New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-05-14
The Enteriil g-Wedge.

In the observance of Decoration Day i'm
this vicinity this year, we hope no discrimi-
nation will be made in the decoration Of SOL
dier's graves, whether they be occupied by
the dust of those who wore the blue or those
who wore the gray. At Mobile and many
other points in the South this year, Union
soldiers have participated in the decoration
OF Confederate graves, and very probably
this circumstance is hailed as an earnest of
the good time coming, when all aspcrities
shall be forgotten. In New York the Grand
Army of the Republic have concluded to
make no distinction between the graves of
Union and Confederate dead. The time is
near at hand when the North and the South
will have common Decoration Day, and
when distinction between the dust of the gal
liant American soldiers will be regarded not
only as unmanly but npatriotic.-Ereaing
Star.
When we arrive at the point where no dis
tinction is made between loyal men who were
slain in defence Of the country, and those who
died fighting to destroy 1t, and the same honor
paid to the memories of dead traitors as to
murdered Union men, the next step will be
to pension the widows and orphans and all
disabled rebel soldiers. Nor will Congress
be likely to stop there. Having gone so far,
it will be but just to pay for the rebel prop
erty destroyed by our armies, then for their
emancipated slaves, and finally to assume
the rebel debt.
If there should be another rebellion by the
Southern people against the government,
what inducement will there be for American
citizens to risk their lives in its defence, if
those of them who chance to fall are to re-
ceive no higher honors than those traitors
who fall while fighting to destroy it? There
would be no greater insult to the memories
of martyred Union soldiers in decorating the
graves of Booth and Wirz, than those who
not only justified their conduct, but were, in
feet, guilty of crimes differing from them
rather in degree than in kind.
We think the example of the post master
at Mobile is the last one to hold up for imi-
tation by the whole Northern people. 1t
was humiliating attempt to conciliatc the
wrath Of the rebels amongst whom he finds
it his interest to live. 1t may possibly have
that effect. But even if it does save him
from some of the insults he has been SUBJ
jected to as a carpet-bagger, can it justify
the people of the North in trying to render
treason honorable. The Star points exult-
ingly to it as an earnest that all asperities
engendered by the war are dying out And
yet We doubt if it can point to single in
stance throughout all the South, of any such
honors as it proposes for rebels having been
shown to the memory of a Union soldier.
On the contrary, the dead and living friends
Of the Union are hated with as bitter hatred
as during the rebellion.
But the chief objection to the advice OF
the Star is, that it takes away one of the
strongest motives for loyalty and removes
the chief penalty in this country for treason
At any rate, it will be time enough to talk
about decorating the graves Of traitors, in
common with patriots when the Southern
people give sure proof that these animosites
! for the Union, Union men, and Union mar
tyrs, is becoming a little modified, if nothing
more,