Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-09-10
RECONCILIATION AND REUNION.
''.The Blue and the Grav.n

1u6 o1u6 duu tu6 GraV,
The following eloquent speech was delivered
by John L. Colcord at meeting in st. Louis,
Missouri, of a Greeley and Brown club. COM
posed entirely of those who had served either
in the Confederate or Federal armies:
My Comrades For suoh may call you
now, no matter under what flag YOU fought.
OF. wha. may have been tho color of the uni.
form you wore--I greet you in this auspiciou.
hour and welcome you to the fraternities of
peace.
Across the "bloody chasm" of the past we
clasp each other by the hand aud turning our
faces to the future we marshal our hosts TO dav
upon common roll, and beneath common
banner. [Applause.1
Many OF us fought beneath the 'stripes and
stars" and many under the ''stars and bars !"
and We are all charitable enough to believe
that each fought for what he deemed right to
be right. Each appealed to the sword, and
that stern arbiter of fate has entered upon the
t1nal decree henceforth that the brave shall
love the brave and the nation shall never be
divided.
The Bonnie Blue Flag" went down. but
with no dishonor; its brave defenders will live
in history. bright examples of heroism and de-
votiou till Times last cycle shall have rnn
aud we, who met them on the field, and TINS
the better know the story of their deathless
valor, proudly welcome them as worthy com,
rades to our hearts and to our love. fan,
plause.]
The story the valorous deeds of the North
and the South is the common inheritance of
the Republic, and will survive in chronicle
and song forever. We who have met tonight
under the inspiration of just. principles and
the lead of chosen and gallant captains. have
come to attend the funeral of the bitter mast
and the birth of hopeful future. In the
language OF our great standard bearer: "We
forget that we have been enemies in the iovfnl
consciousness that We are and must henceforth
remain brothers,"
Those who fought against each other with
persistent valor. if unmoved by selfish consid-
e"ations. the spoils of office and the ,llurements
ofpower, can cherish no unhalloved revenpes
and they who cherish the wicked dogma of
eternal hate are rebuked by that spirit of fra.
termination which evnces to the world that
though We were once enemies in war. we ara
now, in peace, friends. No iealousies find
Judgment in the brave. true soldiers breast.
The glory of the blue would pale without the
Kindred lustre of the gray: they are of one
blood, the hardy children OF common coun-
try and the heirs of common illustrious name
sud history, and the future shall sienalze their
devotion to common flag and common con-
stitution
We contend for an equal freedom, and
taking step forward in the good work of
peaceful restoration, we have at two great
national conventions nominated ticket for
President aud Vice. President; a ticket earn,
ast1 far r.
principles of constitutional liberty and the
rights of man. Our candidates believe that
brothers should 'dwell together in unity I"
and that if we must fight it should be with n
foreign foe, and not our own people.
General Grant, on the contrary. is brave in
making war upon subdued, Impoverished and
nnarmed States Of his own country. while n
contemplate, fifth>rate power wars with bar.
oaric cruelty upon poor, struggling, bleeding
CUBA at our very doors imprisons our own
citizens OF shoots them down like dogs in the
streets of Havana, without even a manly pro.
test from our President against these outrages
upon the honor of an insulted nation. which,
under any decent administration. would throw
around every citizen the protection of it's fac
no matter in what land he might be.
We propose to elect Greeley and Brown.
and the disturbing cause of all our differences
IN the past having been removed, we are de-
termined that henceforth and forever the blue
and tho gray shall mingle rs friends and know
no rivalry but that of patriotism. We will
unite to restore the republic to an era of nro.
foundly tranquil peace, and bury in deserved
oblivion the restless demagogues who. to sub,
serve selfish ends, would delay the coming of
that time when all the bitter animosities be-
gotten of the strife shall be in the deep bosom
of the ocean buried. When these things
shall have been done. Americas great race
for supremacy will have fairly begun, and the
time will yet come when We shall all look with
an equal tenderness on the graves of the
Northmap and the Southron--for are thew not.
each OF US f-she children of a common parent,
and did not each go down to death as becomes
and American to disH [Applausel
No more the fash of the cannon or the red
fierce glare of battle shall find us face to face
in the terrible realities of war. but side by
side, with pulse and heart in kindred beating
we shall fight in civil conflicts for the rights
of all; for an undivided Union, a.constitution
unimpaired and sacred as our birthripht. and
flag with radiant stripes and not a clouded
star. In the great generous hearts of the men
who have brayely met each other amid the
carnage of battle there can be no distinction
it worth, between the victor aud the v.pauish.
ed, for each fought for cause he believed to
be just, and which was dear to his heart and
his conscience, and all submit to the verdict
inSthat "great trial wherein armed and EN-.
ba.tled legions are the jury and the God of
battles is the judge" The living shall be
brothers aud the dead shall be enshrined in
our common love: They came from our
common mother earth. and they have returned
to their kindred. Like tired children they
have lain down to sleep. By the still waters