The Elk Mountain pilot., 1915-10-23

peace was restored there was scarcely
a village or town that did not have a
grave to remind it of the fearful cost.
A New York newspaper first pub
lished a paragraph stating that a Few
women OF Columbus. Miss. had strewn
the graves of the dead soldiers, Union
as well as Confederates. This touch
ing tribute caused a thrill of tender
ness to pass through the North. and it
aroused, as nothing else could have
done, a feeling of national amity and
love.
The practical result of this incident
came in May. 1868. when Adjutant
General Chapman suggested to Gen.
John A. Logan, commander in chief of
the Grand Army of the Republic, that
their organization set uniform time
to decorate the graves of the Union
soldiers.
General Logan Immediately took DIP
the suggestion and named May 80 as
the day for decoration. He added that
1t was his purpose to inaugurate this
observance, and sincerely hoped Il
would be kept up each year while
survivor of the war remains to nonor
the memory Of the departed. The idea
spread rapidly. and the legislatures OF
the various states enacted 1t into law
until the holiday is now legal one In
all but six states. In many OF the
southern states the celebration is neld
April 26. as spring visits the South a
full month before its first harbingers
appear in the North.
First Services at Arlington.
On the first Memorial day the serv-
ices at Arlington were perhaps the
most impressive. The speaker on that
occasion was James A. Garfield. In
his soul-touching address, which Ie-
mains to this day as foremost ex-
ponent of the spirit and significance OF
Decoration day. we read:
81 love to believe that no heroic
sacrifice is ever lost: that the charac-
ters of men are nodded and inspired
by what their fathers have done;
that treasured up in American souls
are all the unconscious influences OF
the great deeds OF the Anglo-Saxon
race from Agincourt to Bunker Hill
Each for himself gathered up the cher
ished purposes OF Hfe-its aims and
ambitions, its dearest affections-and
flung all. with life itself, into the scale
of battle. II each grave had voice
to tell us what its silent tenant last
saw and heard on earth we might
stand with uncovered heads and hear
the whole story of the war. We
should hear that one perished when
the first great drops of the crimson
shower began to fall. when the dark
ness OF that first disaster at Manassas
fell like an eclipse on the nation; that
another died of disease while wearily
waiting for winter to end; that this
one fell on the field when the tide OF
war shook the dome Of yonder capitol
and re-echoed in the chambers of the
executive mansion. The voices OF
these dead will forever fill the land
like holy benedictions. What other
spot so fitting for their last resting
place as this, under the shadow Of the
capitol saved by their valor? Here,
where the grim edge Of battle Joined; ;
here. where all the hope and fear and
agony of their country centered; here
let them rest, asleep on the nations
heart, entombed in the nations iove!'
Memorial day has now grown to be
day of thought for all dead. When
the national Decoration day comes,
many who have no soldier dead, take
the opportunity to honor relatives and
other dead ones by strewing on their
graves the symbols of love and affec
ton