Evening star., 1909-05-31
Soldiers Home Grafton
by HoIIingsWorth of Ohio

The ceremonies at the National ceme-
terry in the United States Soldiers Home
reservation were held in Stanley Hall, the
parade being omitted on account Of the
somewhat inclement weather The vet
eran regulars Of two wars were at their
best and soldier sentiment was every
where in evidence. The observance at the
Soldiers Home was in charge Of DIR.
Henry A. Johnson, senior vice department
commander. The sounding of Assembly
announced the opening of the exercises.
The band played Parting" and the cho-
rus. band and auditors sang with touch
ing effect Nearer, My God, to Thee"
The invocation was by Rev. II. Allen
Griffith chaplain of the Soldiers Home.
| The Introductory address was by Senior
| Vice Department Commander Johnson.
who told of the sacredness of Memorial
| day and the lesson Of love and patriotism
| it teaches.
| The Gaelic chorus sang the ode to
| America, and DIR. Thomas Calver. medi-
cal director of the department. read an
original poem. his latest effort, entitled,
We Miss Them So'
Discusses Davis Incident.
| The oration was by Representative
David A. HollingsWorth of Ohio. He
said in part:
| There is no mistaking the patriotic
sentiment of the people. Monuments may
be erected to lost cause; shadowy lines
may be drawn between loyalty and
treason; southern newspapers may de-
nounce the Iincolns and Grants of the
war period and call their soldiers BUNS
and robbers of defenseless women and
children: Confederate emblems may be
allowed by complaisant officials to adorn
our government battleships, but still the
results the immortal truths vindicated by
bnu urar n "A
and eternal as the ages. Registered in
heaven, they are beyond the reach Of
mans undoing.
This is not the time or place to dis
cuss or crticise modern attempts to re-
wise Confederate ideals. Mawkish sentt-
ment toward those who cherish the lost
cause may reach a point where northern
Indignation and manly conscience cannot
be restrained, but the time is not yet.
Justice and truth move slowly. 1t re-
quired the firing on Sumpter in 1851 to
thoroughly arouse the loyal North
Spanish insult and aggression in ,'0ba-
continued until the blowing-up OF the
Maine Patience and forbearance are
virtues of the strong.
Time has happily softened the asperi-
ties of the civil war and smoothe.l out
its wrinkles. 1t has worked wonders in
public sentiment toward the actors in that
bloody tragedy. reason. as applied to
the rebellion. is no longer permissible in
polite circles. The rebels whom YOU
old veterans knew and fought as sLcn in
1S61-5 We're suddenly TRANSFORMED after
the war into observation-disclosures" "erring
brethren of the South" and in a few
years were wisely and generously restored
to full rights and citizenship. No one
now questions the wisdom of reco 1ci.lia-
ton and peace. Today il may be sad
is said by the highest authority in The
| land, that the men of the Gray and the
men of the Blue are given equal con-
sideration in the councils of the nation
4 few doubling Thomises even suggest
that the gray pendulum of time has
swung backward beyond the perpen endicu-
lar.
Things at Which to Shudder.
Loyal men, lovers of their country and