The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-26
MEMORIAL. tyEsI.gG.

The week has opened on which the set
ting sun of its last day will cast its linger-
ing rays on the evcrgrecns and flowers
which will have been revercntly placed, by
the loving hands Of comrades, on every
grave where a soldier of the Union, in the
war for the suppression of the rebellion.
sleeps his last sleep. In one sense but few
of these dead soldiers gave up their lives
tor their country. In our town the num-
Der Is very small of those who died on the
field of battle, in the hospital. the prison
pen. of wounds received in action, or dis
ease contracted in the service of their cOun-
try. In another sense, they and every
soldier of the Union may be so regarded.
They risked their lives for the country.
knowing the risks and dangers, they took
their lives in their hands and hrayed death
by the bullet. from the miasma Of the
swamp, from shipwreck, from the priya-
ton of the camp and the starvation of
rebel prisons. For this reason, and on this
account, it is well that the graves of all Of
our country's defenders should be so deco
rated, so honored. An oyewuing proyi-
dcnce alone prevented all of these honored
dead from literally yielding up their life
blood in their country's defence and Tor
their country's honor. Already prepare
tons arc being made for the solemn cerc-
monals of decoration or memorial day.
Already has been published the names and
location of the graves of those Union sol
dlers who are buried among us, amidst
their kindred and friends.
Although, in the main, the decoration of
graves is under the direction of, and had its
origin with, the ':Grand Army of the Re
public" an organization composed of the
surviving officers and soldiers Of the vol
unteers who rallied for the suppression of
the rebellion, and designed to keep alive
the memory of those days and honor those
of their associates who had been called
hence we were in hopes that, this year,
there would be a broader patriotism, a
more extended comradeship, full recog-
milton of those soldiers who had, at other
times and in former wars, risked their all
for their state and country. a soldier re-
cognizes and respects bravery and heroism
in another soldier, even though he may
haye been an enemy. But we are not re-
ferring to enemies, but to those who gave
their services so that our volunteers Of
1861 SO might have n country to fight, to
suffer, to die for We would not hayc the
sun of Saturday night go down on a single
soldiers grave undecoratcd. In our scyc-
raj cemeteries are buried officers and sol
diers of the revolutionary war, the war OF
1912, the Mexican war, and, probably, of
some of the French and Indian wars
some Of whom died in service. We should
like to see patriotism broad enough and 4
comradeship so extended, that each and
every of these graves might, too, receive
fitting floral decorations.
If these graves shall ever be marked and
recognized on this annual commemorative
day. as they are in some other localities, il
must be undertaken very soon. There are
as vet, a few men remaining among us who
can point out these old soldiers graves. but
they are fast passing away. a few monu
mental stones mark the fact that the per
son there buried was "sodier Of the
revolution or served in other wars bu
with the majority only memory can recall
the fact of their services. We know tina
the comrades of the ''Grand Army are no
selfish in the bestowal of their floral offer
ings that they appreciate the services anC
sacrifices of those who went out in bat
tie years ago ; and we therefore, trust ant
hope that they will take measures to dis
cover these almost unknown graves, an(
hereafter fittingly decorate them. W
know not from whom it could more appro
priately come. The young always reyer
ence the old so these younger soldier
could belittingly honor the Older soldiers o
the Republic. We simply make the sug
gestion-is all we can do. 1t is for other
to act.