The New York herald., 1876-07-09
A National Monument to the Br.v.
Clusters.

CuSterss
We appeal to such of our countrymen as
appreciate yalor and admire heroic deeds to
assist in some mark of public recognition OF
the sacrifice of their lives by the brave
Custer family in the late massacre. To be
sure no mark of honor or recognition can
benefit the dead and yet sentiments of jus
tice, gratitude, admiration and affection
make il duty as well as a melancholy
pleasure to pay tributes to departed worth
and to proportion such tributes to the
esteem in which the dead are held. The
illustrious Englishmen whose ashes repose
in Westminster Abbey may be insensible to
such conservation, but the effect on those
who pay the honor is salutary, and the in.
spring influence on minds in pursuit o.
honorable fame is incalculable. Pub
lie tributes of admiration are the
strongest incentive to men who have
the capacity to render great services to
their country and if it be important to
this Republic that we have succession OF
such men as the Clusters it is worth while to
be generous to their memory Nevertheless,
we do not rest our present appeal on any
such calculation of advantage. We address
ourselves TO the best impulses of warm
human hearts that have been appalled, by
this hideous massacre, kindled by the hero
ism of General Custer, and touched by the
affecting and pathetic spectacle of a family
lying in close proximity on field of slaugh-
ter where they offered up their lives in the
service of their country. No man needs to
assign reasons for indulging generous and
ennobling emotions. The admiration OF
valor is akin to valor itself, and the senti-
ment of admiration is better satisfied when
it has the sympathy of kindred minds that
share it. This communion of generous feel
ing is best expressed by joint efforts to bear
testimony to the worth of those who have
lived and died nobly, and the more widely
the feeling is shared the deeper the satisfac-
ton of those who indulge it and give it out
ward expression.
Among the methods of testifying admira-
ton and gratitude to men who have rem
dered faithful and resplendent services to
their country the most appropriate is pub.
lie monument. The HERALD, therefore. rec
ommends that national monument be
erected to commemorate the heroism OF
General Custer and his kinsmen who fell
with him. By employing the word ''na-
tional" we do not mean to imply that it
should be done by the government. Every
contribution should be the free Offering Of q
generous and admiring citizen, and the mon
ument should be national only in the sense
that the funds for it's erection be sup
piled by patriotic people in all
parts of the country. Let each give
in proportion to his convenience, q
multitude of small subscriptions be-
ing better than few large ones;
the chief value of the testimonial
consisting in the number who participate. Az
means of setting the movement on foot
and attesting our deep interest and sincerity
the HERALD will give one thousand dollars;
and, for the present, until some other ar
rangement can be made, it will receive and
report contributions. We prefer that an as
sociation be formed with responsible
treasurer, and if this appeal is responded to
the HERALD will report contributions from
day to day as they are received, and pay the
amount including its own subscription.
over to the treasurer of the Monument Assou
citation as soon as one is appointed.