The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-05-14

AN CNTIGELY SUGGESTION u In speaking
of the proposed celebration Of sprinkliug
flowers on the graves Of soldiers, the Rock
Island drqas makes the following sugges-
ton. We further suggest that in view OF
the expiration IN Il measure, Of the bitter
feelings engeudered by the war, aud as a
token Of that mqguRnlmity inherent in every
true solder, that the graves Of the rebel
dead on the Island be Likewise treated with
"a respect similar 70 those Of our own mar.
tyrs" The question arises, what do we
sprinkle flowers on the graves Of our own
soldiers tor2 Not because they 1rere sol.
diers OF brave men or virtuous men, all Of
which many of these rebel dead were. 1t
was because they died while serving their
country in the ranks of the | Mon army aud
died while doing the duty Of patriots. 1t
may be magnau.miy IN us to forgive the
rebel dead lying by the side Of the patriot
dead, but does magnanimity call upon those
who throw flowers on the graves Of the he.
roes who died for the Union, to turn around
and bestow equal honor and shectonate re
membrance on the remains of those who
died in the ranks Of traitors in armed rebel
lion against the Government, and who were
the indirect cause Of the death of those pa.
triots we mourn We think not.-DdreR.
port Journal.
We don't propose to insist upon the eug,
gestion, and thereby lay ourselves liable to
any amount of contumely and misrepresen.
tation Especially is this the case when
there seems to be no probability that the
graves Of either rebel or Union soldiers will
be decorated, if the matter depends upon the
action of the people of Rock Island. Moth
ing has been done over here, and for cop.
perhcad sheet we have said about all that
may be considered appropriate, while the
oval organ hasn't even devoted one line to
the subject
The act Of decorating their graves is sim
ply a token to the world that our persisted
heroes are not forgotten. We propose to
pay to them the same respect which far dis
tant friends and relatives would do, were il
equally in their power \ large portion o
a,,. pauuc IS aware that in innumerable 10
| caIites of the South, when the inhabitants
went forth last spring to strew flowers OF
tombs oftheir dead champions they also or
nsmented the graves of orr dead. They did
not ask why such respect should be paid to
enemies who had spread death and devssta.
ton in their midst They acted from the
undeflable impulses of the human heart,
which first find birth in compassion, when
the steruer feelings of hate aud revenge
have passed away. What mother can stand
beside the last resting place of her idol, and
not feel throb OF pity for the lone unhonor.
ed one who sleeps beside him, no less a
treasure to saddeued hearts d thousand
miles away? What though he may have
been an enemy2 Was he the less loved,
the less precious, the less tenderly mourned?
And from whence shall spring the narrow
souled edict to prevent her casting few
fading flowers, fated to perish ere night,taII,
on his unnotced grave? There was day
when some might have been found to gaze
with exutaton on the graves OF the dead on
the ISLAND, not of our own homes, but that
time has past away, and sorrow for the IN.
honored victims of an unhaIowed power,
can now only arise in the breasts of the tru,
y humane aud maguanimOus.