Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1877 — DECORATION DAY. [ARTICLE]

DECORATION DAY.

Yesterday, the 30th instant, was the day set apart by the loyal and patriotic citizens of this nation to do homage to the memories of our fallen heroes. It is but proper and right that the people of this country should devote at least a couple of hours nne day in a year to the memories of those brave men who gave up their lives in defense of the Union. It is but proper and right that the sorrowing mother, the bereft widow, the fatherless children, should meet around the graves of those dear fathers, husbands, sons and brothers who fell in the struggle for liberty and the preservation of the Union and drop a tear to their memory. It is not merely for the sake of parade and display that the people commemorate this day, but it is simply to give utterance to the feeling and emotions of their hearts «nd express their gratitude to the heroic defenders of the Union who sleep beneath the sod, and whose memories will be ever fresh and green iu the hearts of their countrymen. Decoration Day is one, which, next to that which gave birth to our country, should be observed even to the end of time, and our children and our children’s children should be taught to commemorate it. ITS OBSERVANCE IN RENSSELAER. According to programme the citizens of Rensselaer and vicinity assembled at the court house at 1:30 o'clock p. in. and formed in line under the direction of the marshal, Dr. G- A. Moss, and marched in procession to the cemetery in the following order: Cornet band, officers of the day, little girls dressed in white, Odd Fellows, citizens on foot and in carriages.

At the cemetery the order of exr ercises was tfS follows;. 1. Sbng by little girls. _ fi, Song by choir. • 9. Prayer by chaplain, Rev. T. Vauscoy4. Music by orchestra. ‘5. Opening speech by president of the 'day, Mr. F. J. Sears. G. Decoration of graves. 7. Song by little girls, assisted bv baiid. 8. Oration by Hon. E. P. Hammond. ». Seng by choir. 10. Mqsic by band. 41. Benediction by chaplain. The exercises were interesting And appropriate, aud everything passed off satisfactorily and in ordvr. About oue tjicusand persons witnessed the ceremonies, ami the best of. 3.1 ten lion was given while the programme whs being carried out. We h .ve neither time nor Space to t-oinment at length npo ; the opering address of the president or the oration of Judge Ham-

inond* but through the'courtesy of these gentlemen we are permitted to produce them in lull. They are brief and to the point, and will be read with interest by those who wore not fortunate enough to be present upon the occasion. OPENING SPEECH. Fellow Citizen*: A few years ago this land was convulsed with the sound of war.. Then patriotic mon went forth to maintain our nation's honor, and we promised them that the laurels they won should never fade, but that their memory should be cherished by a grateful people. Many of those heroic men now fill an honored soldier’s grave, and to-day we are assembled to honor, by appropriate ceremonies, the memory of the nation's dead. It is right that by our presencf*aud sympathy we should testify to their worth as citizens, and to their heroic bravery as soldiers. In this hour of peace and prosperity all should honor those who reflected credit upon ys and our country when the nation’s life was in danger, by preserving and maintaining it intact and unbroken. We owe them a debt of gratitude we can never pay, but by observing this beautiful custom of decorating their graves we will teach our children to revere their memory and water their green laurels with the tears of affection.

jcdge hammond’s oration. 3/y Friends: We come with floral offerings to decorate thase graves in honor of the memory of those who died that their country might live. Other loved ones reposo in this beautiful cemetery whose graves are ofttimes strewn with flowers, but to the memory of the dead alone whose lives were given for their country, do we pay these public, patriotic demonstrations of affection. Wc offer these tributes of respect from love of the cause for which these men died. We give them as testimonials of the exalted patriotism, in obeying the lofty inspirations ot which, they went down to premature graves. , Our minds upon this occasion naturally revert to other days—to the time when thy gallant heroes who here repose in death, werEJ»ithjlia_ML.life. We reniember that our country called them to arms. We also remember that they cheerfully obeyed the call. Some of you remember, too. of taking them by the hand for the last time as they were leaving home aud its endearments to go forth 4o battle for their country's honor, never to return alive. Some of yoh/ also, marched and fought with them. Aud there are those here, no doubt, who stood by some of them when they fel upon the field of battle. You who were their comrades in arms know how well they fought, aud how heroically they died, whether upon the field of carnage, pierced, and riddled, and torn with the shot and shell of the enemy, or whether they died the more frightfu death in the hospital from the lingering diseases of the camp. The trials ant hardships, the sufferings and privations that these men endured, and, finally, their heroic death in defense of law and liberty, union and good government, entitle their memory to the lasting gratitude of their countrymen. ’ While we "deplore their sad fate, we are glad to know that they did not die in vain. We do not mourn their loss as having died in a bad, a useless, or even an unsuccessful work. The cause for which they poured out their life's blood was a good one. It was a patriotic cause. It had the favor of heaven, aud the approval of all good, patriotic people. Atid it was a successful cause. A country founded in the patriotism, in the wisdom and in the blood of the sires of the revolution was saved from despotism and slavery, if not from anarchy and destruction. The grand declaration of our fathers, that all men are created free and equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, was in the death of these men aud the triumph of the cause for which they gave their lives, made true in practice as well as in theory. The Union was not only saved but made permanent. The doctrine of secession found its grave by the side of the “lost cause.” And in thus establishing liberty and union at home, the cause of freedom and free government was advanced elsewhere. - The success of republican institutions in suppressing the rebellion demonstrated more fully than ever before man’s capacity for seif government. It made our nation more than ever before a beacon light to Others. The oppressed of other lands were reafliatfated and t&ak fresh courage. They are demanding a faller recoamition of thoir rights. These are being con-' ceded, though slowly, md it i.y «>ti

much confidence be predicted that the time is coming when the despotisms and monarchies of the world, which now grind the rights of men into the dust of the earth, will be supplanted by governments republican in form, based upon the rights of the people. Iu fighting for liberty and union, wherever our armies met and defeated the enemy, one more victory was gained for the rights of man, not only here, but the world over. No, my friends, these men did not die in vain. It were better tbat all of us engaged with them iu the struggle had perished rather than that the cause for which they gave their lives had failed. Their memory is entitled to our gratitude. It is appropriate that we respect it in this public manner, with banners, and music, and flowers. And in paying these affectionate tributes to the memory of our deceased friends, brothers and comrades, wc do ourselves good. It has been well said that after what wc owe to God there is nothing more dear or sacred than the love which we owe to our country. And what can inspire greater patriotism than a visit on an occasion like the present to the last resting place of the dead soldier whose life was given for his country ? All honor to the memory of the deceased defenders of the Union! We can in part repeat, but can add nothing to, their praise. Their most enduring monument is the glorious country saved by their valor. We may strew their graves with the earliest, choicest blooms of spring; we may pile high the marble columns to their memory; tjie flowers will soon wither; the columns will eventually crumble to dust; but the memory of these martyred patriots, being associated with an imperishable cause, will live green and fresh in ti e hearts of humanity as long as liberty and free government are maintained among men.