The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-05-29
DECORATION DAY.
sd not TO individuals

AL our holidays. with one exception
are memorials OF JOY. That one is tn
30th of May. which is celebrated as
memorial of sorrow. The other holi
days are ushered in with the booming
of cannon, the ringing of bells, and th,
voice OF loud acclaim. but all these a.,
missing from the Decoration Day,
birth, which comes along, with its trair
of sad memories. to be lightened anc
softened by. the love, the respect anC
the patriotism that are excited and
newly inspired by the occasion.
AS all know, it is only few years
since the custom OF decorating the graves
offallen heroes with flowers was in
augurated: but all of us do not know
that the brave COnfederates were the
authors Of the custom. The war left
them not only sorrowful and full of
mourning, but 1t left them poor as
well; they could not commemorate the
gallant deeds of their noble dead in
costly monuments; marble and bronze
were beyond their reach. But love of
their dead heroes they could show. and
that they did, unobtrusiyely and
without ostentation, by annually strew-
ing over the graves of those of
their fathers, brothers, sons and fell
lows who had laiS down their lives in
hopeless struggle, the most beautiful of
natures gifts. 1t does the head and
heart OF the nation credit that the idea
was at once caught up and has grown
and developed until now we have a
holiday-n SO sacred a memorial ser
vice can be called such-thai is dist'nc-
tive. grand and beautiful in all its SEN
timents and suggesiyeness. 1t is
charming thing that the
Union adopted the suggestion, and
is grand that both North and
South together, with bowed heads and
hands clasped, unitedly lay their frag-
rant offerings on the sods covering their
sleeping heroes. Perhaps no one thing
has done more than this anniversary to
restore the maternal relations and heal
the wounds of the two sections of the
country so lately engaged in a fratri-
cidal war. 1t has gone far towards
crushing the bitter feeling of enmity,
and done much to oVeTbear and crush |
beneath brighter. stronger and deeper
emouon a sentiment that was patriotic |
bat ruiDous. The Blue and the Grey for
get their personal hatred in the presence
Of a kindred sorrow .and.they now clasp |
hands over the graves of their brave |
eountTYmen. Tor they now recognize ali |
as oountrymen, as Americans who died |
as Americans, brave even unto death.
The touch Of a common affection has |
restored the bond Of sympathy which |
had been so unnaturally shattered; |
hearts which q few years ago were
.obdurate and relentless have been
melted, and over the sods burying the |
heroes Of the war the pledge of re-
neved friendship has been sealed with |
willing tears.
On each sneeetding reunion OF
this anniversary. the tie of brother
hood Is more firmly knit; on every oo-
casion Of the decoration of the eraves OF |
the dead soldiers, the thoughts OF the
cause which led to their deaths are
farther removed from our minds; every |
year there is a closer commingling of |
veterans, on either side, and conse-
quent forgettulnesS of tie acrimonies |
which were SO bitter within the memo
res Of the boys OF to-day. We are tn s
year nearer to being one people,
with common aspirations and aims.
with regard TO the nation, than at any !
time in thirty years, and Decoration
Day has done its full share Of bringing |
about this desirable condition.
It is true that the celebration Is one
OF sorrow. yet there is in it large ele-
ment. of JOY. Tears and smiles may
appropriately mingie as The floral |
tributes are laid upon the mounds mark
ing the resting places Of the heroes. We
may, as in all sOIemnity we approach |
the city Of the dead. express thankful
ness 10 Him who has brought light /
ont of darkness, out of enmity content; !
and We may rejoice that He has done
this.
not mean all that it means in the east
and south, for we were far removed \
from the scene of the active strife. and |
therefore escaped much OF the personal
sorrow which effected other sections:
vet the sentiment which dictates the
decoration Of the fallen patriots is as
s,ron7 here as elsewhere. and the emo
ton quite as deep.
IT, e,v.-x has firmly confirmed m. !