Show The Oration and the Poem I read with interest this morning the reports of the celebration of Memorial Me-morial Day at Fort Douglas ana my feelings and views are in full sympathy sym-pathy with the occasion The procession pro-cession and arrangements were worthy of the occasion and the parties par-ties patriotic as the most fastidious could expect Under all the disabilities dis-abilities of the inclement weather tbe whole affairto use a newspaper news-paper fhrasa tswas a success But it is a matter of eurprse and regret to see hat so little attention to literary ability necessary for such prominent public occasions and in selecting persons of talent creditable to our Territory should be shown 1 I do not criticise for the love of criticising or faultnnd to please a carping disposition bt feel jeaous for the honor of our city and especially eo as we have men Joyal men fully competent to compose and deliver orationl or pot tie effusions ef-fusions that will not at least be a disgrace to our scholars literateurs and pets The oration on Memorial Day was evidently an old Fourth of July oration doctored and patched for this occasion The spirits of the two days are very different and it seems to me very absurd to give the threefourths of the oration of Rev Jackson on that day and eo little be said on the merits duties and designs of this celebration If it is not an old Fourth oration delivered de-livered many a time arid oft be forwhicb I am confident it isit is at least not an occasional address ad-dress but dIsplays bad taste mostly inaprops and wandering from the subject to be discussed A dozen or gentlemen of good ability could be chosen that would do some honor to the occasion snd city But what shall I say about the lines recited called an original poem Those doggerel lines thai would disgrace dis-grace A 8cholboy of the m ° anest race That cobweb poem in oratense Of rhyme and pair otic sense With qual grace they meet the eye And ll poetic rules defr A man who will impose hs efftte effusions on the public or push himself to be asked to do sos so-S not only devoid of n oilesty ignorant ig-norant of poetry but ia totally blind to tbe demands of the occasion oc-casion and unworthy of notice and his advances should be repelle i when made on this or even on other occasions We feel disgraced by such peurile attempts to vbe represented by a literary lit-erary nonentity Surely in a city where there are Several poets of ability at least some one could have been invited to do justice to the auspicious day and be of some ability abil-ity and do us a little honor I am sorry to further remark that such poetic efliusiona have been utterfed on several public days by persons utterly incompetent and unworthy I t hope that orators and poets worthy the names and occasions occa-sions will hereafter be invited to take part in the ceremonies and if necessary their effusion3 be examIned exam-Ined before delivery by a competent committee LOYAL CITIZEN |