The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-13

ADoRN THEIR GRAVES WITH FLORAL TRIB-
UTEs REGARDLESS OF PARTIsANsHIP-No-
BILE WORDS FIFTY SPOKEN.
The following beautiful passage Is taken
from speech delivered at Chicago, in 1868,
by the Hon. Eli S. Shorter,
one of the most gifted and
influential men in the state of Alabama.
The sentiments will be admired at all times,
but they will be appreciated specially as the
day approaches for the decoration of the
graves OF the dead soldiers: One
of the most affecting AMI suggestive
scenes that have witnessed since the close
of the war, occurred last year in the ceme-
terry of my own town in Alabama. 1t was
in the evening OF the day set apart by our
ladies for decorating the soldiers graves
About sunset, accompanied by friends,
drove to the cemetery TO see what was 10 bs
set apart especially to the burial OF soldiers
Every grave land there was a large number
OF them) had been freshly wreathed with
beautiful flowers. In the midst of these
graves and side by side with them, /
noticed head board marked with the name
of federal soldier who had been wounded
in battle, captured, and bad afterwards died
and boon buried there. Had my fair coun-
try women cherished that spirit of resent
ment charged upon them they would have
manifested il upon that occasion by neglect
ing the grave OF that stranger, who in life
had been their mortal foe ano waged war
upon them. But his grave had received
the same care and attention that had
been bestowed upon those by which it was
surrounded. beautiful garland OF flowers
upon this newly made mound was the silent
though eloquent refutation of the charge
against the fair ones whose hands had
Plucked the flowers. [Cheers and applause.l
gazsd upon that silent scene; realized for
ho H~uf ina . An t.,ar, - ~ hate
ing
''To ERR IS HUMAN, TO FORGIVE DIVINE"
1t so happens that on the very day. and very
hour when these "good Ssmaritans" were
engaged in the discharge OF these holy
offices. a leading member of the radical
party in tie congress OF the United States,
upon the floor CT the House OF Representa-
tives cried out 'Confiscats them, confiscate
them.' How much better, fellow citizens,
would it have been for Va, how much more
becoming the great American people, IL the
radical party had been governed Dy the g.
same noble, generous impulse that led
these women of the South to do honor TO
the graves of federal soldiersl Honor,
feilow-citizens of Chicago, forever honor
the graves OF heroic dead. Prolonged
cheers.l Cover them with the sweetest
flowers of spring. No southern man wild
object. Rather let Us, who have survived
the unfortunate cODnlct, 1OlnluE naDCSs
adorn the graves of our fallen brave, and,
under the shadow OF the old nag forgiving
and forgetting old strIfes, pray that hence
forth the angel Of peace shall spread her
white wing over ali our land; prolonged
cheeringl; that brother shall never again
wage war against brother; that no military
despot shall ever sit upon throne in the
capital Of our nation ["never, never''l, or
ever erect it upon the ruins OF American lib
erty; but that our institutions, the union,
and the constitution shall stand till time
shall be no more. Immense applause