The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-05-23
FRIDAY EVEN'G, MAY 80, 1873,
Decoration of the Graves ar Arlington.


The recent action of the Grand Army of
the Republic in making objection to the
decoration of the fallen Confederates upon
the same day with our own dead does not
meet our approval. We are quite willing
to take any responsibility that may attach
when we say that it was unsoldierly and
narrow. minded. It was wholly at vari-
ance with that beautiful chivalry,
that magnanimous and instructive ten
derness towards fallen foe, which form
the essential foundation of a soldierly
character. Without these elements war de-
generates into murderous and brulal
carnage, its great lessons and its purify
ing and ennobling results are lost, and
replaced by baleful and malignant in
fiuences, which fill the nations with the
leaven of hate. and produce in due time
a brood of social evils. While we hope
to be ever faithful to our flag and to the
memory of those fallen comrades with
whom it was our great privilege to stand
underits starry folds in the perilous days of
the Republic, we cannot forget those who
honestly and bravely bore the hostile ban
ner which went down in irrevocable defeat.
Our heart goes out tenderly to those men,
and to those also who mourn the double loss
of cause and those who periled life to de.
fend it. Between the soldiers who went to
the field and those plotters of treason and
conquest who deliberately precipitated a
crisis, there is the widest possible gulf.
The political demagogues who brought
on the war and would listen to no terms
in their mad ambition who were willing
to deluge the land with blood to increase
their chances for Office and extend theil
lease of power, will go down to posterity
hated and disgraced as they deserve.
Every rolling year will add to their had
fame. But that great and heroic soldiery
who rallied to the mistaken cause from al
erring Judgment, whose sincerity and de.
votion are attested by sacrifices never sur
passed in any war, deserve our respect as
foes. Our hearts are deeply touched whel
we see an empty sleeve; when we thinl
that no pensions aid to repair the loss tt
the disabled soldier or to help the wife ant
children, or the innocent and helpless dc
pendents of the dead. Can we deny ther
the poor privilege of casting flower upo
a soldiers grave, wherever he may lie
No, we would rather stand with uncovere
heads in the presence of that great sorrow
which ought to inspire respect in ever.
manly breast. In the graves of these dea
countrymen of ours we would sink ever
hostile and clannish thought, rememberin
only their devotion and valor, and tn
touching sorrow of those who mourn thei
loss.
We have nothing to say of the expt
diency of common day for decorating til
graves of our common dead. If there b
any who would make it the occasion
vaunt or defy, we may well afford to i
such vulgar barbarism pass unnotcet
But if any choose to make our memoirs
day their own where the dead of bot
armies sleep side by side, we would warn
ly welcome them, and give an example
that knightly spirit which every true so
der shares. We are glad to see that IL
acknowledgement takes this view
the matter, as a late dispatch shows.