New-York tribune., 1876-05-30
DECOR1TION DIT.

When Decoration Day was first observed III
this country the only feeling it excited was tho
desire to honor exclusively Northern or South
ern soldiers. Each gallant fellow was set held
in kindly remembrance in his native town or
village the hstle lag or bunch OF flowers was
most probably laid above him by hands which
his own had lately pressed; there was an in
dividual sense of loss in the hearts of those
who paid this annual tribute to his memory,
and it may be bitter resentment against
those who slew him.
Now, when personal sorrow Tor the dead has
given place to more vague but far jusier
conct ption of tho meaning and uses OF the
war, it is Il significant fact that the one incl
dent of the day most eagerly commented on
as important by press ard people IS the occa-
Lsional honor paid to tic bravo Gead by their
former foes. 1t is the wreath laid on the
grave Of the boy in gray which draws atten-
! ton away from all the Others, and dimS the
| eyes Of the bystandcrs with y feeling which
| has q deeper source tan even regret for The
dead, so strong is the desire II the people to
be friends again with their brethren. Poll
ticians may have their own ends to serve III
| probing the still gaping wounds, but the
great mass Of intelligent Christian people
in both the South and Moth arc heartily
clad Of any occasion which brings them
together on their old foOtinr. or gives
them chance to show Indy feeling.
Yo-day is one of tlIcse rare chances. Last
year a marked effort was made to pay respect
to the graves of Confederate dead in the North,
or of the Union soldiers i'll Sonthcrn grave
Yards, and we doubt not th brotheIly feeling
will be more strongly expressed to-day.
proposition was made a week or two ago by
an association of the First Defcndcrs-thc
men who first took up arms III the North
that an invitation DC extended to like asSocla-
ton in the South to join tbom IN bororng the
Fourth OF July tOge her in the Old independence
Hall. The spectacle of these two bodies Of
men, remnants Of the forces who rushed to
arms against each other fOr causes which
seemed jrst TO them, marching arm in arm
together, would give more meaning 10 the day
than all the splendor OF foreign or nome dis
p!ay with which it will be celebrated
There is 10 reason to loDH At the matter in
the light Of common sense, why the
alienation between the sections should
continue. There is now no integral DIFF
| ference in their Interest,", such aS existed
before the war, AID made accord well nigh
impossible. The great political issues now be-
fore the country are no5 based Oh geographic
cal divisions. Much of the heat Of resentment
still remains, especially in the farming prov
inces of the South, and it is natural il should
remain. No agricultural people can see their
homesteads destroyed and land Laid waste
without bearing n grudge deep and bitter
against the invaders. Men in cities whose
business suffered equally, and whose losses
wero perhaps heavier, felt 10 personal malice
against their enemies; so wholesome Is
tho ohcct of friction on the average
mind. But even in the isolated planter the
sense of injury grows already fainter with
each wear. There are many causes which viii
hasten return not only Of peace but Of
good-vill. No persistent feud OF this kind has
ever existed among people OF homogeneous
origin unless it was caused 'y religious differ
ences. rs in ireland, or by irreconcilablc polit-
cal aims. as between the Gue!phs ana Ghibol-
lines. There ia absolutely no ireconcilablc
difference. political or religious, between the
peoule of the South and North; nothing but
the heat of recent strife; and the American,
after all, particularly tho genial, indolcnt
Scuthernor, il a. forgying. easy-tcmpered
| fellow A word spoken in season may make
| friends of him and his childrens children. For
oar sake, and his, let many snch words be
spoken to-day with heartiness and sincerity.
No better time than the day on which we