Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-06-10
IIOnOrs TO the Rebel Dead.

were upon lnis country, anu our weary
though hopeful soldiery was washing
away before the rebel ramparts, and every
breeze from the South waited to these
northern towns and cities the thunders of
powerful political party assembled in a
national convention, officially announced
that the war was failure, and in effect
assumed the success of the Confederate
cause to be an already established fact
The erebel leaders We're cheered and en-
couraged, by this detection of powerful
faction in the north, and history will re-
cord the fact that thousands Of the brave
men who persisted in their country's
cause were brought to their CORY graves
by reason of the aid and comfort given by
the political demagogues who sought to
make the war, on the part of the govern
ment, the failure they solemnly declared
it to be in the Chicago platform of 1864
But through the valor and persistent
fighting of the loyal armies and the stern
rebule with which the loyal masses at
home met the political overtures to trea-
son made by the political opponents of the
administration of Abraham Lincoln, the
war was brought to a successful close The
armed power of the rebels was subjugated
to the government and the Confederate
chieftains sheathed their bloody swords
a grateful people welcomed back to home
and peace the war-worn veterans Of the
union armies who survived the struggle
The associations, common trials and
dangers of the arduous service our soldiers
had been subjected to- bound them to-
gether as comrades and as friends, as
firmly as the fraternal knc4
can be tied, and it is =
strange that these bands of not
should seek inspiration : comrades
comrades elbow. rom the touch of
means for ker and provide ways ana
1anger eping up recoiiectloh OF 'he
., trials and service which had
.,een their common lot. For these and other
kindred purposes, reunions on larger and
smaller scales have been organized, until
aim ost every Department of our recent
Army is now represented by some organ.
ization.
There has grown up among others, a
very strong social and fraternal organiza-
ton known as the Grand Army of the
Republic, which seeks to keep alive that
fraternal feeling which burns in the heart
of every true soldier of the republic in its
dark days Of trial.
To preserve the recollection of forme,
service, to keep the principles of freedom
aud humanity fresh in the memory, and
t. do honor to the brave men who laid
down their lives for their country, are
among the objects Of the Grand Army or
ganization, and to more fully carry out
the latter purpose, an anniversary ma
been established upon which the graves o
their dead comrades are to be decked witt
flowers, and befitting ceremonies are t.
be performed, by which not only respec
is to be shown to the individual loyalty
and bravery of the dead, but veneratiol
also for the principles for which the.
died
In the services pertaining to this inter
csting memorial, it was thought prope
not to honor the graves OF those who ha
frlt in the cause of treason at the sam
time, and in the same manner that the fiC
raj tribute was laid upon the last resting
place OF the loyal soldier. The forme
comrade. of the brave dead were OF oplI
ion that if the decoration was indiscrimi
nate Of all soldiers vi both armies, tina
the ceremony would lose all it, force /
stimulating the hearts of the people 10
devotion 10 the institutions OF our gov
ernment, and wherever the former soldier
OF the Union recognized the day and oc
cazion in the full spirit for which 1T wa
instituted, they carefully avoided doin
honor to the graves of rebels, or the priI
ciples OF rebellion.
A. might be expected this omission q
once excited the ire OF those whose heart
were against Us in the war, and the spiri
lhat was willing 10 use its influence
make the war a failure in 1864. broke OF
IN "a loud howl of denunciation at sue
such partiality The omission was d.
nounced by the press that once denounce
our military movements, in the same III
measured terms, and the Grand Army
the Republic, being composed of the sam
men who broke the power of the rebellio
and dashed to pieces the hopes of traitor
are naturally the target at which this r
bel shaft is aimed. To explain the eau
of this course to the whole people of tt
country and to inform the world of Il
true purpose Of the ceremony the Chi
Officer of the organization, Gener
John A. Logan, has issued the fc
lowing explanatory letter, which full
justifes the course adopted in decoratir
only the graves of loyal soldiers:
The Grand Army of the Republ
seeks to honor and preserve the prineipl
and institutions for which it's membe
and their dead comrades fought, to Ike
green the memory of the latter, a
make stronger the devotion of those W
survive. Hence the institution of "Me
orial Day" Hence, too, the necessity
confirming it strictly to the holy purpoi
indicted that of honoring the men W
died that the nation might live, and
thereby reviving in our hearts, and
those who are to come after us, the loi
devotion to freedom and Republican !
tionality, which Repubi
Grand Army of the dead.
Is such an act incompatible with
noblest idea or magnanimity ? We kno'
it is not We strew flowers, therefore,
the graves of our comrades, and preve
their being strewn in the national cen
teries at the same time on the graves
such rebel dead as may be buried there
not because we cherish any feelings of h
or desire to triumph over individual IL
but because we seek to mark in this {
tinction and manner, the feelings "