The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1875-05-07
N I 6 9 ella n Q O us.
The Right Spirit.

General W. F. Bartlett, of Massachusetts,
in his remarks at the Lexington and Con-
cord Centennial celebration, struck the
right chord. We trust his words will hc
read and pondered by those who can sec
no virtue or patriotism or honor in the
men they have been accustomed to call
"rebcls' and "traitors" General Bartlett
served with gallantry aud credit in the
Union army during the late war, and if
there were more like him the wished for
era of peace and prosperity for the whole
country would speedily dawn.
In response to the toast, "North and
South" Gen. W. F. Bartlett, of Pttsfeld,
made the following excellent speech:
Mr.. PRESIDENT: OF the relations of the
North to the South am not an unpreu-
diced observer. On the contrary, | have
prejudice which is shared by all soldiers,
in favor of peace, aud think may safely
say that between the soldiers of the two
great sections Of our great country, irater-
nal relations were established long ago.
1 have also strong prejudice against any
man or men, who would divide or destroy,
or retard the prosperity and progress Of
the nation whose corner stone was laid in
the blood Of our fathers 100 years ago to-
day. Moved by this prejudice, fourteen
years ago, opposed the men who prefer
red u disunion to death. True to this
prejudice to-day despise the men who
would for sake of self or party stand in the
way Of reconciliation and united coun-
try. The distinguished soldier who is
your chief guest to-day never came nearer
to the hearts Of the people than when he
said, LET us have peace" and sir, the
only really belligerent people in the coun-
try to-day, North and South, are those who,
while the war lasted, followed carefully
the paths of peace. Do not believe that
the light and dirty froth which is blown
northward and scattered over the land, of
tentimes for malicious purposes, represents
the true current of public opinion at the
South. Look to their heroes, their leaders,
their Gordons, their Lees, their Johusons,
their Lamar, Ransom and Ripley, and tell
me if you find in their utterance anything
but renewed loyalty and devotion to a
united country. These are the men, as
our great and good Gov. Andrew told you
at the close OF the war-these are the men
by whom and through whom you must
restore the South, instead of the meaner
men for whom power is only synonym
for plumber.
AsI begged you last Summer | cntreat
you again, do not rcpel the returning love
of these men by suspicion or Indifference.
If you cannot in forgiveness "kill the fat
ted calf" do not with GOODNESS skill the
prodigal." When the Fifty-fourth Massa-
chusetts Regiment made its gallant attack
on Fort Wagner in July, 1868, it lost, with
hundreds of its brave men, its heroic lead
er and its colors. A few weeks ago that
flag was gracefully returned to the Gov
ernor of Massachusetts by that officer who
took it in action, with these noble
words:
"Under tho existing state Of things
deem it decOrous, if not positive duty,
to promote tie oblivion of anmosities
which led to and were cngendered by the
war. prefer to look upon such trophies
as the mementocs of the gallant conduct
of men, who, like Shaw, Putnam aud 9TH
er sons of Massachusetts, sealed with their
| lives their devotion to the cause which
they adopted, rather than rs evidences of
proves on the one side or the other. The
custodians Of such memento should he
| the authorities Of the State honored by
those gallant men, and l therefore trans
| NIT the flag to your EXccllcncy for such
disposition as the authorities of Massa-
chusetts shall determine.
Respectfully. your obodient servant.
r. S. RIPLEY
No one but soldier can know how he
would cling to n trophy that he had taken
in honorable battle. No one but soldier
knows what it would cost to give up, I'M
less compelled by loftier motives of chiv-
alrous patriotism, and when Gen. Ripley
wrote that letter he thought not of self,
not ofSouth Carolina,nor of Massachusetts,
but of o restored and and united country.
There are tattered flags in that sacred hall
in yonder capitol around which, in the
shock of battle, have seen dear friends and
brave men fall like autumn leaves there
are flags there that cannot look upon
without tears of pride and sorrow, but
there is no flag there which has to-day for
| us q deeper significance, or that bears