The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-30
MEMORIAL-DAY PICNlCS.
BY REV. JOHN GRAY.

To Colonel c. Mason Kinne-DEAR SIR: You
will pardon the int uson consequent upon az,
known by me through the mrdlum OF tne puplc
press, as the author or certain 'resotctlous
and the chief fender and support Ola certain
line OF action recently taken by tne oIhGial
REPRESENTATIVES, of the Grand Army of the Re
public with which my name mas Deeh pFomF
nently coupled.
take il from general hearsay that you are
gentleman "above the average"-qulie capaole
of The amenities and cOurtesies which are que
each TO the other between men OF some degrees
of education and general ability. First OF an
granting the fact of the desecration" OF ME
mortal dAy" by the action have taken. Inc
method OF your statemc1t OF sucn IacG ID
personally abusive.
I am aware that you will seek justification for
this course in the fact that the lniqnity OF my
action is justly described by the literature OF
your resolutions, but allow me TO say lhat III
This free country man has the rlgnt TO Inter
pref his own acts, and that when suen aclS
affect the well-being OF other persons anu ihtlI
interests IL is cuStomary-amOng we'll Dteu
Americans eSprcialy-tOr the dggrleYed 10
seek either redress or the removal OF me
offense in respectful petition anu courteous
address. a.
This YOU nave utterly failed not only TO DO,
but have not even made the attempt. Allow
me 10 candidly ask you II conslue f a oo,t &c
quest stating that a certain course Oh ACTON
was a grievance TO the Grand Army, ana re-
questing me cut of a source OF regard Ior the
same to change our plans, would not nave Deeh
a courteous order of proceeding?
| can only say TO you that such request
would have met with cheerful ana immediate
compliance.
ASH the observance of the day, no body OF
men nave any constitutional right IN this coun-
try TO declare or determine how tnelr lelloW-
citizens shall spend their time, IL IL Is spent
within The keeping of the PROVISIONS OF civil
law-thaJ kind of procedure belongs TO mon
arches aud tyr nnies, for which cur heroes ala
not die. When our fellow citizens exercise this
"Inalenable right" is 1t 'AmericanlSm" 10
ScandaliZe and abuse them IN the public eye?
AS matter of fact your resolutions are nom
md "a N
petty state OF medieval strife and narrow Clan
Dshness.
Again the "atmOs phere" OF the matter has
given rise to certain statements in the public
press which are false-Sucn as the refusal on
my part 10 allow our company of lie Boys Bril-
gade to participate in The Memorial day pro-
Noinvitation has ever been given our COM
pany. l have called the entire company to-
gether and asked all the boys ana officers If
any invitation has ever been sent them. No
has been the universal reply.
What do you Judge hese boys-the youth OF
the natlon-can think when they find such
statements in the press, su posed 10 emanate
from tie Grand Army Of the Republic?
Is that the way to instruct the youth in truth
and loyalty? III you took 1t for granted that
an invitation would have been refused you had
10 right do so on your own motion. As
matter of fact, the invitation would have been
accepted, aud the boys would have gone 10
their pleasure subsequently. If you should
| plead, for answet. That you would not care
| for the presence Of boys in the escort who
| kindly inform me If you think he boys of The
| Church of The Advent would be committing
| greater SINS in Innocent amuSementS, than the
majority OF persons composing the entire milf
tary and civic escort Will commit after the pro-
eeSsiou Is over?
| Does the Grand Army propose to read
homly TO the Third Regiment or the JuareZ
| Guard, Tor Instance, and issue schedule Tor
| Individual conduct 10 their officers and men re-
| spectiVely after the escort duty is performed?
AS TO your personal opinion, If correctly re-
| ported III the daily press. that you have accom-
! plisned your purpose and taught the ministers
| the sacTednesS OF Memorial day, imagine il TO
| be vain concet. That the day is sacred to
| the memory of fallen heroes In a noble cause is
! a fact which might well be recoguIZed; but the
| methods by which you are seeking 10 instruct
| the people In such recognition, If this IS
| sample. are ungentlemanly, unmanly, un-
| American and un-Christian, l have not writ
ten this letter for The mere purpose OF personal
defense as had intended 10 leave this matter
with its authors. l simply resent it
American from birth and in the name of that
priceless liberty which is not TO be Interpreted
| by the Illumination of the "resoutions' Ia
question, aud further l refuse 10 believe that
any such procedure is the sense. of the veterans
who are "still left with US" and in whose pres
ence have never failed 10 doff my hat for seven
wears as they have marched along IN Tie public
parade ON Memorial day. because they pur-
chased for us with The heroic dead-lberly. L
have The honor 10 DE respectfully yours in
cause which | think In this case you lily repre-
sent, JOHN GRAY.