Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1879-06-18
Wednesday,, Jine Is, 1879.
Representative HOrr's Decoration
Speech i'm West Virginia.

NHgiula, Oh wv
decoration of soldiers graves in
the National cemetery there, which
occupies three columns of news.
paper space in the Eagle of that
place. The address was such an
one as it would naturally be ex-
pected that a partisan politician
would make, even upon day cal
culated by those who first gave it
observance, to be devoted to kind
and tender thought, a day OF ma
tional mourning for the national
dead. 1t is natural, perhaps, that
under such circumstances, the
speech of Mr.. Horn, however pa
triotic he believes himself TO be,
should, in some respects, leave an
unpleasant i'm resi-, n. The pa
per in which the address of Mr..
Horr is published in full devotes
considerable space to critical COM
ment As showing its spirit few
paragrahs are quoted herewith:
cit is right and proper that de-
coration should be observed. But
il should be observed in a proper
manner, without partisan feeling
or bitter words toward either par
ty in the late strife. The war is
rast and gone. 1t has left behind
it many bitter feelings, perhaps, in
the hearts of those whose loved
ones were slain on southern battle
fields or died in northern prisons.
1t cannot fail to arouse such feel
ings when the past is dragged up
and held TO view in all its hideous-
ness. Demagogues take advan-
tage of this, and, upon the eve OF
elections, tear open graves OF the
past, and like hyenas, hold high
carnival over the putrid remains
of the dead heroes, and seek to &C
complish by wild appeals to pas
sion that which their judgment
tells them they cannot accomplish
by argument. But we protest that
Decoration Day is not an occasion
for bringing up such feelings. In
stead of strewing the graves with
harsh words or bitter recrimina-
tions, it were better to strew them
with springs sweetest flowers
And il the latter cannot be done
without multiplying the fragrance OF
the rose and polluting the air with
the bad breath of the professional
demagogue, it were better that no
public demonstrations take place.
IGJbasyNrafrlot be made in kind
and conciliatory spirit. in a spirit
in which the dead soldiers would
wish them made, it were well that
they were not made at all. 1t is
not an occasion for political or
sectional speeches, and the people
do not want to hear such speeches.
Many Decoration Day orators know
this; some do not. The soldier,
the brave man who risked bis life
In defense of the principles he be-
lieved to be right, never desecrates
the day by sectional harrangues.
Private Dalzell, a most bitter poll
tician of Ohio, spoke at Martins
Ferry on last Friday, and when
approached by an interviewer,
said: Il came down here to help
the boys decorate soldiers graves,
and politics are ont of the ques-
ton now But Mr.. Horn came to
Grafton and delivered a speech,
the plain intention of which was
70 excite sectional and political an-
imosity. The difference between
Mr.. Dalzell and Mr.. Horr is this:
Mr.. Dalzell was a union soldier,
while Mr.. Horr, although in his
prime at the commencement Of the
war, being 81 years of age, pre-
ferred to remain in safety in the
quiet county of Lorain, State of
Ohio, and fight the rebels in the
rear. He held profitable coun-
ty Office during that time, and no
doubt has often congratulated him
self since that he was sharp enough
to keep out of the bullets reach I;
that he chose to be covered with
official honors rather than risk a
fight that might result in covering
him with Virginia soil. When Mr..
Horr speaks of 'heroics efforts du-
ring the darkest days Of the rebel
licn,' il is well to remember that
his heroic efforts were confined to
the solution Of the problem: How
may escape the draft
at is speech worthy of the
man who delivered it, but il never
could have been made by a brave
soldier speaking over the graves Of
fallen comrades. The latter, we
venture to say, would have more
good words for the brave foe who
met him in fair battle than the
stay-at-home patriot who remained
in the rear during all that terrible
struggle and increased his pelf by
trading upon the nations woes"
In reference to the charge that
Mr.. Horr in his speech attempted
to infiame the passions Of people in
the accusation that the south is