Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-01-24

Wylle, our pcSt CSpoi.mSEs SOuuauucIf
would be with US in our exercises tonight
il our organization WIS IN adjunct Of
tie r publican psItY7 and does any one
suppose on the other hand th1t Colonel j.
c. Bigger, (~hose political proclivities
sre well known } and who Is comrade in
John A Dix Post OF this city, would be
in our organization II Il were an adjunct
OF the Democratic parry? II we ere
Democratic, We have fooled Colonel
Bigger b.dly, and Il We ere R3public2D,
We have "pnlle6 the wool over Colon.
Wyue's eyes" II fire style.
We are neither one-our organization
is founded On principles, broscer, higher,
greater and better than those Of
any political psrty. II is grester than
any political party. Oar principles viii
live as long as the republic shall live, and
If adopted by future generations and faith
fully maintained they will sustain the re-
public until tine Is no more.
ItIthoueht there was any inconsist-
ebcy in my being member Of any polisi-
cal party and of the Grand Army Ct the
REPUBLIC st the same time, and thought it
necessary 10 sever my allegiance TO either,
[ would cut loose from the political party
aud remain with the Grand Army Of the
Republic.
But, says one, you are lisble to be led
astray by designing politicians in your
ranks. True, we have politicians. So
have all the churches. and the politician
Will as soon persuade the church member
to forget his God as he will good Grand
Army of the Republic man to sacrifice his
prin ciples.
Let me say to you, II there Is any clsss
of men who may DE depended on to take
care of themselves and their interests it
is the old soldiers of the lste war, and it
don't matter which side they fought on,
so far as that proposition Is concerned
Where they are not crippled by wounds or
strit ken by disease they are the most SELF
reliant of our citizens to-day. Men who
have faced death on score Of battlefelds
and lived can be depended on to battle
with the problems OF life in great ma ori-
ty of cases But yon want to know what
are our cardinal principles, what We pro-
Tess, " hat the objects to be accomplished,
or to quote The language Of celebrated
Texas statesman (I think his name was
Fianagsn) What are we here for2 Ger.
tsinlv NOT to dabble In politics. Frater-
nifty, charity and loyalty are our princi
! pies and virtues, and the greatest of these
ia charity, of which shall speak last
| or fraternity we have united to preserve
and strengthen the Sc kind and irsternel
feelings which bind together the soldiers
and sailors composing our army and navy
in the late war, and to perpetuate the
memory and preserve the history of those
who died that an undivided republic
might live. This certainly is commenda
BILE end no fair- minded person can or vii
object to it. OF loyalty our creed teaches
US to be loyal, to ourselves, to you, oul
friends and neighbors, to the union OF
states we fought to maintain, to the fs&
that floats over this, an undivided, indi.
visible republic-free America. It tesche;
IA not only to be loyal to our general gov
eminent, but to that of our adopted state
Texas, and | call upon you as fair-mind
ed. open hearted, chiVslrous Texans Il
witness whether or not you have within
YOUR borders cry sect or class that arr
more law-abidiug citizen than the member
of the Grand, Army of the Republic as
BODY? Goingfurthar on this subj act, we d.
not claim that loyxlty to our country sn'
flseis confined to the Grand Army Of tn
Republic in Texas or out OF II
to the Democratic or Republican party
but we as an organization sre loyal t.
our country and its fsg, regardless O
which political party has chsrge OF tn
afsirs of our government and regardless
Of our ownpersoral political preference
We were more than gratiflad last sum
msr ct the ex Confederate reunion at tn
fair grounds, where we were inv. ted an'
royslly entertained, at the expressions O
representative men who had worn tn
gray on this point-loYally. When Gen
, eral Csbeli, our fellow townsmen, who's
position in society and standing with ex
Confederates, said Gas near as l remem
.. Der, and If l misquote him him please COZ
y recs mel owe fought as galiant soldier
, to divide this Union and to establish
, Confederacy with another flag. We wer
defeated and accept the result as hna!
: and now," (pointing to the stars an
, stripes .T will go as far rs any mar
. north or south, to defend it, against th
assaults Ct It's euemies, whether foreig
or domestic" 1t carried conviction Wit
it to the mind Of every one who hear
him and could see his honest face, and
believe be mirrored the sentiments 0?
large ms i)rity Of the representative pei
pie of Texas. From expressions we hes
on every side from those who took pal
III luS IdkE CJuuISk aS0thSI W. nLS AASi
others, we are forced to the cenclusio
: thst the war is indeed over so far as Tex
as Is concerned; that her people accel
the results IS final, and would not undo,
= they could, Whist was accomplished
the struggle.
We, as G. A. R. men and as Unio
soldiers, too, are satisfied
> snd would not revive the bite
O memories Of The strife, the cause
q of the war, the movemen
Of armies, the relative merits of leader
y on either side, the clash of arms, II
, carnsge and slaughter OF battle, nor Il
fiuslresu we care not to discuss with yo1
4 1t is productive OF no good. Only sue
= questions SIS affect US all now and oar II
4 ture welfare do we care to consider. FC
: one l sm willing to tske ex-Contedersie
and the people Of Texas generally az the
word-that the war is indeed over, so ia
as Texss is concerned.
It Having lived in the state over fol-
years, and travelled over al portions OF
r as my business has compelled me to d.
Il I csn say truthfuliy that SO far IS soci:
}. ostracism, persecution for political priI
n ciples, for being an ex-Union soldier,
q for being 3. A. r man is concerne'
Y have not experienced it, and
!, exists In my Judgment, aud so far as
ohserystion goes. only In the minds