The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-20
sEATTLE. TUEsDAY. SEP. 20.
THE @. A. n. PARADE.

.
Nearly one hundred thousand veterans,
IL is estimated, will march today in review
at Washington City. It Is easy for flip
pant folk who saw not the war and felt
none Of its sacrifices to sneer at the
stopped. grizzled and white-haired vet
Grams Of the war OF 1876 as pension
frauds" deriding the heroism Of the mass
Of the survivors because of the shame
OF the few, but no candid man can
say today that the surviving Union
soldiers are not at least the peers Of
the great majority Of their fellow citizens
who were either unable or unwilling to
wear army blue. Out Of 100000 OF men
10 would be very strange if there were not
found some who have dcgenerated in char
acter and conduct since they ceased to be
soldiers, twenty seven years ago. There
was gold and there was dross in the rank
and file of the Union armies.
In camp there was something OF the
meanness: something of the hypocrisy;
something of the seIfishness and false
hood; something OF tho cowardice and
Boosting that We find among mankind ont
OF camps, but this was exceptional when
suffering, privation and peril were daily
probing every man TO the very marrow
bones OF his manhood. 1t was an army
of farmers, traders and mechanics that
from ocean to ocean in the Union ranks
deep bolted with their swords the republic
which Washington founded to the bed.
rock OF nationality.
1t was composed OF that English stock
thst whether il exchanges the weapons OF
war for the arts and garb Of peace, or pulls
off its working clothes for fighting gear, has
been in war or peace, above all things.
the champion of the lsreest liberty for the
greatest number. For the safety OF free
institutions this peaceful English yeomsn
stock will 90 to war. but the moment that
human rights have been rescued from
danger this terrible citizen soldier hastens
to resume his work as citizen, for while
he Is formidable fighter. the victories Of
peace are his pleasure rather than the
stern necessities of war, because the only
excuse he accepts for the brutalities OF
war is when they are endured to secure
tbs blessings Of peace. He will fight for
right rather than beg out of war by ne
gotiating cowardly peace with wrong,
and in this spirit the armies Of the Union
grimiy endured defeat, determined never
to furi their dag until they had forced the
gallant but mistaken, misguided South to
burn its last cartridge and dig its last
ditch.
The men of the Union were by vast
majority primarily sound citizens before
they went TO war, and when war was over
by vast majority they instantly became
sound citizens once more. and from that
day to this have remained sound citizens;
the very salt and safety of the state. Like
the armies of Cromwell, disbanded st the
Restoration, the armies of the Union "be-
came traders, artisans and farmers again
and were known am ong their fellow men
by no other sign than by their greater
soberness and industry" Gen. Sherman
once said in depreciation of the popular
dread of soldiers - civic rulers:
Paradoxieat as IL may sound. wars in our
country have always been made By men who
bls by those who profess war our soldiers
have been the real peacemakers OF our country
Sherman was right; reckless politicians
make war: while soldiers, when they have
conquered n peace, are the least of all men
disposed to reinvite war When Grant pc
came president he was peacemaker when
Charles Sumner urged a policy of settle
ment for the Alabama claims that stood
for war. The soandness of the ex- Union
soldiers citizenship - shown by their hon.
orshie election 10 civic office since the
war. Presidents Grant. Hayes, Garfield
and Harrison; Judge Stanley Matthews
and Judge Woods, Of the United States s,,.
preme court; Judge Gresham, Of the
United States circuit court: Judge Force
of the Ohio supreme court; Govern.
ors Cox. Noyes. Foraker and McKin.
ley, of Ohio; Governors RusS, Solomon,
Farchiid and Wsshburn. Of Wisconsin
Gov. Alger. Of Michigan, Governors
ogieshy and Filter, o, Illinois; Gov. Hub.
hard, OF Mlnaesots. United States Senst-
ors Palmer, Logan. Miller, Henderson
Spooner, Boweo, Burnside and Haw!ev
Governors Hsrtrsnft. Geary and Beaver
Of Pennsylvania; Governors Conner
Chamberlain snd Plsisted of Maine Cover
nors Hartman. Of New Hampshire: Jade.
Dsvsns. 81 the Massachusetts supreme
court: rrof. Francis A. Walker. Charlie,
Francis Adams, jr., Prof. Enstis. Of Har
ward college; Colonies Morrison. Veasey
and Walker, Of ths United States inter
state commerce com isslan: Governor,
Wsshbara, Proctor. Fsrnhsn. P.nxree
Baxssow and Ormsoee. Of Vermont: GOV
vernon Hoyey. of Indiana These nan,s
Of Union soldiers, living aai dead. ar
proof that che men who COMPOSED IN
arny stood for she staI that r axes :. ar
Of the state in wsr or peaca. Some q
these men were generals, coloneis. car
tains and iieatsnants: some Of then, wer
private soldiers. bat whether Hiastriou
or obscure they were bnt types Of shaus
ants 81 hamhy heroic men wAo spea
their hest energies uuSe!sshlY FOR .he sS7
psiei;y Of Tree Institutions; FOR tie 3r
sna safety Of the state.
The survivors Of rae great armies Of g.
ua.on are better oajscs iessoas for e.T