The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-01
THE VETERANS AND POLITICS.


THE VETERANS AND POLITICS.
An Enthu siastic Letter From an Ex-
Soldier Of the Union.
SEATTLE, Aug. 81, 1891
ToTHK EprroR. In the columns of the Tele-
grdph of the 18th inst appeared an article charg-
ing certain secret organization with an un-
due desire to fill all county offices with men,
bers OF that organization, and sarcaslcally re-
marks that the only qualification necessary is 70
be member of said organization. HOW very
shockingl What culpable wickedness! Why
didn't that scribe, big with the idea OF his
important discovery, invoke the elements
and skies in the fond persuasion that they
would announce Ii to the asfonisheo world by
some phenomena of terrific import Since the
announcement of this terrible condition OF
affairs have waited with anxious horror for
the appearance of some comet hring half the
sky, OF aerial army OF the lost cause darting
across the startled heavens rapidly az
the ragged lightning, and horrid as those
commissions of nature that bury nations. But
thus far, however, the elements seem
to take the matter very quietly. They have not
even ushered in the mornings with triple suns
nor showers of blood, nor have they visited
upon this section any of those elemental condi-
tions and commissions which have racked the
world. That this great, green, fowery, rock
sounds and oceans, and that great deep sea Of
azure that swims overhead, the winds sweeping
through it, the black clouds fashioning them
selves together and pouring out ire, hail and
rain when least expected, should have been
silent on this suspicious occasion, can only be
accounted for by the sagacious and superior in
sight of that sarcastic knight of the pencil; and
yet how grateful we should be to him for call
ing our attention to these political iniquities in
county affairs, which, by the way, till this
present discovery have had the seal of
public confidence without the slightest shadow
of suspicion resting upon the conduct OF any
county official. Nor do we wish to predict that
any startling developments or revelations would
be unearthed or brought to light If this ponder
GUS piece of mental machinery could be induced
to turn his attention to city affairs. But this
particular subject may call for sacred silence,
and will not urge him to interfere with the pure
political and official dignitaries OF our city gov
eminent
But one thing wish to say, that too often
within the columns of our daily papers in
the discussion of various measures have 1 seen
taunts and reproacnes, either directly or by i'm
plication, cast against the men who preserved
the integrity OF this nation, and when these
slurs are directed against the Grand
Army of the Republic. to which 1t is my
pride and well-earned privilege to belong,
have felt them thrill along my nerves like an
electric shock, and the impulses of my heart
have been to hurl them back again. But time
and reflection have chastened these feelings,
and pass them by in sorrow that they should
emanate from the brain OF an American citizen.
And while it 10 my pride to be a member
OF the Grand Army, whose motives were
so severely criticised in said article, have no
objection to interpose here In defense of what
may have been the wickedness of seheming
politicians, so far as l am concerned. When /
signed that petition / was under the impression
that the place was vacant, and the only reason
that did not apply for the place myself was
that the petition had been circulated and signed
by my comrades in the interest OF another man,
and it is foreign to my principles to undermine
anybody.
While have no further apology to offer have
o few words to say about that secret society or
organization. I believe them to be as capable,
as honest and as patriotic any other class of
citizens to be found in the Union. They have
exhibited their patriotism and their valor on
many well fought feld of battle, and are but
the remnant OF the nations school-boy heroes
OF thirty years ago. They are not OF
that number who thought their blood
or their lives too precious to be
sacrificed for the preservation of this Union, or
that shrunk away while the battles ragged, and
after they had been fought and won retained to
the camp with the feeling that if they could not
blessings of victory. Many such are the promi-
nent political otiice-holding patriots of today
men who could listen to the anguished cry of
their country as she wrestled and writhed in
the folds of that gigantic rebellion and
then lay himself down on his pillow to peaceful
dreams while the sehool-boy patriots were fight
ing the battles of the nation, and whose daring
DEEDS ana patriotic services now enables US to
point with pride to the south and invite hui
manlty to witness system of free labor
We point you to their schoolhouses,
to their churches pointing their spires
toward heaven, and thus glory in
the m they are the monuments that belong to a
free people who have the spirit of citizens of a
free government. These are the ornaments and
the glory OF the Grand Army OF the Republic
They are the blood-purchased monuments
which mark the progress of patriotic people
But / stop not at the South. l ask you to go
with me through this whole broad ma
uon and we point you to her-we
point you to the whole Union as a
monument of political grandeur towering
towards the heavens, upon which the friend OF
freedom. wherever upon our globe he may be.
may gaze, ana around whose summit the sun
light OF glory forever shines, and on whose
soil free people repose, and we hope may ever
Iepose.
So much for this nation, my home, the Union,
the result OF the patriotism of 100000 sleeping
heroes, and the Grand Army of the Republic
whose deeds excited the admiration and the
homage of nations, and covered our own with
blessings, and now l would ask in all candid
consideration OF theirpa services If they are
not entitled tossf1e recognition at the hands OF
our mode<H politicians, many, OF whom have
been imported srom Canada ana 9TH
er countries since the war. Is
1t possible that American citizens
have so soon forgotten the services of
the men who made this the grandest nation on
the face OF the globe. If they. can and have,
then say that we no longer deserve a name or
place among the nations of this earth, and
worlds darkest period furnishes no parallel to
the political history of the present day.