The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-06-16
FROM OUR NEW YORK CORRESPONDENT
The death Of Charles Buford-some thoughts
in Relation to Decorating Soldiers Grave

It was a severe shock to me to read 10 the
ARGUS, the announcement OF the aeatn Oh
so good a friend and so true gentleman as
Charles Buford. Peace to his soul. Fook
Island. as we'll as MS relatives and friends,
will deeply feel his loss. With Chas. Butord
gone, Rock Island will seem very lonesome
10 me. And yet We know
Deaths but path that must DO trod,
If man would ever pass to God"
"The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power,
And all that beauty. all that wealth e'e,
Await alike the inevitable hour.
The paths Of glory load but to the grave
dwell with peculiar satisfaction, upon the
beautiful christian closing of the life of ms
departed friend, and trust that the relative.
OF the deceased will frd, in that, some con-
ISOLATION for the great grief which must weigh
so heavily upon them.
Thinking of the dead calls to my mind the
recent prete "tious public shows made by
political org anizatiou called the Grand Ar
my Of the Republic, wherein the beauty snd
fitness of sire wing fresh flowers over !ne
graves of dead soldiers is marked by ln'iu-
ious distinctions. For instance, telegram
from Washington, dated May 3lst, reads as
follows:
nrbe msap spirit of Radical spite inaugura-
ted on Decoration Day last year against the
graves of the Confederate dead, when United
States marines were stationed around them to
prevent the floral decoration of the same, was
revived yesterday at the Arlington decoration
even in a more offensive manner. There are
eighteen Confederate officers and Confederate
soldiers buried there whose resting places were
oonspiouously marked yesterday by several paste
board signs in large letters of "Coufedera ate
Graves. One or two ladies and gentleman
not needing the warning seemingly conveyed in
these psstebosrd decorations ventured to place
their tiorsl tributes the mounds of earth that
covered these rebel dead, but sooner had they
done SO than their flowers were snatched there
from by committee Of that political organiza
ton known as the Grand Army of the Republi Q,
and they were warned not to repeat the act by
these petty officials.
There has been no order issued against it"
said the gentleman who hR d placed the flowers
there, "and claim the right to put my own flow
ers on those graves
You sban't be allowed to do it, SIR" was the
fierce reply.
The ladies and gen tlenen ~ ere then threatened
with arrest for an alleged attempt to create dis
turbance, and thereupon withdrew. 1t Is due to
say this some of the more decent I MON soldiers
deprecated this unseemly exhibition.
One Southern lady, dressed in deep mourning,
while passing grave on the head board Of which
WINS AhbcEAbeu Tue uaIbe VI ueT SUI over tue worn
in garing letters ''rebel, quietly left . crown OF
roses on the green sod and passing when
the harsh voice of one of the committee gentle
men ordered her to take it away again, or he
would throw it among the crowd. The lady burst
into tears, but was compelled to obey.
Can any one tell why, in this land of our
boosted freedom, a mourning mother should
be, by a republican political organization
denied the right to lay fresh flowers OIL
the grave of her dead son-and then
be driven away from the grave Shame
upon the men and the party who perpetrate
or excuse such shocking barbarism and cru.
city
"The reconciiing grave
Swallows distinction first that made us foes
And all alike lie down in peace together"
"Here turks treason here no envy swells,
Here grow no damned grudges here are no
storms,
No noise. but silence and eternal sleep
Admit the beauty and fitness of the trib
ute TO the memory of our deceased soldiers
which is sought TO be established az q regu-
lar annual custom, | believe that if the
spent soldiers who can he Weakened from
their long sleep By no reveilie, could have
known that on each returning spring their
countryman and their children would assem-
bic to sing hymns and scatter flowers over
their graves, they would have offered their
lives q more cheerful sacrifice to country
which holds them in such beautiful remem-
brance.
Yet, it seems to me. this interesting cere-
mony can have no value, IN the eyes either
of God or of good men, unless it be con-
Quoted in spirit of charity. If it is made
al incentive to the perpetuation Of hatred
and untrsternal luminosity, 1t seems to me
that 1t can be nothing but Dissertation of
the dead and al insult to the living at
thou bring thy gift to the sltar," said the
Great Master, and there remembered that
thy brother hath sught against thee; leave
there thy gift before the altar, and 90 thy
wsy; first be recouciled to thy brother, and
the. come and ofer thy gitt.' Whether il
Is mote or u beam that we think see
In the eye of our southern brother, we should
be more careful to cast the obstruction out
OF our own eyes than to magnify their faults.
or to keep up invdious distinctions over the
graves Of those with whom we have been at
variance. There is a most beautiful chapter
IN one Of the epistles of St. Paul, chapter
that contains the essence of all Christian
duty, which it would not be inappropriate to
read whenever and wherever this public Ger
emory of decorating soldiers graves may
be performed. 1t is so short and SO pertinent
that | copy it entire, as follows:
81. Though l speak with the tongues of men
and Of angels, and have not charity, am be-
come sounding brass, tinkling Gym bal
g. And though l have the gift of prophecy,
and understand all my steries and all kno wledge;
and though 1 have all faith thatI could re
move mountsins, and have not charity, l
nothing.
"3. And though bestow all my goods to feed
the poor, and though l give my body to be
burned, and have not charity, it pr onteth me
nothing.
81 Charity suffereth long, and is kind char
ity enveth not charity vaunteth not itself, is
not puffsd up.
as. Doth not behave itself unseemly, sseketb
not her own, is not easily provoked, shinketh no
evil
sc. Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in
the truth Z;
"7. Beareth all things, believeth all things,
hopeth all things, endureth all things.
''S. Charity never faileth but whether there
be prophesies they shall fail whether there be
tongues, they shall cease; whether there be
knowledge, it shall vanish away.
'9. For we know in part, and prophecy in
part.
10. But when that which is perfect is
come, then that which is in part shall be done
away.
IL Nhen was child, spake as a child, |
understood as a child, thought a child but
when became a man | nut awsv childish
things.
III For now we see through a glass, darkly |,
bat then face to face now know in part but |
then shall l know even as also l am known.
"13. And now abideth faith, hope, charity
these three but the greatest of these is charity"
The poor tenants of the decorated graves |
hold no malice 10 the world to which they |
have gone, federals and contederates stand |
On the same footing, and find mercy on
equal terms. Flowers, which are nature 8 |
sweetest gift and loveliest ornament, ore
lifting emblems of love, kindness, tender
memories, and precious hopes; but not of
malignant passions and long .harbored re-
sentiment Flowers which are scattered |
In soldiers graves should exhale nothing
puI fragrance, and this beautiful ceremony
d Soun, only the generous self