The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-06-05

Anhin1 aIolementlOuedll inside the palinGss
Q! the National Cemetery there to min.
gle with tho dust and await, with all the
rest the coming OF tho Saviour OF man
KING Gems to have excited The jealousy
OF those entrusted with the management
OF this eeremony. a guard which walked
over and upon the graves was stationed
to prevent the casting of flowers ON
them. Ii was the valiant Office of these
sentipels to pick The flowers that sympa.
thizing friends had placed there, off the
little mounds that marked the last resting
place OF the rebel dead The eloauence
OF the orator, when he reasoned of for
giveness and good will, seems to have
smittea with poor effect upon the ears of
the Committee of Arrangements, whose
guard was engaged the while in such an
exhibition OF limmeasurable meanness.
Even the commonest axiom of human
feeling was forgotten, and the dignity
aud propriety OF the occasion was lost
altogether in the distinction which was
ordered to be made by placing q guard
with boyonets fixed to prevent the intru-
sion OF any marks of sympathy for the
rebel graves.
The show OF sympathy for unfortunate
rebels might have been better timed than
on o day dedicated, it now appears, to
such exclusiveness. It ought not to have
been made to provoke the Jealous folly
that showed itself on this occasion. It
was bad taste to intrude such sympathy
upon day thus appointed and appro-
prlated. These graves without tribute
would have been more eloquent of mis-
fortune, would have plead with more ef-
feet to the generous hearts of all good
men and women there assembled, had
they been left alone without q token.
The guard would then, have had an
empty Office to perform, and by this
reason one more conspiouously mean.
Against such q duty the Lying soldiers
OF the republic would have had good
right to protest. They will certainly
never be called upon to do duty more
contemplate than that set apart for them
on Saturday last. Every decent Ameri-
can citizen will disclaim it. The offence
will recoil in public sentiment with some
uppleasantness upon the renl offenders;
and, though the circumstance is trivial
in itself, and no harm certainly to the
dead has been done thereby. there is q
significance in the expression of such
sentiments which it is the best hope of
the future that the American people will
learn to look down upon, and most tho
roughly outlive. Meanwhile, there are
very few but must both pity and despise
the offenders not less than regret the Of
fence itself. -
The New York Herald speaks thus of
the despicable affair: -
DIsaRAc1Na PATRIOTISM. That officer
OF marines who so outraged all the de-
cenciesof humanity at Arlington perhaps
thought he was in some way commend
ing himself for great zeal to the powers
that be; and either he has a most nnius-
tifable opinion of those powers, or it is
bad omen for the country, if they are
to be pleased in that way. Does this
functionary reflect the views that prevail
near headquarters? Is it possible that
we cannot see how to be patriots without
being brutes? Is it possible that our re-
spect for great cause requires us to ex-
ercise mean supervision over the nc
tions and thoughts of those whose sor-
rows differ from ours in their direction?
ls this horrible tyranny of majority to
go into the sacred domain of the grave,
too, and shall no one be grieved over, or
mourned with sentimental usage, if he
happened to be wrong? Shame on the
zeal that pursues quarrel beyond the
grave. In the United States of Ameri-
ca, freedom has been much cramped for
some time, but we have always desired
to believe that it was only necessarily 80.
Permit us, men in authority, to believe
that there is still freedom for a woman
to go to the grave of her son or her lover
and cast upon it token of her remem-
brance. II there is not, what better are
you than the brutal despots that made
Austria q by word among nations?
The following is the special despatch
to the Herald relative to the matter:
The action of lieutenant and small
guard of marines at Arlington, yester-
dey, in preventing people from throwing
hovers over the graves of the Confede.
rate dead, is the subject of much talk
here, to-day, and the general sentiment
Is condemnatory. It turns out that the
officers of the Grand Army of the Re.
public were not altogether res ponsible
Ixnk I'M