The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1891-06-17
Draw the Line.

DTdW the Line.
How far and in what way should
a level headed and patriotic man
affiliate with ex-Confederates in
public meetings commemorating
the late civil war? This is a prac-
tical question at the present time.
1t is question that a good many
people would like to have answer
ed. Instances which show the
need of a right answer are occur
ring all the time. Only yesterday
telegraphic dispatch from Missis-
sippi told the chief mastering Of
ficer in the G. A. r.. who won great
applause by marching in a parade
of Confederate veterans "as natur-
ally as if he had been one of them."
The applause, it is needless to re-
mark, was bestowed by Confeder-
ate, not by Union veterans or their
sympathizers. At the late Cincin-
natl convention the welkin rang
with shouts caused by demon
stration intended to signify that
the blue and the gray would hence
forth to be blended colors. Last
week a more or less well known
Washington periodical predicted
that soon there would be on Memo
rial day, North and South, public
ceremonies conducted under flags
composed of the Stars and Stripes
and the stars and bars in combina-
ti0n. Some instances were report
ed this year of addresses at the
graves of Union soldiers delivered
by ex-rebel brigadiers, and We may
expect to hear of eulogies upon the
Confederate dead pronounced by
former officers in Grants or Sher.
mans army.
The Press does not need to be re.
minded that the war Is over. Al
the same time we must beg to re.
mind our somewhat effervescen,
countrymt n, North and South, that
80 AMas FOUGHT to q
!, ,sinisll. Tn1t Ssehis somewhat ITO
have slipped the memories Of some
well meaning people, who appear
to be laboring under the impression
that the result was a draw. We
yield to none in desire for the bur.
ial of all sectional animosities
None can be more anxious than we
are for bygones to be bygones. We
would fain have the bloody shirt
washed white. We are more thar
glad to believe in the New South
We hail every sign that "the States
lately in rebellion" are now linked
to the Union by golden chains o
loyal affection. "With malice. to
ward none, with charity for ALL" il
a maxim that The Press cherishe
as among the most Godlike word
that fell from the lips of the mar
tyred Lincoln. But remembering
those words, we ask others not II
forget the words that follow, "witl
faith.in the right" "Let us hav'
peace" we say with General Grant
but we insist upon it that the glo
rious motto shall stand in the orde
of thought where its author put i
in the order of time, after the term
unconditional surrender" Ii
brief, The Press is in favor OF recon
ciliation, bat not stultification; il
favor of peace, but not of pusillani
nifty.
In answering question wit
which this article begins we say:
1. Affiliate with ex-Confederate
on such occasions as far as, and or
ly as far as, they are willing to a
filiate with you on the basis of az
acknowledgement that there is an
ought always to have been but on
country and one flag. Kindly bu
firmly decline, as in duty bound b
loyalty and self respect, to even fc
one hour seem to say that it wa
a right thing to fire on that flag an
seek to destroy that country.
9. Ifhonors are paid to the men
ory of the dead who died for tn
cause of disunion, if the Confede
ate flag is to be saluted, let them d
these things who can without col
scious dishonor. You cannot.
s. Learn from the example ,
President Harrison. On his lat
tour he delivered many speeches