Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-02-08

4
Perpetuating Memories of the strife
Were the Southern States hereafter 10 re-
main as subjugated provinces, mere DEEPEN
denotes Of the Government, there might be
no Improperly in converting and perpetua-
ting the memory Of our great triumph in
preserving trophies Of the strife and erect
ing monuments commemorative Of the patri-
otsm and bravery Of the SAVERS Of the Re
public. Inasmuch, however, as the recover
ed States are eventually 10 be received back
into the Union fold, to become an integnh
part Of the whole; and inasnuch as we DE-
sire and expect restoration Of the old reli-
tions existing between the North and lie
South, recementing of former friendship,
which shall efIace the heartburnings and an
imosities begotten by the bloody struggse-it
Is fitting that we should remove all reminders
Of the past, refrain from holding up 10 the
constant view Of Our erring eountrymen
evidences Of their folly and defeat, and seek,
as far "a possible, to forget that we were
once estranged and arrayed in hostility
against one another. II was customary in
Greece To commemorate victories achieved
| in civil wars, not with enduring mon
nments Of stone and of iron, but with
1 simple wooden columns that should
| perish with the memories Of the dis
| sessions and internal strife. There can
| be no objection to obelislss similar
to those erected at Gettysburg or Bull Run
| 10 the memory Of the braves who breathed
1 their life away ON those crimson fields, but
| should not raise trophy monuments simply
1 like the one for instance, built out Of his
captured cannon by Napoleon in the Place
| Vendome, Paris, Though afinrding slight
qualification to us, perhaps they could not
| do otherwise than serve az unpleasant re-
minders 10 the South Of the past, and keep
! fresh an view the unhappy events CT the
| rebellion. Tha same may be said concern-
ing the parading Of capsused ordnance and
other trophies before the public gaze. Gen.
Delafield, Superintendent OF the West Point
| Academy, in communication 20 the
Secretary Of War, says Il is not desirable 10
| place upon the thirty rebel cannon there
any inscriptions designating them as tro-
! pixies Of war, since young men from all
| parts of our again reunited country are to
meet and contract friendships once more at
the Academy, and nothing should be al
lowed TO intervene 10 prevent such o happy
communication Gen. Delafeld adds:
:" Il should be our study with these young
men to present nothing Of an irritable or
boastfil spirit, TO be placed constantly in
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country Suffered by the rebellion. Let his
tory tell the evils the rebellion has produced,
and let US, through the fundamentally Of
the Military Academy, renew liz powerful
influence in establishing national feelings
through the friendships that are sure TO flow
from a scholastic fellowship under military
training for years. These guns should be
preserved only a. historical Of the artillery
arm Of the service, indicating the period
and place Of manufacture Of each calibre
| and description Of gun, emitting every
thing connected with their capture or use"
In view Of the fact that our West Point
| Alumni and under graduates entered with
alacrity npon the work Of cutting one an
others throats when the rebsIiion com
menced, we have some doubt a. 70 the ee-
menting and adhesive Influences exerted By
this and other military institutes. General
| Delaheld's suggestion about The Inscriptions
il, nevertheless, good one, and We trust
| viii be acted upon.-N Y. Cbmaerial i'd
i Verfissr