The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-06-04
DECORATION ADDRESS
Hon. j. W. Grant Speaks to Old
Soldiers.
AND cITIzENs-GRAVEs OF He
RoES ADORNED WITH FLAGS
AND FLOWERS - BRAVERY OF
MEN PICTURED BY SPEAKER
SOUND ADVICE TO YOUTH.

After all graves of the heroic dead
had been adorned with flags and
flowers Commander Taylor, by ring
ing the bell, called the assembly into
the lodge. Miss M. e. Braden led in
singing America" The commander
tnen introduced Lawyer ]. w.
Grant, who made a very forceful and
eloquent address. He said in part:
Commander, ladies and gentlemen,
had not expected that | would pc
called upon to say more than just
word, as there were other gentlemen
more eloquent than | on the program.
The hour is late and l am thus fa-
vored and am thus admonished to
be brief. | know you are anxious to
be going, however, permit me to say
that | deem it an honor to be allowed
to say word on this sad, though joy
Gus occasion.
1t is sad because it relates to death;
joyous because of what was wrought
through the death of these.
We step lightly with solemn tread
as we pass through this city of the
dead. You have come forth today
with flags and garlands gay to place
them upon the lowly bed of the Sleep
ing dead. While you lay them here
you have watered them with many a
tear.
Yes, we love them yet and attend
them here with sad but fond regret
You sorrow that they are no more,
but rejoice with them on that blissful
shore. There never again will they
muster on CORY battle plain.
They died that we might live; they
labored that we might rest, warred
that we might have peace; they were
slaves that we might be free, and
their struggles, suffering, privations
death are the price or the precious
boon of liberty we enjoy or should
enjoy.
Shall we not pursue till our day is
done the heroic work of redemption
they begun? Their bodies lie out
there, but their souls are marching
on, beckoning us on TO grander and
Eobler efforts to accomplish the work
of the redemption of our race. They
call us on to higher nelds of liberty
and enlightenment.
This glorious sacrifice they made
that we might be men, not mendi-
cants; they fought that we might be
free. But full freedom can only come
when our part is done in the work
they begun.
When black hands were first Of
fered to strike a blow in freedoms
cause, they were told that it was a
white mans war. But when it was
seen that the struggle would be long
and perhaps lost to the Union a hun
dred and eighty-five thousand black
breasts were barred to rebel bullets.
At Fort Wagner, Petersburg, Nash
Vile and other battles, when through
floods and fire, through clouds of
smoke, a hail of bullets, the black
man won a name that is lndelible on
the scroll of fame. +2a
While those heroes lived who
fought and endured hardness beside
these black warriors, they and
theirs had some show of fair treat
ment, but now that they are no more,
6NeIy IyWueIS duuei d1N dill LILIES CuS
black veteran and his people are
showed aside. i'll treated, md ignored.
But, my friends, there are battles
yet to be won by us no less renowned
than those of war. 1t is ours to take
up the work where they laid it down.
AS the bands, Of prescription and op-
preston tightening more and more
about us, we must grid on the armor
and do our duty in the struggle of
might against right
For a time these memorial days
called forth the united devotion of the
patriots of the nation and thousands
of our people came to show their re-
verence for the precious memory of
those brave men who fell devoted to
the cause of freedom and whose glo-
rious record is undying, but for Sights
and rebuffs the line of those who
come to honor this day has grown
thin, like the ranks of the G. A. R.
Prejudice and hate, twin children of
the devil, have so increased that the
black veteran is no longer acceptable
to his white comrades, he and his have
been snubbed and thrust aside to
make room for those who fought to
destroy this nation, and perpetuate
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