New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-06-01
THE DAY OF THE DEAD,
SOLDIERS GRAVES AT ARLINGTON HIGHTG
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simultaneously enacted all over the North had at
Arlington the intensest interest of association with
the seat of itself, well the charm of most
noble landscape, aud the reverent neighborhoods OF
the Capitol and the home of Washington. The man
sion Of Arlington is quite four miles from Washing
ton City the roads go, while the bird flies 1t is
no more than two 1t stands right opposite the city,
whence it can be seen from almost every point OF
view, clasped in the black shadows Of natural oak
woods and suspended upon eminent hull. IL
seems a large and somber temple in the distance.
This day there was a flag floating in the sky above
il, and nothing else unusual could be seen from
Washington without glass.
To reach Arlington. one must take either the
Auueduct Bridge of Georgetown, or the Long Bridge.
which two flank the mansion nearly equl-dlstahu
from it on either side. The bulk OF MANKIND pre-
ferred the former route the solitary horse railway
which traverses the city leads nearly to this bridge
1t by this road that went and from the Drldgo
1 walked to Arlington, good two miles
Georgetown is one of the last border strOngholds
of the Southern aristOcratic sentiment, and 1t may
almost be called also the capital of the Catholic
Church in America 1t is the Washington flights OF
Brooklyn flights of the District of Columbia, and
keeps up the oldfashioned distinctions of Southern
towns more remarkably than any place in this lat
itude. You may see by the tone of its little weekly
newspaper-The Courier; by the odd old tavern and
business sign-boards, and the frequent tobacco
houses; by the lettering, datory look of whites and
blacks that it is the sieve that has caught the last
measure of Southern Captoline society. For Wash
ington is Northern now almost as completely as
Harrisburg or New-Haven, and has been evac-
mated by the old gentle families the Southrons,
the Dodges the Pckerells, the Berrys, and the Ma
gruders all of whom have gone INTO sleepy and
stately retirement on the cool outrageous nights OK
Georgetown But even here there are dropped flags,
and the ubiquitous flowers, for this year, with
wider charity than heretofore, it has been resolved
by the "Grand Army Of the Republic" to decorate
the graves Of both National and Rebel dead, and this
little piece of pleasant Difference has sofened tho
hearts of those otherwise Obdurate people so that it
may be said that to-day is truly national holiday in
GEORGETOWN as well as in Washington. picked up
sturdy old States Rights" GeorgetOwner striding
along toward the bridge and said with some aston
lshment: "Are you decorator, tOOT Yes, he sald
that last order reconstructed me- you are going to
club the soldiers and consider that both of em was
right as far as they knew then begin to think that
perhaps the country is united again Any way We
don't bear the dead any grudge" At Georgetown
bridge the crowds coming to a confluence show how
unanimous the attendance proposes to be, and tha
surface of the bridge is packed like Broadway at
midday with omnibuses, carriages, and long hles OF
pedestrians to all of which latter the tol-takers
i
are not allowed to take any toll to-day"
The way lies straight up aud steeply; for Airing
ton House is over 800 feet above the level of tho
| river We hear the band throbbing in some distant
part of the park. Suddenly the trees part and the
curious old mansion is straight above us, at the
! top Of an almost PERCEPTIONS lawn the hag-mass
planted in the groves before the porticO, and the
great flag solemnly shaking itself out at the summit
The portico and open space are full OF people; the
a 49,, o,,A
stands as old Gusts and Col Lee used 20 see it-a
| ap-boarded piece of grandeur and imposing I'M
| posture.
| ARLINGTON HOUSE AND GRAVEYARD
| Bigger than Mount Vernon, and more spacious in
its saloons but not sensbly built, nor so plentiful
| of apartments Arlington House is the temple OF
Postum with wings like low business offices,
thanking its colossal succO portico: huge brick pill
lars make this sportcO, five feet in diameter, and
they uphold an implanted wooden pediment The
color of the house yellow rough cast and there is
mixture of magnfcence and ginger in it, which
makes one think that here there had been once .
deserted temple to Minerva, which house painter
had discovered and turned into barn and place OF
business. There is show within and with
out and the main hail. two thanking
drawing-rooms, and the hOweT-house are fnei
but all over the place are daubs in ochre and sepa,
| by that eccentric old gentleman Gusts, who COM
bned in himself the worship of the muses., the pedl'
| gree of Washington, and q very original feeble
mindedness. You can see his artistic hand further
in the eigies of American eagles, and wild horses,
which are painted over his stable and buttery-two
appendages to the house in the rear, which make,
with It, three sides of hollow square. In the middle
| of this square is a windass WELL Out in the woods
behind the hollow square, are the graves of George
| Washington, Parke Gusts himself and OF Mary his
wife. Plain obelisks which show that somebody
who buried the grandson of Mrs. Washington had al
least equal taste with himself if not his fertility.
Around those family graves, the Army of the Re
public, holding ranks in death, and interspersed
with the occasional graves of Rebel soldiers, who
died in hospital, or captivity keeps its motionles'
encampmeut under the natural shadow of the forest
trees and extending far beyond them in the pleasant
meadows of sunshine. The cemetery is probably the
most simple pastoral, and beautiful Of all the mel
| ancholy consultations of such that the loving
| gratitude of the Government has established
on fields of battle To every grave there is uniform
head board painted white telling all the story OF
enrolment. and martyrdom, and their inscriptions
face Arlington House. from which they radiate, as il
to be read by its owner should he ever return here
and solemnly remind him of his vast responsibility
in their fate Here rambled Robert E. Lee, proprie-
tor eight years ago, with LOO acres of land, and
woods owing allegiance to his estate, with this great
baronal mansion for his home, with silver hairs al
ready setting in and all inherited and original
spect attached to his name, his wife, his profession,
his services Lafayette had been visitor here on
several occasions to ask that the beautiful timber be
spared, saying to Mrs. GUSTS Madam, remember
how much harder it is to make tree grow than to
cut it down" Here had old Gen. Scott come to say
| . ~ Gn1 Ionfk