Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-05-30
CAPT. REFS GRAFTON
CONTINUED frn PASs ~

t"Ou 81 hot iiNt the -SldNe
night, scourged to his dungeon; but,
sustained and soothed by an unfal-
tering trust. approach thy grave like
one who wraps the drapery of his
couch about him and Iics down to
pleasant dreams
The great majority have already
crossed the Valley of the Shadow of
Death and entered the bounds of the
beautiful Beyond while the sur
viving legions, with embedding
years. but hopeful hearts, are pres
sing to the goal across whose portals
shine the camp-fires of eternal life.
IT there is any sure passport to
that realm of bliss, It is written be-
tween the lines of the honorable dis
charge of every soldier and every
sailor who stood with unconquerable
determination between his Country's
life and his country's death. That
passport will carry him through II
anything can, and back of that safe
conduct is the nawless character and
patriotic purpose which led him to
enlist. and which he has never lost.
That di5charge--that passport
that safc.conduct many received on
the field of battle, many on the
march, and many in the fever-strick-
EN- camp. while others are patiently
waiting for the call between the
lines; but the glory of all is in the
end alike, and their noble lives and
hcroic deaths will he u sublime in
SEPARATION and worthy example for
generations upon generations yet to
come.
speak more particularly of the
veterans of the G. A. r., because
they are the representative body of
the citizen soldlcry OF the Union,
the backbone of the Nation. the men
who have done most to save their
country, and who are the honored
organization under whose generous
and patriotic auspices the cnnobling
and impressive ceremonies of Me.
mortal Day are SO beautifully con-
Quoted.
We later ones may have done our
duty In unfolding the honor of our
nag; but our sacrifices. our suffer-
ings, our experiences, are meagrc
compared with theirs. We may rank
with the soldiers of the Mexican and
Indian Wars. or even with the sturdy
legions OF the Army and Navy of
1912; but the blood-stained heroes
OF the Civil War will stand through
all time as the peers of the patriots
who fought from the smoking
heights of Bunker Hill TIL Freedom
sang and Victory cheered on York
towns radiant plains.
The heroes of the Revolution
founded in blood a towering temple,
solid and symmetrical to look upon,
but WHOSE carefully laid cornerstone
rested upon Slavcry's sinking soil In
which Mans inhumanity to man
made countless thousands mourn"
The heroes Of the Civil War, UNI
der Lincoln aud Grant. and Sher-
man and Sheridan. and Farragut and
Porter. and Meade and Thomas, and
Hancock and Logan, and Worden
and Winslow, and myriads more of
immortal men, caught the crumbling
fabric as IL was lettering to its fall,
replaced It's treacherous foundation
with rock Of enduring righteous.
ness, girded its weakening walls
with the armOr of truth and Justice,
and consecrated and established AN
immutable Union that shall be the
glory of the world and, in every no.
blcst sense, the Land of the Free and
the Home of the Brave while Nature
lasts and Nations live.
All Were Patriots.
But to all soldiers and all sailors
OF every American war do we nay
just tribute: not merely In propor.
ton to their respective achieve
mcnts, but Indirect measure for the
lofty purpose and exalted virtue
which animated them to answer
their country's call. Whether they
reached a hero's death on the field of
battle. or fell prey to fever, or new
er faced foe; their spirit of sublime
patriotism was the same, and they
nave preomininetly earned the
gratitude of the Nation and the
blessing OF Him in Whose footsteps
they have humbly trod.
The soldier who dies for his coun-
try's good gives all he has to give,
and seemingly more than he can
fairly yield, because of the sorrow
Ing and often needy ones he leaves
behind; but the Supremacy earned
Immortality following the brief span
so rudely shattered glor!hcs his sa-
crifice above, and should inspire us
with reverence for his name and con-
ISOLATION for his untimely loss.
So wreaths and garlands and
chaplets should cover the graves of
our hOnored dead and blossoms
should bloom where our heroes lie.
Loving hearts should drink in the
inspiration of patriotic deeds, and
grateful hands should Gull the sweet
est flowers as fragrant offerings to
those who have taught us bravely
now to live and nobly how to die.
Yet this beautiful Memorial Day
should not be day of sadness, but
rather one OF pride and joy. Pride
that we have had the glorious ex-
ample of patriots brave and true.
Joy that their work was well done,
they have left us reunited
country firmly established on eternal
principles OF liberty and Justice: and
nNnltuiinn that