The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1888-03-01
Endicott's Report on the Flags.

Endicott's reply to the Beutelle reso
ton asking for information about the
proposed return of Rebel flags to the
Confederate states" as the President
styled them last summer, is far from
satisfactory, but perhaps it is the best
the Secretary could make ont of Cleve-
lands bad botch. The reference to the
action of Secretaries Stanton, Belknap,
McCrary, Ramsey and,Lincoln in deliv-
ering to Union troops recaptured Union
flags has nothing whatever to do with
the matter in question, and amounts
only to a pitiful attempt to befog and
confuse the real issue. Why shouldn't
Union regimental organization get
back flag it lost in battle which was
afterwards recaptured from the Rebels
anu passed into the custody of the War
Department? In such cases the only
inquiry has been whether or not the
loss of the flag was attended by any
discreditable circumstances. If not. it
was considered entirely proper that
Union soldiers should get back Union
flag lost without their fault. The prac-
tice of returning such flags may not
have been strictly in accordance with
the law, which seems to make the War
Department the absolute custodian OF
such trophies, but it reflects no dis
credit on the patriotic sentiments OF
the Republican Secretaries of War.
Nor is the reference to the dozen or
so Rebel flags restored by Secretary
Stanton in point. AS well might En-
dicott refer to Grants refusal to accept
Lees sword at AppomattOx as prece-
dent for sending all the flags south.
Even during the war Rebel flags were
sometimes restored with the approval
and consent of the soldiers who cap
tured them and as recognition of
great bravery, chivalrOus hostility, or
other great military merit in the enc
my. Always, however, the trophy
went back in accordance with the will
and desire of the soldiers who won it.
Since the war Union soldiers going
south for reunions on the old battle
fields and meeting their former foes
have graciously returned captured tro-
phieS. Out of the abundance of their
war treasures the Union soldiers have
been willing to give an occasional tro-
ply back to their eX-Rebel foes along
with an olive sprig, and it is to the
credit of the War Department that
while under Republican control it made
no objection to such acts. With what
grace does Endicott plead the course OF
Stanton and others in returning Occa-
sional trophies, pursuant to the desire
and will of the troops who captured
them, as justification of Cleveland's
outrageous attempt to strip the War
Department of every flag won from the
Rebels and send them all back against
the vehement protests of Union veter
ans? While Stanton permitted an &C.
casional Rebel flag to go back when
such was the desire of its Union cap
tors, Cleveland proposed to denude the
War Department of all such relics with
out the consent, against the will, ana
in face of the angry protest of Union
soldiers.
There is not one word in Endicott's
report indicating that the plan for re-
turning the Rebel flags was abandoned
because of the angry protests of onion
veterans. In fact, he expressly claims
the contrary. He says the sole reason
for countermanding the order was that
the President found it was mot author
lied by law" Not a syllable is said
implying that the order was thought |
improper except in a legal sense, OF
that it would have been revoked at the |
demand of Union soldiers. 1t was re- |
called solely because it lacked warrant |
Of law, and accordingly the only in |
ference is that if he had possessed the |
necessary legal authority the President
would have restored the flags without |
any regard to the protests of Union
veterans. Thus, as EndicOtt states
the question, while Republican secreta-
rieS allowed occasional trophies to be
returned when such was the desire of
the Union troops who captured them,
the present Democratic Administra-
ton was determined to restore every
such trophy and strip the War Depart
ment of all such relics in defiance of
the sentiment of the veterans, and was
foiled in this attempt only because the
necessary legal authority to carry it out
was lacking.-Chicago Tribune.
Farmers and the Tariff