The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-05-30
DECORATION DAY

1o-uay tne graves OF tne feuerai ueau,
sleeping in the national cemetery near this
city, and in all parts of the South, will be
lovingly decorated with flowers. While
this is done to keep fresh and green the
memory of their unselfshness, their patri-
otism, their heroism, their devotion to
principle and to the sacred duty Of a most
perilous hour, the ceremonial will be COM
mended by all right-thinking men, what
ever may have been their sympathies in the
hour of contention and strife. If there is
a man, woman, or thoughtless child Of
any maturity in Richmond, who is con-
scious of any other feeling than that of ap-
proval in the act of those strewing flowers
over all that is mortal of the brave men
who fell battling for what they believed a
sacred and heaven-imposed duty, he or she
has only to probe the conscience for con-
demnation of what they may think or feel.
The only danger is that the ceremony may
degenerate into mere form, or, what would
be worse still, be accompanied by such os-
tentation of pride and vanity as to be, in
fact, no honor to the dead, but only an Of
fence to the living. AS decorative honor,
it should be free from all external pomp
and ceremony in those who bear the floral
offerings to the tomb. The tear of one wild
owed heart, or the floral token Of one low
ing hand that would honor the dead for the
dead's sake, is worth all the pomp and pa
rade of hundred men in blue or gray.
We look forward to the time when the
citizens of Richmond shall all join in this
beautiful ceremonial, and when the floral
honors to the noble Federal dead in the
National cemetery shall be borne by the
same hands that crown, with such warm Of
lection, the graves of the noble dead in
Hollywood. 1t is not too much to expect
this of brave and chivalrous people. We
are friends, brothers, countrymen, all; and
for this very reason, we desire to see the
ceremonies of to-day conducted in such Q
spirit, and with such outward observance
of propriety in all things, as to hasten the
era we so much desire to see. The editor
ial which we copy from the Enquirer Of to-
day, is SO full of the spirit which promises
to bring in this era of good feeling, that w
give place to it in full. The grandest ant
noblest episodes of the war were writer
on those brave occasions when both hostile
armies joined in a common tribute Of re
spect to the heroes that fell on either side
The same spirit would now dictate com
mon ceremonial as between Hollywood ant
the National cemetery:
FEDERAL DECORATION DAY.
To-day our Northern friends resident il
Richmond, and those in full sympathy witt
them, will decorate the graves Of the soldier
in the National cemetery adjacent to thi
city, and at other points in the South
We trust they may have pleasant day TO
their work of remembrance, and that on
people will render them such assistance a
shall not appear cbtrusiye, and tende
them all the sympathy the solemn occasio
demands, in the performance of this praise
worthy task. The Blue and the Gray slice
side by side in the same hallowed soil, an
the living only await the coming Of that da
when all may join with equal delight j
doing honor to the heroic virtues of both.
As men may. they fought their fight
Proved their truth in their endeavor;
Let them sleep in solemn night
Sleep forever and forever.
And let our resentments, too, sleep j
their green graves ''lorever and forever.
We have not been apprised of the orde
Of ceremonies fixed upon for the obser,
aace of the day, but suppose the usu,
programme will be followed. The pos
master requests us to state that her pos
Office will be closed from 10 A. M. until
PM, and doubtless all the Federal Office
will suspend business.
We extend to our Federal friends all Ii
sympathy we may, not wronging thos
who have higher claim upon our love an
duty.-Enquirer.
THE st. Louis Dispatch says: "Colon
Tennie Clafin hasn't got her commissic