The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-06-02
I,esora,ion OF HE Confederate Graves
ne; darlington.
xry. nAn Anv90 t1R34. .t

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afy Dear Sir received your telegram
late last evening announcing the fact thaty on
were unableto sendsne any flowers for the
decoration Of the Confederate graves at ar.
lington to-day. Fortunately, through the
sale of lot of flowers, and cuttings In pots,
was able to purchase, though ut q high
figure. some forty or more of these pots,
which, together with purchases of boquets
in the markets this morning, and the dona.
ions frcm friends, was able to secure
cuough to plant luing boquet at the head
If each alternate grave and a buncn OF now
ers upon Gll, so that not one was neglected
The Confederate graves Is Reoet" Is In
scribed on each bead.board) are located IN
The extreme southwest corner OF the Airing
ton Cemetery, aud separated from the Fede
raj dead by some fifty yards OF Intervening
space, with every evidence of wanton neg
lcct and insttention.
Now that the barriers Of distinction are
broken down, and we are permitted to:Vlsi'
these graves and to srew Gods emblems OIL
purity and forgiveness above their molder'
ipg ashes without let or hindrance, de-
cent respect for the memory of the " brave
who sleep the sleep of death beneath
these green mounds" compels me to
say that l have formed within my
own mind determination to raise 1und
W th which to improve these grounds 10
the immediate vicinity Of the graves-such
Is making gravel walks corresponding with
those through and around the Federal
graves. and planting out evergreens and
nlhcrwise ornamenting the grounds IN keep.
irg with other portions of the cemetery. !
made known my plans for this purpose to
General Eppa uunton, member of Congress
fiou the Eighth district Of Virginia, who
WAS present with us to-day, and with his
own hands aided us in planting and streT-
ing flowers upon these Confederate graves.
prom;sed to head the subscription for This
purpose, and, in addition, to use bis iuflu-
cnce 10 secure subscriptions from the south
crn members Of Congress. Having accom-
pljsbed one good work in the breaking
doan the opposition to the decoration OF
The "rebcl graves | shall not cease my
efforts until there shall be 10 signs of neglect
10 mark tie difference between the Union
and Confederate dead at Arlington.
shall term our association the " alrs. Lee
Memorial Association" out Of respect to the
memory OF her on whose possessions IN lite
thp,e Union and Confederate dead have one
common resting place.
This is now as it should be. and in the
llnguage of the opening prayer OF Rev. DR..
rsy. ca the occasion to-day, when he said.
" Nav al! our people, North and South, East
aud West. under the quckening impulse Of
Thy impartial love, be joined in still closer
union; and bS fidelity to Thee and to each
other. and by q right use of the means of
growth they enjoy, achieve the highest glory
OF natious-i gence and Righteousness"
Being one people in life, let Us be one in
death The results of the late civil strife
established the authority of the United
States; the Union is perpetual; let it stand
t,rcYer The flag floats over the whole
country from East to West-irom North to
South. Let it increase in lustre, and let our
forms of Government grow and take deep
root in the confidence and affections Of the
people. The cause-Republican liberty
Tor which these brave men fell is not lost
cause. 1t Is the germ-the vital spark that
will keep these States united and continuous
under one common Government. We would
not disturb tive will not surrender it.
But the grand principle that underlies this
GoYelnncnt-the principles that the people
are sovereign and have a right to choose
ii!eir own form Of government, and to have
TIER liberties protected as we'll as their
rights respected in even the minor amenities
OF life, in which the living may desire TO show
Il decent respect TO the dead, for this Is
guaranteed in our Constitutions an hides
iructible principle. 1t cannotbe destroyed.
Like Millions angels, it is immortal; you
may wound, but you cannot Kill it. In an
hour of political passion it may be lost sight
of; but, like the sleeping volcanic fires that
burn in the bowels OF the earth, il will ulti-
matcly burst forth, upheaving the land and
the sea, and light the nations within It's arc OF
influence.
l think it was Emmett that said: Let
no man write my epitaph until my country
is free and takes her place among the nations
OF the EARTH"
1t was thus that felt so long as there ex-
listed this distinction in the distribution of
the floral tributes to the dead soldiers OF
either army in our national cemeteries on this
national Internationally. Some very good
people, l know, are in favor OF different
day for the decoration Of the Confederate
graves; but | am opposed to this, as 1t
would keep up the distinction which is
both unwise and impoltic. 1t is the
distinction that [ would and have
sought to Break down. In a measure
this is done, and the privileges We enjoyed
at Arlington on this memorable day, in being
permitted to streW those long-neg lected Con-
tederate graves without let or hindrance,
may we not hope, is the precursor OF
brighter and happier future for our people,
north, south, east and west. The triumph
over our prejudices and passions, cngen.
dered by wrong education, is greater trl-
umph than the winning Of bloody battles.
Hence the triumph of to-day, at Arlington,
though apparently insignificant. was tri-
umph Of grander magnitude to the present
and future Of this country than all the bloody
battles combined, in which the brave OF the
'blue" and the "gray," that lie here in one
common charnethouse, fought and died.
In conclusion allow me to thank you for
the kind interesE'you manifested in this mat
ter, and though you were unable to aid US,
vet we take the will for the deed"; and
also permit me. through you, to thank the
Richmond press for their noble efforts to aid
us in our preparations for this occasion.
They have warm place in our hearts.
will not close, however, without giving
Iay on the names Of those friends present, who
took part in our quiet distribution of the
flowers that were spread with loving hands
above the long-neglected graves of the
Confederate dead at Arlington. We met by
chance, and not by concert of any previous
arrangement, two charming young ladies
from Alexandria, who were drawn there by
the cords of common sympathy
Mrs. II. Lawrence and Mrs. Fannie
Sullivan. In company with these
ladies was a Mr.. William Mack, of Cali
fornia, but whose sympathies were with
these neglected graves. A Mr.. Davis aDG
two other "ex-rebelS," from Washington
together with my entire family, consisting
of six mbers, constituted the entire mum
Der, with the exception of General Hunton