The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-06-14
The Kenosha Unions Reasons for opDos-
inc Decoration DaY.

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The Kenosha Unions Reasons for oppos-
ing Decoration Day.
| The editor of the Kenosha Union,
OF the writer of the article which APP
pears as editorial, in the last issre Of
that paper, gives the reasons why he
opposes Decoration Day. He says
eve have always, as we do now, gave
the following reasons Because it
engenders bad feelings and sectional
hate-a principle that Washington
himself warned his countrymen to
iayoid. Because it affords q corrupt
class Of politicians, such as Morton,
| Chandler and others, to form q combi-
nation to control the political action
Iof our country" . Z
We shall not notice the good gram
mar Of the expressions Eve have
always, as we do now, gave" and
afford q corrupt class Of politicians,
< = 3: 8 to form 4 combination
more than TO refer to them. Not so
with the reasons for opposing Decora-
ton Day. They deserve attention.
1t is said that q poor reason is better
than none. But the reasons given
have not the merit Of being even poor
reasons. They are no reasons. The
same objections will apply equally to
the celebration Of any day OF any
event about which there may be differ
ent opinions. The celebration Of any
day Or any event may engender bad
feelings and hate in those strongly
opposed to it, and more likely when
the opposition is not sectional than
when it is. Washington never spoke
of bad feelings and sectional hate as a
principle and never warned his coun-
trymen to avoid them by refraining
from celebrating days and events Of
the revolution. On the contrary he
recommended their commemoratiOn
and Joined in their celebration. His
warning his countrymen in his fare
we'll address against sectional strife
was altogether a different thing and
for q different purpose as the writer
very well knows. Hoping to deceive
he refers to Washington's advice to
avoid sectional strife and division for
clap-trap- for self-applause. But his
readers will not be deceived. Some of
them will know very we'll that Wash
ington had no reference to patriotic
celebrations, and he will fail to receive
the applause hoped for.
The writer has a chronic habit of
speaking of some of the ablest and pur-
est Republicans as corrupt and so en-
braced the opportunity to speak Of
''such as Morton, Chandler and Others y
as "a corrupt class of politicians" to
Ito form a combination to control the
political action Of our country" This
is vilification and SANDER unworthy
even of the writer, but his chronic hab-
lit got control Of him and he gave it
uttorance. No one, not even the writer,
believes that corrupt politicians form
combinations on Decoration Day to con-
troll the political action Of our country.
But every one may believe that the
| Republicans spoken of by the writer as
q corrupt class are among the ablest
and purest statesmen.
The writer says, "When Grant re-
ceived from Lee the surrender Of the
Isouthern army, he did it as q brave,
chivalrous general, and was willing to
recognize Lee as q generous but fallen
foe" This is true but Lee aud his army
and secessionists and c0pperheads did
not receive the recognition in the spirit
lit was given. They never acknowl-
lodged or felt the chiyalry and generos-
Iity extended to them, that secession
Ihad been decided against them by the
arbitrament of war, and that hence
| forth they should be loyal to the United
States. Had they done so generally
Throughout the Union the country
would be half a century in advance Of
what it is now.
The writer says eve say, then,
however meritoriousa an event may be,
| if the celebration Of it is calculated
to perpetuate strife and i'll feeling be-
tween the different sections of the
country, there is more honor in the
breach than the observance Of it,.