The National tribune., 1882-05-27
Decoration Day.

Tuesday next. the 30th inst, will be OBJ
served universally throughout the North as
Decoration Day, and, as usual, the members
of the various Grand Army Posts will strew |
the graves of their fallen comrades with |
flowers. 1t is to he regretted, as we pointed |
out in a recent issue, that the good example !
OF California, in making the day legal hol- |
iday. has not been followed by all her sister |
States, so as to afford all classes of citizens |
an opportunity to attend the memorial cere-
monies, but doubtless the time is not far
distant when the anniversary will receive
due legal recognition. 1t is gratifying to
know that so far from losing its hold upon
the favor Of the public the day grows in
popular esteem from year to year and Is
coming to be regarded in the same light as
Washingtons Birthday and the Fourth o!
July, j. e, as fixed national anniversary.
The apprehension that, as the memories Of
the war grew indistinct and the survivors
of that struggle passed away, Decoration Day
would lose its significance and ultimately
cease 10 be publicly observed, vanished long
ago. 1t may well be that as time goes by
and our veterans are one by ore summoned
to the final muster the celebration viii
undergo some modification, such as lnde-
pendence Day has suffered but we cannot
believe that it will ever wholly disappear
from the list of national anniversaries.
We can afford to dismiss all such forebOdiDgs
and turn to the consideration of the cele-
bration that is Just at hand.
1t is seventeen years ago this spring since
the last battle of the Rebellion was fought
seventeen years since the last Of those, whose
valor we are about to commemorate afresh,
gave up their lives in defense Of their coun-
/ try-but every year renders the memory of
our dead heroes more precious and reveals
more clearly the worth of their services.
! Time has, perhaps, dulled the sharpness Of
our griefand s0ftened the pain ofrecollection,
but it has not deadened the national sense of
! gratitude and if less Of personal sorrow dis
| tinguishes the ceremonies Of the day than
! formerly it is only because the feeling OF
reverence and admiration has swallowed up
all other emotions. 1t is meet that it should
be so The time has gone by for fearful
regrets. Who can doubt that were it per-
mitted to these sleeping heroes to rise from
their graves and survey this smiling land
they would rejoice to have been the means
of securing such brilliant destiny to their
country and would account as nothing their
sacrifices in It's behalf? 1t is not pity but
Joy that should fill our hearts at the thought
of their fate-joy that they have left behind
them such an illustrious example of patriot
ism for the emulation of their countrymen
While we scatter above their sod the tokens
of our remembrance let us indulge in nc
vain repinings over their lot, but seek rather
to draw from the recital of their achieve.
ments an inspiration for the future. Let us
eDueaNur 10 peEpttudtS tiiSIi fiiVueo ter
essential in these piping times of peace tt
the maintenance of Republican institutions
as when grm-visaged War confronted thC
Nation-and hand down, untarnished tt
posterity, the fame of the American citizen
soldier! The new generation that is coming
on must be taught to cherish the principle
for which our comrades laid down thei
lives. 1t must be made to feel that tn
celebration of Decoration Day has highe
object than the mere ornamentation of on
soldiers graves, beautiful though that cere
mony is. 1t must be brought TO look upol
this outpouring of veterans as nationa
: pilgrimage 10 the shrine of patriotism-no
= less a source of inspiration for the livin
| than sacred duty to the dead-so that tn
1 spirit of 81 may be kept alive in the Repuh
a lie as through the long succession of Inde
n pendence Days the spirit of '76 has bee
: | faithfully cherished