Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-07-12
SOLDIERS OF vEseEANcE.
From the New York Tribune.

From the New York Tribune
Henry W. Bennett of Davenport, Iowa,
sends us respectful letter, and it shall re-
celve respectful reply. We had occasion
some nays since, while commenting upon
the meeting of Congress, to speak our mind
of an association known as 1.-THE Grand
Army of the Republic" We spoke with
severity, because we felt the occasion had
arrived for a severe expression of opinion.
We understand the Grand Army of the Re-
public to be secret society, composed of
persons calling themselves discharged SOL
diers of the army, with the purpose of TAX
ing part in politics. Mr.. Bennett rather
denies this, but we are not satisfied with
his denial. We scarcely ever can take up q
certain class of Western papers without
finding that some "Post of the G.. A. r.
has had meeting, and reS0Lced that eUerV-
thing is going tcrOng, and uSat nothing
| oUiH go right until some one is hanged, and
everybody has a co4tiScated farm.
| In the first place, We call this organiza-
tlon unrepublican. Secret associations for
! social purposes to aid in charity. or to de-
velop virtue and friendship, are very we'll.
They rarely interfere with anybody. If
people find amusement in meeting in guar
ded rooms, and wearing splendid dresses
and calling themselves sachems, and broth,
ers, and comrades, soldiers of Gideon, and
sons of Rechab, it is their own business
We may doubt their taste, but mans
tastes concern only himself. Sometimes
we have vestiges of the Orange sentiment
in Ireland in Protestant associations, who
meet and swear by the immortal memory
of King William, and vow TO walk knee
deep in Catholic blood. Such vows are
harmless figures of speech as long as the
police are about On the other hand, we
hear OF other societies who proposed to re-
establish the Catholic Church, and scatter
confusion among the Protestants. In
America, however, these maledictions are
merely rhetorical. The Catholic and Pro
testant churches still live and flourish We
had Fenlanlsm and Know Nothingism.---
The one is dead as an active power; the
other has long since departed. In the war
there were Sons OF Liberty and knights of
the Golden Circle; but their glory Was for a
day, and 1t faded like the flowers of the
field. When a secret society goes beyond
the offices of charity and friendship, it takes
no root in America.
This Grand Army of the Republic pro
poses, according to Mr. Bennett to Gre
new associations formed amid the roar of
artillery, the lightning of battle, and the
: thunder Of victory" We fear Mr. Bennett
! but half states his case. The memories OF
the recent wal are, no doubt very high and
. holy. There Is something sacred in the
= comradeship which drank from the same
' canteen. We can understand with what n
lusty grasp the comrades Of the mess would
meet in civil Lie. If this were all we
= shCu d be content; but it is not ALL These
j. men combine for political purposes, They
propose TO Keep 0lire the qCrath and bitterness
e of hhm dreadful time. They mean to control
cODCe21tiOnS 10 nominate men for O1fce-tO
, perpetaeate IN or ci0H system The bitterness Of
= 1Car. We believe the soldier should receive
, abundant reward. When q soldier and q
/ civilian apply for Office, all things else be-
ing equal, We shonld prefer the soldier
::e But wo dislike this making a privileged
10 class, and especially we dislike this getting
into a corner, and having passwords and
i grips, and making an exclusive Glass;
y Washington foresaw this when he opposed
u the Society of the Cincinnati. He saw in
that association the first step toward an
u aristocracy, and he declined to ally himself
with it. What Washington said should be
, remembered now. Here is an association
~ more numerous and more powerful than
the Cincinnati, which proposes to ever
D. keep alive war with brothers and fellow
LII countrymen, to exult in victories over
Americans, TO rejoice OreT the destruction Of
aC men in aChoSe blue 0einS rtn The blood qchicI
courses IN our OlC11, and ach0, aChateyer hei1
~ crimes or errors are Of our OtO1a country
D, TFe say, lei all tie fearful memories Of Hc
~ past sink into tie hell 10 aChich Mey belong
h let us h5ink OHIg Of acou1ads to be healed, O
- ho0'cestS 10 gy0w again, Of seas once more coz
~ eTed 1cib our commerce., education for til
ignOrai1t, protection TO tie oppressed, jUStic
,u TO all.
We say this, and sacrifice none of tho
III principles defended by Mr. Bennett. IL
te is, no douEt, earnest in his belief that his
y work is worthy. But there are crafty
d. bold, bad men who look upon these socie
u pfy 60. hi,
advancement. They propose to ally them
10 selves with this military sentiment, witt
dI no more claim upon it than Thenardier il
Hugo's novel had to be called the Sergcan
" of Waterloo. He followed the army, an(
Il robbed the bodies of the slain. The true
[e soldier sheathes his sword and buries it ir
US his closet and it remains in heirloom. He
~ becomes citizen, and makes no claim fol
political honor but that of citizenship
Il AbOUe aH things, lie does not carry lis epaulet
and gi6bOnS, his aU0undS and bruises to q po
IL lu5caL convention, 10 be Knocked doWn 10 h
10 J Q AigbeSt bi0Cier There may be many o.
III these men unwilingly in this Army of the
Republic, who probably entered it will
" the views of Mr.. Bennett. They will soor
y see how they may better occupy theil
- time.
N N Especially do we entertain these views
IL when we lind in the declarations of thest
!. secret soldier associations SO many expires
u sions of madness. The true soldier is Mt
~ most generous of. foenlen. Take Tie great cap
:. tcti,as acho commanded Tie conte'adirg hoStS.-
10 DO are find G1ant, or Sherman, or Sheridan
= or Thomas, on Meade, assembling together
" md hotrLing for more blood, more strife
more bitterness? Do we find Lee, or Long
~ street, OF Johnston, or Beauregard insisting
- that the hales OF secession shall be pro
do longed These men fought then fl ht anc
ended. Their anger ceased with me echC
- OF the last guns fired i'll anger. From thi
y Grand Army of the Republic, now para
Il nn' ding through political conventions in tn
Il West, commanded by tie caphtins Of The cnI
;" Gus the lobby, O1ed lie bar room. are uRpea
- to the Grand Army OF the Republic "nlci
os carried our banners over a hundred held
% under the eye Of Grant, Sherman and oLerl
i"' dan. We denonnce this new secret assocl
alton as out OF sympathy with the true lie
rs publican party. and as antnatcdI TO the Con
stitution and Me Union. 1t will be sad da.
of for our party when soldiers find no bette
~ work than to pr0WL Orer Tie bUttetietos Of III