Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1915-05-28

peace was restored there was scarcely
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
ness to pass through the North, and 1t
aroused, as nothing else could have
done, 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 30 as
the day for decoration. He added that
II was his purpose to inaugurate this
observance, ana sincerely hoped 4
would be kept up each year while a
| survivor of the war remains to nonor
the memory of the departed The idea
| the various states enacted IL into law
until the holiday is now legal one in
all but six states. In many of the
southern states the celebration is held
April 26. as spring visits the South q
full month before its first harbingers
appear In the North.
First Services at Arlington.
On the first Memorial day the serv
ices at Arlington we're perhaps the
most impressive. The speaker on tha
occasion was James A. Garfield. In
his soul-touching address. which he
mains to this day as foremost ex
ponent of the spirit and significance o.
Decoration day. we read:
II love to believe that no heroi,
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 souli
are all the unconscious influences o
the great deeds of the Anglo-Saxor
race from Agincourt to Bunker Hill
Each for himself gathered up the cher
ished purposes of life--its aims ant
ambitions, its dearest affections--sn,
flung all. with life itself, into the seal,
of battle. II each grave had voice
to tell us what its silent tenant las
saw and heard on earth we nigh
stand with uncovered heads and hea
the whole story of the war. w,
should hear that one persisted whel
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; tina
another died of disease while wearil
waiting for winter to end; that thi
one fell on the field when the tide o
war shook the dome of yonder capito
and re-echoed In the chambers of tn
executive mansion. The voices o
these dead will forever fill the Ian,
like holy benedictions. What othe
spot so fitting for their last resting
place as this. under the shadow OF tn
capitol saved by their valor? Here
where the grim edge of battle Joined
here, where all the hope and fear an,
agony OF their country conferred; her
let them rest. asleep on the nation
heart, entombed In the nations love-!
Memorial day has now grown to b
day OF thought for all dead. Whel
the national Decoration day comes
many who have no soldier dead, TAX
the opportunity to honor relatives an,
other dead ones by strewing on thei
graves the symbols Of love and affec
ton.