The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1883-06-22

ll'ron CIR Regular corrsspunesnt.l
ApAsutSuroS Iune 1 1922.

WASHINGTON, June, l. 1882, J.
Decoration day ira popular anuiver.
sary in Wuhipgton IL IL one Of the
100 many usti0nrl holidays dass Hhen
that eA,ley slave Known ~ the govern
mant e,erk Is unclaimed ir9m bis deck
an4 allowed 70 wander At bis own
sweet will, 10 beer gardsUs. liollawed.
the cre~d that vent 90 Dscars,ion
day " the Nstionsl Csmstefy ~ Ar.
lngion. Arlington, ,on kpow, was
oncs the home of Gens,el Lee. ft u
now An inmenss era~ysrd, looking
down npon Washington from ahe Viz.
giniA shore. A Confederate once
preached TO his wsrliks pArishonsrs in
the field, that the way to Ahrsbam's
(AbrahAm l,ineoln's) bosom was over
Arlington Hsights. The way 10 Ar
liag.on tiuishts from Washington Is
thlough ancient Georgetown, across the
Potomac. over q ricks,y lridg-, thence
half mile overs dnsty rosd snd yon
enter The pprtnis Vi what il l-ns.icaIly
called "Ho,ns's E.erna: Camping
GtouI.d," between two vertical Colun.
hisds IL 10 n h.aatiful spot, muck Of
il remaining in the Wild ustnrsd fmest
through whirh the Indisn giiaed not
80 very long ago. The open spaces
here add there ass thickly dotted ~ith
graves. ~ tbicS,y. iadesi. aud eth
sach tiIesolos precisinn of alignment
that the poor soldiers Asem u have
been PUT under ground 10 the familiar
mmsnd, the eternal ."elose up Gloss
mp
The graves bad been decorated, bot
I looked ia vain Cor the lowers about
which bad heard 80 much. sac
them on bnt three graves that bore the
titles of Lieuteosnt. Msjor. and Gener.
u, respectively. The other myrisd4 OF
graves we,e ornnmsnted each one with
= lisslc penny flag. the stars aud stripes.
II seeme.i like a svind!e that could
NOT hass becn prsc,issd co the living "a
stb.4i;ate these tswdry hits of cambria
for 4 'wsr-, bnt the poor clay beneath
wsE qai,e a. satisfied, I suppose, ~ IL
flora had smpt:ei her sproh. Flora.
by ,be w.s, on The oecasioa ass. in
most c4ses. seolored girl, aud ~ Gar
the greater portion Of those who attend.
e-l the picnic were colored people.
They snsdsrst about through the
groves. sal on tha erasA. mahehsd gin.
gse cakes. spd were il high stats Of
sniavment.
Many 81 the d-,,iz-ns Z the cslAtAl
er.j ,ysd ,heir holiday IL -xcnzinns
down Lhs riser 10 NsanE tssAop,
P'nsy Poipf. Or 70 lhs osSer pretty
landing l.c%s ia wLs'h Lhs shores OF
she P.,tnman ahnnDd O1heS went up
the river 10 The Great Falls, while
thnns4nds .ssiled themssives Sf The
excursions Eisen by ,I.s railroads.
ualhipking lsgpIe no ,lanht ell
olsm- me 'fnr railing - D.eosstion
day. brt the Discerning feaisr VIII he
acute enough 20 see that | am not rails
ing againss the day, bot against this
.'.-euc. "f decoration, and the burIesqus
decoration that bas been substituted fs'
READ aswers. The marble 1Gns ot
TAnnnln in front Of the City Halt va,
~ieAtbed with pink and white papeI
roses. Execrable tawarines4 wss .
Characteristic of the decoration every
where, and this TOO at the season Of the
greatest abundance OF spring flowers
and verdnre. IL is too evident that th,
sentimental Congress which set spArt
the 3oth Of May a. jOwr dss mOrts,
day sacred to tho dead soldier, and TO
floral offerings, reckonsd without I
knowledge Of human forgetfulness, An'
legislated farce. The day is ehjoyes
by the tens Of thonsands Of Govern
msnt employees who are ever glad o
an excuse to leave their desks, bat it i
not enjoyed In commemorative way
. aud It is fast degeperating inte . kiu'
|. of noonday orgie. that would he lnor
honored in the breach than in The oh
sersance.