The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-05-12
DECORATION DAY.
Proclamation by Gov. Beveridge Appointing
the 30th Inst, for the Decoration Of
Soldiers Graves.

In accordance with national and departmental
orders OF the Grand Army Of the Republic, in OBJ
aervance of A custom already honored aud In har-
mony with the sentiments OF affection and patriot
Governor of the state Of Illinois, do hereby appoint
Saturday, the 30th inst, memorial day, in remem-
brance OF our patriotic dead.
And do earnestly request that all the good peo-
pie OF the State OF Illinois on that day cease from
their usual ayocatons, and join In commorating me
suerngs and valor, the sacrifices and death, OF our
fallen heroes, by strewng their graves with spring
flowers and decorating their tomos with resn gar
lands.
And do further request that, on the Sabbath fol-
lowing, In s orr churches, appropriate services De
held Ia memory OF the loved ones and In sympathy
with those who stil mourn, tnculcaling public and
private virtues obedience 10 law and love or their
country, and expressing gratitude to Almighty
God for His continued blessings upon us as nation.
In testimony whereof hereto set my hand and
cause TO be affixed the great seal OF the State.
Done at the city of Springfield, this sth day of
May. In the year of Lord 1874, and Of the indie
pendence Of the United States the 98th
JOHN L. BEvERIDGE, Governor.
By the Governor.
GEO. H. HARLOW, Secretary of State.
The Chicago Tribune, publishing the
above, says:
Governor Beveridge assigns as a reason
for his action national and departmental
orders of the Grand Army of the Repub-
lie" 1t is a new thing for this organiza-
ton to have a share in the government of
Illinois Gov. Beveridge ought to inform
the people, to whom his proclaim alton is
addressed, how it happens that national
and departmental orders Of private so
clety are quoted as supreme authority in an
Executive document The language used
is in bad tasto and extra official it will
not appeal to the good sense of members
Of the Grand Army, while it will be often
sive to soldiers not belonging to it, of whom
there are thousands in this State, whose
loyalty has never been questioned. As for
the friends OF the men who died in fighting
for the lost cause.-the proclamation does
not seem to be meant for them.
This whole matter of Decoration Day is
simply piece of political clap-trap. 1t
was gotten up by Republican fuglemen for
no other reason in the world but to make
party capital 1t has been run as party
machine from the beginning, and never
was intended for anything else If
they had been sincere in a
desire to honor patriotism and bravery
they would have taken pains to divest it of
any party bias They would have made it
national in fact made it day for decor
ating all soldiers graves, the graves of
soldiers Of the war of the Revolution, the
war Of 1912, the Mexican wal, and the late
war between the States-and they would,
if they desired to honor patriotism and
bravery, have decorated the graves of all
alike as they do in the South, the graves of
both sides Instead of that they began at
Arlington by driving women away from
that cemetery at the point of the bayonet,
who went there to place flowers upon the
graves Of their relatives who died fighting
for the lost cause-men who were Just as
patriotic as any men on our side, They
were fighting on the wrong side, of course,
but they were as honest and patriotic in
their course as any of our men were They
did not embark in their lost cause for office
or gain-which is more than can be said
of all of our men.
We we're as sad aud sorrowfu as any
body could be, TO see them struggling to
disrupt and dismember the Union. We
believed they were wrong and that they
ought to be defeated-but we never
doubted that they were as sincerely pat
riotic and brave mistaken though they
werel as our own soldiers. Yet our gov
eminent has plowed down their graves at
Rock Island and means to obliterate all
traces of the spot where 1000 of these
brave and patriotic, but mistaken, country
men of ours now lie moulding in the dust.
We honor bravery and patriotism wherev-
er found, and we agree with the Tribune
that Gov. Beveridge has shown bad taste
in his proclamation in acknowledging the
supreme orders of private society which
is engineered only as tender to party pol
itics.