Middletown transcript., 1895-06-01
MIDDLETOWN, DEL, JUNE l, 1ssE.
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oRATIoN DAY LESSONS.

DECORA TON DAY LESSONS.
Thirty years have passed since the
close of the great civil war in this
country, conflict that at one time
and for long time. threatened to sever
the union and to tear from Old Glory
a third of the stars which decorated
its field of blue. It is passed, and
those who took part in that severe
struggle listen with as much pride to
the recitals of the self sacrifice and
courage of those who wore the gray as
they do to the brave and daring deeds
of the boys who wore the blue. And
why not, are they not all brothers ?
Each side was alike sincere believing
in the right and justice Of the cause
espoused. Honest opinions should be
respected and brave deeds should be
known though the motives that ac-
tuate them may be erroneous. We
have one country and one flag and at
that every true American rejoices. 1t
should be the interest of all to build up
and advance the country as whole
and every part of it. Sectionalism
should be relegated to the rear, and in
the monetary questions and tariff
issues the chief object should not be
party supremacy but the greatest good
to the greatest numbers. Reason not
prejudice should rule in these and less
important matters.
What caused the civil war? That is
question that opens a broad field
into which we do not propose to enter
only to say that north and south, east
and west, there is general rejoicing
that slavery, the foundation for all
the trouble and the greatest stain upon
the historical pages of the foremost
republic of the world, is no more.
With slavery and the causes that led
up to the war the soldier had personally
nothing to do. He was in no Way
responsible, but he heard his country's
call and answered the summons. He
knows the hardships of war, the phys
ical and mental suffering, and every
Decoration Day he searches out and lays
with soldierly respect and regard the
beautiful flowers, emblems of peace
and love, alike upon the grave of for
mer friend and foe. Thus were the
graves of the Federal and Confederate
dead decorated on Thursday in Mid
dletOwn by the members of the G.. A.
R., assisted by the school children
who are thus learning lessons of
patriotism. And thus were the graves
of soldiers who wore the blue or gray, |
all over this country, remembered on |
the Both. 1t is no mawkish sentiment |
that prompts the true soldier and the
patriot to such an act. The memories
of that great conflict, the heroism on
both sides of the Potomac, are suffi-
cient to Danish sectionalism from his
breast and to recall only the manhood
and the devotion of the fallen dead.
Are there not lessons here for the
present ? The men who in Congress
and in places of power and influence
and responsibility before the civil war,
whose uncompr0mising spirits, whose
rule or ruin attitude, were those who
suffered the least, as a rule, during
that conflict, certainly endured the
least physical hardship. Is not the
same true to-day? Whether the Re-
publican theory that the threat of the
Democratic National Convention to
blot out protection as a fraud and
to revolutionize the system of revenues
and taxation, as the cause of the
'3hard times'' for the past two and
half years, is the correct one or whether
the Democrats are correct in laying
the evils at the door of the Mckinley
tariff and the Reed Congress, this is
not the occasion for such discussion,
but one thing is certain, the poor man,
the laboring man, the debtor, have been |
the greatest sufferers, whatever the {
true theory for the condition of affairs.
Should not this teach him to look and
act for himself, to read and form his $
own opinions, and at the ballot box, &
the great weapon of defense IN this s
country, to cast an intelligent vote? {
We think so.
And is there not another lesson here?
Is not the prejudice against neighbors t
and often friends because of political t
differences, honestly entertained, very
foolish and unmanly? How far such {
feelings exist in this community we do Y
not know, but they are to be found to t
a greater or less degree in every COM +
and the more they are in t
dulged in the less of real good is there e
in such place. 1t is we'll to think of i
these things, and to draw lesson from
the beautiful customs of Decoration 7
Day. t
''LET US HAVE PEACE"
These are memorable words. They c
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