The Oskaloosa herald., 1914-06-11
OUR SOLDIER DEAD
ADDRESS DELIVERED BEFORE OLIVET GRANGE ON
MEMORIAL DAY, MAY 80, 1914, BY w. r. LACEY.
Friends, neighbors.
brothers and

! IL mas pSSh my pleasure 10 ever at
tend. The celebration of Decoration
Day by a grange lodge, recalling the
memories of the bloody war, where
Americans on the bloody battlefield
and fought it out to finish.
For the first time, We, as a grange,
celebrate this day. Nations and peo-
pies, since the dawn of history, have
loved, hOnoTed and crowned their
dead warriors. Even the Bible teens
with battle and bloodshed and victor
les and defeats,
The farmer has always been the
emblem OF peace, plenty and happi-
ness. He bows in alteration to the
soldiers tomb, and today the farmers
OF Olivet Grange, No. 2O6O, as
lodge and organized body, meet in
their hall and lodge room to pay trib-
ute to our fallen heroes, and instill
patriotism in our hearts and love OF
country, and honor to its dead defend
ers. Fifty-three years ago the can
non doomed and the bells tOlled and
the news went forth on the wings OF
the wind that for the first time the
Stars and Stripes had been fired upon
by an American at Fort Sumter.
AS a small boy well remember the
pale cheeks OF wives, mothers, sisters,
daughters and sweethearts, and the
set teeth and clenched fist OF the far-
mer boy as he responded to the call
for 300 900 men to defend the great
American Union.
| / lived then on a farm just across
the Des Moines river in Jefferson
township and well remember when
the farm boys rose up as one man
and shouldered their muskets and
babe goodbye to all that was dear
and loved by them, and went forth 10
battle for this great country.
The boys and able bodied men ali
went and none were left at home but
women and boys too young and men
too old.
As remember it, the first Mahaska
boy OF this township TO lay down MS
life in that great conflict was Nip
Ewing. living less than two miles
from where We stand; and the whole
country was in tears, for Nip was
loved by all.
Only a few days more and George
Godfrey, another Scott township boy,
fell fighting for our flag and country,
and in only a few months more my
dear brother, James F. Lacey, laid
down and filed a soldiers grave.
And Lnas Eveland, Tom Hinkle,
Walket White and two OF the Nc
CIure boys, and many others gave up
all for their country in this and JET
ferson townships.
How sweetly and silently they
have slept for more than fifty years;
anu after that long period we meet
year by year and day by day to strew
flowers upon the graves of those dear
ones forever gone.
One of the Roman generals said,
i"Peace is the offspring OF power.
And an army of intelligent, patriotic
Esoldiers, backed by navy Of dread
lnaughts, armed with SiXteenlnch
guns and skill to hit the mark. is an
argument for peace that no one can
question; and these arguments are
Iunanswerable.
In 1861 peaceful debate was ex-
hausted and nothing was left but 10
dissolve the Union, overthrow the
great republic or accept the gauge OF
battle and fight.
II WAS dreadful alternative 10
Imingle the blood Of brothers, North
and South, in that controversy, out
it was better for both sides OF the
controversy that our foretathers OF
1861 should have fought out the
question as they did and place the
Republic on a foundation that time
lcannot shake.
We were 10000, 900 people then;
we are more than hundred million
now. The endurance OF the Republic
was then i'll doubt: it is as soma no"
as the rock of ages. Since theh we
had the Spanish war and drove from
the western hemisphere the last rene
of royalty, and are now telling the
world and MeXicans that Mexico must
be good.
Brothers and sisters, friends ana
odd Boys in Blue, we meet again 10
day, this greatest day on our calendar
to recall the old, old story OF the
hattie for the Union and the life of
the Republic II is an old, old story.
lFnty-three years have come and gone
since the first gun was fred ana Tot
lty.nine years since the stars and bars
were lowered, and the harvest OF
blood and the roar of battle had end
ed and you would now search In vain
for a man on the other side who
would divide the Union, again re-
store human slavery which was the
cause vi tue lOul gCoio u
blood and waste; and you will remem
Der the refrain that went up.
When this cruel war is over sung
around the home circle and burning
campfires and the visions that stood
out in the freight of home, sweet
home and the dear ones gone and
left behind.
II is a matter of history that when
the body of JEFF Davis. the presiden,
OF the Confederacy, was disinterreO
and removed to Richmond for reDur
iaL and the funeral train passed
through nearly every southern state
and was witnessed by thousands IL
it's long and final journey, but nc
slave looked upon the procession
The leader was dead, but tae country
was free and the old slave ana Ms
master stood with barred heads anl
side by side as the funeral tram
covered with emblems OF sorrow
passed; and all were glad that hh
man slavery was gone forever.
But there Is new generation Dori
and grown to manhood and woman
Ia