American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-04-20
Decoration Day.

As it Is the special province of
the ladieS-a self-impOsed . labor of
love TO decorate with earth'S fair
est flowers the sacred resting-places
OF our fallen heroes, it is no part of
an editors duty to remind them that
the day approaches Jas though they
were 80 thOushtless and frivolous as
to take no note of time,") and to
urge them to do that which it is
their greatest pleasure to do. 1t Is
not in this spirit that we presume to
speak of the sacred day now less
than a week off.
We are pleased to learn that the
ladies have been fully alive to the
importance of the duty-or, rather,
the pleasing task-they assumed,
and have been active in all the pre-
liminary arrangements necessary to
ensure a successful, highly credita-
BILE, and imposing celebration. Their
selection of an Orator for the occa
sion-Maj. II. 8. FOoTE, jun., is an
excellent one. A Confederate sold
Ter himself-young, ardent and tai
ented-a participant in the ''lost
cause no less the cause of justice,
right and honor, though "los.," he
can speak feelingly and elOquently of
the braves who lost their lives in
that cause, and to honor whom the
day is set apart as one hallOwed and
revered by every tue Southern
heart.
The Goth day of April in each
year, for all ensuing ages, to the
people of the South, must be one
hallowed and idOlized. In the
stormy waves of a revolution which
seas right, the proud bark they had
for nearly five long years so gallant
ly manned and defended, went down
wrecked, but not dishOnored. The
stars never looked down on a more
sad, yet glorious spectacle than when
the flag we loved So much was furl-
ed by Lees miserables at Apo
mattOx.
1t is due to those who fell defend
ing that proud f1ag-due to those
who are left, some Of whom {" wept
great tears" on that sad scene, that
they, too, had not "slept the sleep
that knows no waking" and found
ga soldiers honored sepulchre,"-
that their memories be cherished
and preserved in the beautifully sol
emn manner OF being decorated with
earth's sweetest flowers by earth's
fairest hands. Each blossom drop
ped on . soldiers grave, though it
will bloom no more, its fragrance
will 60 up to heaven as incense to
the holy memory of the fallen mar
tyrs of the yet noble Southland.
Let the day be revered and CON-
memorated by " thoughts tina
breathe and words that burn" such
as the Orator ON the ensuing occa-
sion is capable of conceiving-and
let US transmit to those who will
come after US the recollectiOns of
an epoch precious to all lovers OF our
matches Southern cline. Let the
fame of our dead beroes be told,
Z" in song and story" to the "last
syllable of recorded time.'
AN ENCOURAGING ITEM for the
Stockholders of the Canton Cotton
Factory is the following:
The Columbus (Ga) Enquirer
says: The cotton manufacturers of
this city are crowded with orders.
A large merchant told us it was
with difficulty he could get few
bolts of goods, as the mill had Or
ders ahead from every section. Our
mills are now running 10000 spin
dies and over 1000 looms, and cor
sumo over ten bales of cotton per
day. They have already taken over
twice as much cotton as to same
date last year.
One fact like this is worth a col
umn of editorial. There are three
or four cotton factories III Columbus,
and they cannot supply the demand
for their goods. Why, then, may
not the one factory here he a splendid