The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-05
Union Decoration Day.

Written Dy MEs. AhenI "hS Va JAIN Ahcni
formerly of Port Byron, and read by Mr..
Austin, at Little Rock. Mr.. A. was for
merly resident of Davenport, and he and
Allen were both soldiers in the federal
army, and both Republicans years ago.
To-day they are for peace and union in
preference to hate and party strife,
To-day we give extracts from two
speeches on the occasion. The assembly
was presided over by Judge Caldwell of
the federal court in Arkansas.
The first speech was made by Gen.
Edgarton, formerly of the federal army.
We have only space for portion of it as
follows:
Over the green graves Of our dead he
roes of both armies we are learning les,
son which we never fully comprehended
before-that we are one people, with COM
mon language. common country, unity
of interests necessary to each other, and
naturally bound together for mutual hon
or, advancement and defense.
Let US forget all sectional distinctions, all
trivial differences of opinion, all past Bit
terness and heartburning, and with true
and earnest love of country, rise into a
purer atmosphere. and give full play to the
more generous and patriotic impulses OF
our nature. Let no one come here to-day
with q mind warped and poisoned with
the narrow bigotry and senseless fanatism
which has filled our past so full Of error,
misunderstanding and misfortune. With
tho past bitter struggled in which these sol
diers offered up their lives, was wiped out
forever the only vital differences which
threatened the unity, stability and per-
petuity of our republic Nothing is left
now, which in reason should stay the tri-
umphal car of our progress and rapid de-
velopment, or cause US misgivings for the
future. We have learned some terrible
and costly lessons in the past, and ii
we do not profit by them, then,
indeed, will these brave men have
died in vain, and we, the living, de-
serve the obloquy and contempt of all the
nations of the earth. Yes, deserve to be
come the scorn of tyrants and the jest Of
slaves, In the past we have permitted
ourselves to become the blind followers o.
ambitious and scheming demagogues anC
professional politicians. whose trade it seem
ed to be to engender and keep alive the mos
dangerous and intolerant elements of dis
cord. Year by year, through their ma
chinations, their blatant and fierce invec
tives, the breach between the two section.
of our country widened. until their terri
BILE work was consummated in setting
brother against brother in the battlefield
What cared those lond.mouthed mischief
makers for the awful results of thei
teachings? What cared they though tn,
golden cord of our union should be broken
and ruin and desolation have possession
of the land? In all nations there is al
element which thrives in revolution ant
grows rich out of their country's misfor
tunes. War is their hearts desire ant
most fortunate opportunity, They onl
rise when the good and honored fall, an,
get into place and power by fraud, violenc
and bloodshed. l appeal to you, M
friends | appeal to the annals of our war
were the stirrers up Of strife in our cour
try among those who were found at tn
front on the field of battle? No.
would it were so. But these men wer
provided with safe, comfortable and re
munerative places in the rear. Whe
they had kindled the fame of civil wa
they called to the front the bone an
sinew of our land-the people, the hewel
of wood and the drawers of water-calle
them from the plough, the anvil and tn
loom, from all the honest and peaceful as
sociations of quiet industry. Withor
waiting to inquire into the causes of tn
struggle these men, sons of revolutionar
sires, with the brave and generous in
pulses of the true soldier, rallied to tn
battle as men flock to feast, Comrade
l assert what know to be true from e!
perience and observation, when l say tn;
between the soldiers of the opposin
armies of the late war, of those who:
graves we decorate to-day, there was I
feeling of hatred and revenge, They di
not feel themselves responsible for II
strife in which they we're engaged. Whe
the ''blue" and the gray CHANGED
come together under flag truce, aft,
battle, the utmost cordially and GOO
feeling prevailed, and stranger witnes
ing these remarkable gatherings migl
we'll imagine them comrades Of one arm,
and the playful nicknames which they al
piled to each other, terms of respectf
compliment. And how kindly, almost wit
woman's constant tenderness and watcl
fitness they ministered to the sick, wount
ed and dying! How quickly they answere
to the agonizing cry of water, for the loy
of God water!' wrung from the parche
lips and suffocating throat of the DOC
manned, helpless comrade whose life wa
fast ebbing away upon the fel
where he fell. When with the keene9
sympathy, these brave men knelt besid
friend or foe alike to receive the half-arti
ulated utterance of the dying soldier, pc
ishiug far away from home and friends an
kindred, yielding up his young life with a
its wealth of strong manhood and its pron
Use of happiness, honor and usefulness.
when they listened with deepest feelings
pity and gentle sympathy to the last d,
ing words of love to be sent to father, mott
eI, sister, brother or wife, the last legac
to loved ones at home, these feeble falte
ing accents of affection were Away
breathed into true and faithful hearts, an
the trust religlously kept. Zone touch
nature makes the whole world kim" Ho
many crushed and bleeding hearts hay
been soothed; how many desolate home
have been made happier and brighter
how the harsh and heart breaking terror
and bereavements of that fearful war hav
been mitigated by the humanity, tn
thougtfulness, the observation-disclosures
the common soldier. Well and truly ha
an American poet sung
THE bravest are the tendesest,
The LOVING are the daring"
All! my friends, had the work of reco
Citation aud restoration been left solely
to the brave, faithful and magnanimo,
men who fought the battles of our la