Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-31
Monday May 81, 1909.
Memorial Day.

lions to pay tender tribute of love
and gratitude to the memory of those
whose devotion and sacrifice made
possible the present glories of the Re-
public. Pausing as we do today amid
d. the rush and worry of worldly cares
Z, and occupations, that we may give
some tangible and visible expression
to the homage of our hearts, we do far
more than honor the heroes who
~ slumber in the peaceful soil of our
s. great and prosperous country. We
, give the members of the rising
.. generation an impressive object lesson
hearts sober realization of the great
cost at which the blessings Of free
and united country were preserved to
them This day of all days is sacred
to the memory Of the soldiers who
marched away in the morning mist5
to that beautiful land of perpetual
peace beyond the border line that
4" separates time from eternity
ION Fame's Eternal Camping ground
Their silent tents are spread
And Glory guards with solemn round
The bivouac of the dead
.-"' The plans of the Almighty are usu-
ally beyond the scope of finite COM
prehension, though now and then we
feel that we catch a glimpse of them
through and in the mighty forces that
operate most powerfully ir changing
the currents OF human affairs. Few
men who gave themselves to the great
struggle for the preservation of the
Union. probably thought, in the
beginning, that. along with the ac-
complishment of that noble and
patriotic purpose would come the
abolition of negro slavery. But look
ing from the standpoint of today back
upon that great historic struggle,
with it's terrible outpourng Of blood
and treasure we can but feel that
back OF it all and directing it all was
the hand of destiny No man can
have a greater claim today upon the
enduring love and gratitude of a
united and prosperous people than he
who is able to point to that great
transition period in our National life,
when the fate of the Union hung
trembling in the balance, and say II
was there"
We cannot measure the spirit Of
patriotism by material standards. 1t
transcends the selfish bounds of per-
sonality and rests on heights so far
above the sordd world that those be-
Low scarce figure in the prospect.
There are memories more enduring
nhan riches. more precious than gold.
K During the four years Of the war,
&ssnearly three million men participated
in the work of the Union army and
navy. In round numbers 10000 of
these men came from Maine. and if
ave include the sailers of our State
enlisted In the United States navy
from various points during the first
year of the war (and of whom, unfor-
IA tunately. we have no official record
iHthe number would probably reach
$4,000 or 1900. Substracting from the
grand total the number of those who
we're killed in battle. and who died Of
wounds and disease contracted in
Nhe service. there were returned tc
civil life from the forces of the Union
during and at the close OF the war
nearly two and one-half millions OF
men. These men constituted the best
bone, brain, and sinew of the Repub-
lie They were the potential forces in
our national life.
When the grand review held In
Washington at the close of the war
May 2Srd and oath. 1865. was over. the
soldiers of the Union departed to theil
homes to take up again the tasks they
had laid aside at the call of country
The Old World looked on in wonder
while that magnificent army melted
quietly away into the peaceful walks
-. OF industry. and took up again. witt
: cheerful energy. the burdens of pro
sductive enterprise.
--.A~ The browning glory of the Uniol
in our civil life has been hi
steadfast and answering faith in thu
enduring power of the Republic an.
the genius of the American people
The men who stood in indomitabl
array around the old flag. when tn
great tide of treason broke and ebbe'
on the bloody field of Gettysburg. VIII
followed it at Vicksburg. at Chicka
manga, on the peninsular. in tn
= Shenandoah valley, above the cloud
~ OF Lookout mountain. on hundreds Q
lizard fought fields. are not to b
daunted by the bugaboos of moder
$50, alarmists. Differing honestly anon
S~themselves In politics, religion, an
1.-THE philosophers of life, they ar
-eunited in entertaining no doubts as t