The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-11
SOLDIERS, RG.UNI0E.

y
of extreme qualification to old comrades
who, nearly twenty years ago, met and
labored in cause that they believed il
their sacred duty to care for and defend
with even their LIES blood. Throughout The
day there seemed to be the utmost enjoyment
and thus far Dallas has abundant cause to
congratulate herself at the presence Of these
soldiers of former day now in our midst
During the period of war and in the camp is
the time and the place 70 find out human
nature as it is. Then and there men throw
of their disguises and appear justra as they
are. There amidst the danger and privation
the true inwardness of the man
crops out. If there be- any irritAbleness OF
temper, any uglihess of disposition, any de-
feet of character, il is cure to crop out on
the battle ground and the tented field. If,
on the other hand, there be those virtues
that sdorn humanity, they, too, shine out in
clear cut conspicuousness. Hence it is that
friendships formed under these circum-
stances are friendships of character
that have their origin in
congsniality ofnsture. Similar suherings in
critical periods, similar successes under ex-
trsordinary auspices, bind together men. by
hooks of steel. In years Of terrible war with
all that that implies, there are SO many Incl
dents of ones life that loom up in the general
plane like promontOries noar tho surging sea,
that they become indellibly fixed in
the minds and hearts Of all partici-
pants. Therefore it is that tho re.
union oS old comrades like these that meet
here now are especially enjoyable. There
have been objections urged against them,
and recent article in western paper as
serted shat they only tended TO keep alive
the spirit Of rebellion and discomfort when
every policy OF prudence urged that tshould
he suppressed This is not true and is only
narrow minded and sectional view
The reverse is the case. The
Grand Army of the Republic and its kin'
dred organizations produce no such effect
We apprshend, upon the northern mind aI
hostility toward the southern people. 1t is
even 30 with our conYivial associations that
meet every once in while in fraternal
spirit. Those entitled to membership are
nearly oil long since past the military age
they did their service in their time; they
were nearly Gil farmers or merchants
or engaged 10 other peaceful &C.
equations, and enlisted under the
war banners not to "seek tho baub,e
reputation at tho lannon's mouth" but be-
cause their country called upon them to insist
upon principle it believed entirely right.
Not one in q thousand but would not weep
to soc another war; the visions of the dead
and dying, of the wholesale carnage and
slaughter that battle brings, the
remembered scenes of thickly
populated graveyards all ridged with
mounds COMMUNICATING the merits of the
loving and tho true are all too vivid to make
the alarm note Of war welcome sound. Be-
sides this, il has long ago come to be Gus,
omsry for northern soldiers to invite their
southern brethren, and vice versa, to al
their gatherings, On Memorial Dsy, tho an
niversary of some event, when aged men and
women, devoted sisters and mindful brothers
and deaolsted widows 90 to the cemeteries to
plant forget-me.nots on the silent tomb
stones beneath whose psllid shape
some hero lies buried, 1t ia source of salts
faction to see those iwho wore the grey and
those who wore the blue commingling their
grief and their woe. Soldiers all they were.
thinking differently, fighting alike; antag-
onists once on the bloody plains, friends
now in the civic pursuits Of life,
Surely such flowers of determination IS these
can spring from no poisoned root. Such
Ddors Of affection Can proceed from no deadly
petals, and he who deems 1t otherwise is
himself fit only for Neasons, stratagems and
spoils That some irasciole temperament,
some unforgivipg nature or ssme orazed pol
i.ician may do or say some things that fail
to bear out these things, Is doubtless true,
n this instsoce rs in most o,herJ through
life, yet they are exceptions, not the rule, the
malarial spots in a rich region, no! iRdica.
tive of the region itself, We feel assured
th.t the common sense Of tho country un-
ders,snd, and estimates these reunions in
just this manner and by this standard. The
constant inter-commuuication aud rapidly
growing and extending trade re-
lstions that are bringing together
the citizens of all these states arc
the muscles and bones and tho 1esh of the
whole body polite that nothing can overs
power. Yes, lot the reunions como, the
oi,ener and the moro sootionally mixed tho
better. Nay, fear them not, not even half
SO much as tho pleasing reunions between
the Bri,on and tho American There |, no
signiacanc to them save that which brea.hes
the spiri! of genuine convivialiiy and philan-
lhropy and common patriotism.
"0H, consistency thou art jewell" Our
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