The National tribune., 1892-06-02
THAT ENGLISH .SNOB.
A Comrades Opinion OF the Johnny Bull
Who Sneered at the GAR.

Who Sneered at the GAR.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: The article
In your issue Of May IL, entitled "The Grand
Army and the National Guard" and signed
"a Boy of 81, Brooklyn, N. Y" giving pub
licity to the sneering remark of a certain
supercilious Johnny Bull of Capt. Wilson's
battery, of the Second Brigade, N. Y. s. NJ, on
the occasion of the laying of the corner stone
of the Grant monument, is we'll calculated to
arouse the honest indignation of every man
who takes pride in wearing the noble badge of
the Grand Army of the Republic. And yet,
taking into consideration the source from
whence the scurrilous remark emanated, per-
haps it would better befit the manly character
of the members of the GAR. to pass it by In
utter silence, however much they would like
to pluck few "tail-feathers" from the self
conceited English :" rooster" In question.
The utter imbecility exhibited by him in
instituting q comparison between the march
ing and general appearance of the members of
the GAR. and that of the militia while on
parade is most pitiable to behold. For any
person in this enlightened age and country to
expect that men who have passed through the
terrible exposures and hardships of a war of
over four years duration, and who have now
arrived at the average age of IS years-to ex-
pect, repeat, that these men can march with
as buoyant step and present as soldierly an
the militia of the several States of the Union,
is an evidence of intellectual weakness more
BETTING q candidate for an idiot asylum than
person in the military service of q sovereign
State like New York. And yet, the p" blarsted
Englishman who instituted such COMPARE
son, according to "a Boy of '61," considers
himself, without doubt, not only man of
great intelligence, but being of wonderful
superiority every way over the survivors of
In 1nta hat he uhnln n11d
seem that old "Jack Falstaff" could not so
much as "hold candle" to him in the way Of
wind and bloat and swagger."
Now, notwithstanding the boosted graceful
ness and bearing of the militia of the present
day. composed, as it is, of young men who have
never experienced any hardship and have no
adequate comprehension of the hardshps of an
active campaign, will venture the assertion
that, however proficient they may be in the
manual of arms and however stunning"
their appearance while on public parade. on
any Of the points that go to make up a true
soldier they are not one iota superior to the
general material of which the Union army was
composed during the war; and ere not one whit
more proficient in the handling Of the musket
on dress parade That the old vets cannot do
these things as well to-day as they could q
quarter Of century ago is only natural So
quence that no one but driveling idiot can fail
to comprehend. The modern Jack Fastaff"
whose insolence has called forth this rebuke
should have witnessed some of the dress pa
rades aud military manuvering that your
correspondent has seen and participated in
down 10 Dixie, and if he still persisted in say
ing that we were only 80 many "lubbers" In
the military school, / would at one set him
down as the most incorrigible ass of the nine
teenth century, as he evidently is.
Another point. Should his sublime English
Eminence condescend to be spectator of one
of our National Grand Army Encampments,
and there witness the immense gathering Of
asm with which the war veterans are greeted
cined, if not too mulishly stubborn, to modify
care anything about the Grand Army, any
that none of the high-toned, "befrilled" and
rades SO that the Grand Army, aud that alone,
is the drawing card"
Please go to Washington next September,
Mr.. Bull, and see for yourself
In conclusion / would suggest that some
course be taken to send this wonderful scion
of the Bull family back to his native heath, as
1t is quite evident that this country will not be
large enough to accommodate his individual
expansion if he continues to grow in importance
as he advances in years, doncher know. Be-
sides, we can as well spare him as we can the
heather Chinee, and, as Pat says "a good deal
bctther." By the way, is there anything more
disgusting and detestable on Gods green earth
than an English snob?-H. T. PECK, 10th
Conn.,, New Haven, Conn.