The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1924-05-29
Memorial Day Is
Call to Patriots
Last Message of General
Logan's Widow Urges
Decoration of Graves.

NtIAl Sreu. Jotln a. Logan lOuuueu
the observance of Memorial Day,
in honor of the soldiers and sail
ors killed in the Civil war, is not gem
orally known to the children. At
meeting of the Chicago chapter,
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton, Mrs Mary Logan Tucker present
ed the last message of her mother,
the widow of General Logan ("Black
Jack"), prepared by her for the chill
dren. telling how the day was first
established
Exactly fifty-two years ago, on the
Both of May, Gen. John A. Logan, COM
mander in chief Of the organization of
the Civil war veterans known as the
Grand Army of the Republic, issued
an order that the Both day of May
should be observed as Memorial Day
for the soldiers and sailors who had
died for their country in the Civil
war. He also ordered that their
graves should be decorated with flow
ers and that Old Glory should fly over
them
General Logan died many years ago,
sut the Memorial Day he instituted
still lives and this year the memory
of the brave soldiers and sailors who
died in the recent war will be honored
with those of the past. For many
years Mrs. Logan decorated the grave
of her husband each Memorial Day,
and she carried flowers to the last
resting place of many other heroes
of the Civil war.
Mrs. Logan left the following mes
sage for Memorial Day to the children
of America:
Il wonder If you are old enough to
understand the meanings of the bless
ings you enjoy, and If you realize to
whom you are indebted for them. Yon
owe a never-ending debt of gratitude
to the brave and wise men who first
conceived the idea of free government
for the people and by the people, and
who offered their lives in the days of
the American Revolution for the estab-
lishment of such government to be
known as republic.
"The descendants of those men have
from time to time during the long
years since the Declaration of indie
pendence responded to their country's
call for it's defense against all foreign
or domestic foes. Each generation has
had its heroes who have rushed to
arms to keep the symbol of liberty
our American fiag-waving aloft for
the protection of all mankind from the
rnthlacc hands of fvrants
"Many of you children are the
great-grandchildren of the loyal men
who fought, bled and died for their
country. Their loyalty and gallant
deeds are your greatest Inheritance.
Do not prove unworthy of this envi-
able gift greater responsibility
rests upon you than upon your for
bears because of the advancement of
the age in which you live.
General Logan foresaw what would
come in the future and therefore
made his appeal in his Memorial Day
order as commander in chief of the
Grand Army of the Republic to the
children Of the heroic dead to keep
alive the memory of the patriotism
and dauntless deeds of their ancestors.
He trusted that you children might
emulate your brave forefathers when
the hour of conflict should come for
the preservation of civilization, human
ity and liberty. Children though you
may be, remember that what you are
now you will be when you are grown.
The record you make for good citizen
shipsnow viii stand for or against you
for evermore.
"Cover the graves of the soldiers
buried in the national and home Gene
teries near you with as many flowers
as you can gather for May 80. In do
ing so think of the men who have recent
ly died for their land. Have for your
motto those -heaven-inspired words:
My country: May she ever be right;
but, right or wrong, my country for
ever"