The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-05-13
MED OLE THE GAR.


Had there been no other reason for the
existence of the Grand Army of the Repub-
tic, the recent triumphal tour of JEFF Davis
would have furnished an overwhelming one.
The third of the three great objects of the
Order is stated by its organic law TO be:
Loyalty: To maintain true allegiance to
the United States Of America, based upon a
paramount respect for, and fidelity 10, its Con-
stitution and laws; 10 diSc0imteRdRce DhateUer
tends 10 tceaLea loyalty inches TO resurrection,
treason or rebellion, or in any manner impairs
the efficiency and permanency OF our free
institutions; and 10 encourage the spread OF
universal liberty equal rights and justice TO all
men.
The necessity Of such sedulous and ear
nest inculcation of the principles Of loyalty
has been made apparent to the minds Of the
most skeptical by the continued Ovations to
the man who was the chief criminal in the
greatest crime Of the age.
1t has been assumed by good, easy-going
people that the results of the war were so
overwhelmingly and so enthusiastically APP
proved by the right-thinking men of the
whole world, that no more need be done to
foster and strengthen the spirit of patriotism.
Recent events must have brought sad
awakening TO these gentlemen.
They have seen honors such as the South
erners never before bestowed on any man
heaped on one whose sole importance is that
he was the leader and is the survivor of that
band Of INSCRIPTIONS and treacherous plot
tiers who lured and trieked the ignorant and
passionate South into the most causeless
rebellion the world ever saw
They have seen by far the most obnoxious
Of that wicked cabal paraded before the
rising generation in the South as the man in
all the land most deserving of honor; they
have seen the school children Of the towns
he visited turned out TO walk in professions
and strew flowers in his path; they have
seen the leading men of Alabama and Geor.
gia vie with other in sounding his praises
and they have seen the editor of the leading
paper in those States proclaim TO the as
sembled multitude that the morning OF
Dayiss arrival in Atlanta was "the most
glorious since the Morn of the Resurrection
They have seen this man, travelling through
a country dotted everywhere with the graves
of thevictims Of his iniquitous lust ofpower
announce over and over again that he had
nothing TO repentof- nothing 10 apologize for
nothing 10 regret-ercept that he had not sue
/ ceedod
So terrible panegyric of disloyalty-sucl
an awful eulogy Of treason-such poison
ing Of the minds Of the young Of a whole
country with the virus of rebellion calls fo
the most earnest cultivation of the spirit o
patriotism by all those who love the land o
their birth or adoption.
The Grand Army Of the Republic and tn,
Sons of Veterans must apply the antidote Il
these dangerous teachings. They mus
counteract the frightfnl tendencies of tn
JEFF Davis demonstration by a continued
exaltation Of the righteousness of patriotism
and the manly duty of loving the countr.
better than self, family, or life, of sternl.
antagOnizing treason in speech or act, and o
dying, if need be, to perpetuate undimin
ished the glorious heritage of freedom anc
nationality, which has cost so rich sacrifc
of the best blood of the land