and South Cemeteries
were visited by Russell Post and their
escorts and the graves of the veter-
ans inferred there decorated with the
usual ceremonies. OF the customary
rites performed at the resting places
of the heroic dead, the bugle call OF
Taps sounded from opposite ex-
tremities of the burial enclosure was
the most striking and impressive,
The musicians who performed this
duty were r. F. Washburn and Carl
Hessel, detailed from Company Z
Band and the carrying out of this
brief but singularly beautiful and i'm
pressive ceremony was only one of
many ways that this organization rem
dered invaluable aid in the exercises of
the day. Taps" is the military signal
given for "lights outo at night and as
the signal to retire. The veterans
who were present in the SkoWhegan
cemeteries last Thursday afternoon
had heard these same notes evening
after evening during their southern
campaigns and it must have deeply
stirred their emotion to hear the
same beautiful call repeated over the
graves of their departed comrades.
The solemnity of the occasion and the
place and circumstances under which
these bugle calls were sounded made
it possible, without leaving too
much to inspiration, to believe that
the beautiful notes fell not alone on
mortal ears.
MEMORIAL DAY ADDRESS.
Members of the Grand Army of the
Republic, veterans and heroes of the
Civil wal, the services of this afternoon
are commemorative of the histor-
ic and heroic sacrifices of the past. Ii
is commemorative of oul-stirring
historic making epochs when men
held their breath and waited for eli
makes which were to make or un-
make a nation; which were to settle
the destiny of the greatest Re
public of the world, for ages UNI
numbered.
Again, our thoughts are turned
backward, young men consult his
tory,-the record of immortal ACHE
vements, old veterans turn over
mental pages, ARCHIVES of indelliblt
thought-we find Southern anC
Northern press ablaze with beligerant
and vindictive editorials, over condi-
tions which were slowly and inevitably
dividing mighty nation.
States having common origin
common interests, were being divided
and arrayed against each other, fac
tions based upon geographical posi-
ton were growing distrustful, con.
temptous, vindictive and malignant
Grievances were multiplied, sores
magnified until at last pent up anger
sedition and strife burst like peal o.
thunder into vhe horrors of civil war
South Carolina with arrogance cut
the gordian knot, declared herself in
dependent, Mobile fired one hundred
guns, New Orleans doomed cannon
flags waved, meetings held, the state
moved to secure the forts. The ma
ton rocked, distraction was rampant
Southern politicians lead by Vancey
and Davis, Floyd and Thompson
lined up the conspiracy.
Slavery was the rallying cry to stil
the ignorant, the real cause was lust
for power, hostility towards the
North, divided Union and an indie
pendent Southern government.
President Lincoln slipped into
Washington to avoid assassination
Adams and Seward offered measures
conciliatory. The crisis came. Davis
insane spirit precipitated war, con
temptable treason was committed
Fort Sumpter was bombarded, the flag
which waved over free and happy
people was insulted, and as the rebe
cannon doomed, the clock of destiny
struck, that a great and sanguinary
war was started. slumbering nor
thern giant aWoke, shook himself
girded on his armour and swore by the
stars of heaven and its dome of blue,
that not one drop of his blood would