Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-05-19
PENETRATING DIsCORD.

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The editor Of Measure for Measure Is
not pleased with the decision Of the
Grand Army Of tho Republic in New
York City. to decorate on the 3Oth
instant the graves OF both Union and
Confederate soldiers. He says:
II no sentiment connected with the
cause gives odor to the floral adorn-
ment. then the graves OF all blood
letters ought to come In for dccora-
ton. Better bury the flowers with the
dead bodies. II 10 has come aboat that
we pay honors alike to the rebel and
loyal ause.
We think him wrong. utterly and
inexcusably wrong, both In premise
and conclusion. First, by comparing
volunteer soldiers In either tho Union
or Rebel armies to nero b~lood-lstters,
or In other words, assassins aud MUIR
dsrsrs, aud second In his comprshsn-
sion OF the motives which impel and
the spirit. which inspires these floral
tributes. The custom IL as old As the
world. In all ages bravery has rscsiv-
ed hsnors, and tributes have been paid
to the heroic dead. This tribute Is
rendered o.the stsaafastness, the he
rolsm, the single ~hsartsdness, the self
sacrifice Of u Kindred, Dur people.
We strsw flowers upon tho graves Of
our dead, 10 In memory Of the
cause, but tho character OF those
whose graves We decorate; not
In memory Of Gettysburg or
Manassas, but Of John and Henry aud
william who slumber meath the sod
We beautify. And we do this not to
psrpetuats strife; not to continue EN-.
Filtered memories, but rather to fos-
ter q united sentiment Of honor to
that sturdy worth and unfliching cour-
age, which, In q cause believed to BE-
right, will "dars all things, endure
all things and suffer all things even
unto death. We honor our dead fer
their personal Characterization. The
aus In which they fought has moth
Ing to do with this homage, this trlb-
ute 10 bravery and self-sserlflee. The
remarks OF Senator Schurz, In his
suloey at Bostsa upon the late Charles
Sumner, In references to the battle nag
resolution, seem applicable alss to
these decoration services. He said:
No civilized nation. from tho repub.
lies OF antiquity down 10 u days.
ever thought 10 wise or patriotic to
preserve In conspicuous or durable
form tho mementoes Of victories won
over fellow citizens la civil a Why
not? Because every citizen shall feSl
himsslf with all others n the child OF
n common country aud act AZ a de-
fsatsd foe. All civilized govern
msnts OF our days have lnstinctivsly
followed the same dictate Of wisdom
and patriotism. The lrlshman. when
flghtlng for old England at Waterloo,
was not TO behold on the red cross
floating above hun tho name OF tho
Boync. The Scotch Highlander. when
standing In the trenches OF S~ebastopol.
was not by the colors OF his regiment
to be reminsi Of Culloden. No French
soldier at Austerliz or Solierino had TO
read upon the tricslor any reminis-
cence OF the Vendee. No Hungarian
nc Sadewa WAS tainted by any Aus
traian banner with the surrender OF
Villages. No German regiment, from
Ssxoay or Hanover, charging under
the Iron hall Of Gravelotts, was made
TO remember by words written on a
Prusian standard that the black eagle
had conquered them at koniggratz and
Langensalzz. should the son OF South
Carolina, when nc somo future day
defending the Republic against some
foreign Zoe, be reminded by an lnscrlr-
tion on the cslors floatidg over him
that under this flag the gun WAS fired
that killed his father AZ Gettysburg!
Should this great and enlightened Re
public. proud OF standing la the frost
OF human progress, be less wise, less
larye-hearted, than the a%ncisnts We're
1000 years age, and tho kinSly gov
srnments Of Europe are to-dsyy
Never will the American people be
firmly Joined together Into a Union
such AZ was planned by it, founders
aud builders, until those sentiments
take hold OF aud control the action OF
our leaders. IL Is the politicians. not
the people, who clnno. comprehend