Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-07
The Arlington outrage.

The Washington correspondents OF
many of the Northerne papers give ac-
counts of the infamous 6enduct Of the
guard placed over that part of the Ma
tional Gem tery, at Arlington, where the
remains Of q few Confederate soldiers
were buried. The correspondent OF the
Herald says: .
The action of lieutenant and small
guard Of marines at Arlington, on Satur-
day, in preventing people from throwing
flowers over the graves of the Confed-
crate dead, is the subject of much talk
here to. day, and the general sentiment is
condemnatory. II turns out that the
Officers Of the Grand Army of the Re-
public were not altogether responsible
for what occurred. They merely ar
ranged to have the marines there so as
to prevent people from making mistakes,
but mistakes were made on the wrong
side. The marines misunderstood what
they were placed there for, and thought It
vas part of their duty to insult people
who happened too throw flowers on
the graves of the Confederate dead.
The lieutenantin command whose name
is given as Shirley, but of which i
am not certain, was particularly offensive
in his manner. Seeing lady throw q
small bouquet on one OF these graves,
this lieutenant rushed to the spot, picked
up the flowers, and, throwing them on the
ground at his feet, commenced stamping
on them in such q manner as to attract
about him crowd Of wondering specta-
tors in very few minutes. Some of the
lookers-on, learning the cause of the
lieutenants rage, commenced to murmur
Interpretation, when the lieutenant
shouted out: "D-n you, get away from
here, every one of you, or L u make yos.
Guards, Come up here and dispense the
crowd" The lieutenant accompanied
these words with angry gestures, and
swinging his arms about as if he intended
to pitch generally into the crowd. His
guards answered his call, but the crowd
dispersed without waiting to be baye-
neted.
The Times correspondent says:
The only events of any Importance
which occurred here to-day Sunday were
the decoration ceremonies of the soldiers
graves at three or four of the smaller
national cemeteries, and the religious
obseryances in most of the churches.
The sermons had more or less reference
to the same subject. Considerable bitter |
feeling and animosity appears to have
been aroused by the distinction made |
between the Union and the rebel dead in
the solemnities Of yesterday and to-day.
The unkindness, to give it 9 gentle term,
finds vent in newspaper communications,
church sermons and general converse
ton. The members Of the Grand Army |
Of the Republic, in maintaining their side |!
of the case, and one or two of the city |
clergymen have expressed themselves in |
strong terms in reference to it. Rev.
Mr.. Newman, chaplain of the Senate, in |
his grafton testerday, held that the re
representatives. OF this nation could never
sanction the decoration Of the Confed-
crate soldiers graves until it had been
first DECIDED by the Christian Church to
Day houors 70 Jaaas Isesriot, and until
we had ourselves agreed to commemorate
Benedict Arnold. In Alexandria no
distinction was made in the matter OF
decoration flowers we're strewn On
Union and Confederate alikei and at
Arlington yesterday few flowers we're
thrown on rebel graves. In more than
one instance the military interfered and
ordered them to be removed. The Grand
Army of the Republic intend to issue an
order on the subject in day or two, de-
Tending their action and replying to the |
criticisms which have been made thereon.