The National tribune., 1894-06-28
GEN. RoSsER AGAIN.

having said some things in an interview
which nettled the irascible Rosser, he
went off in the following letter:
[Copy.I
CHARLOTTESVILLE VA.,sJune z, 1894.
Capt. J. G. B. ADAMS, Com'd'g g. AR, Bos-
ton, Mass.
CAPTAIN: It was not my purpose to
notice the spasmodic enunciation of the
supreme holiness and patriotism of the
GAR, as claimed by you in the dispatches
which were sent all over the country
through the press of the LIST instant, but
have received so many letters from the
members of the association over which you
preside that think it well to notice them
briefly through you, their Commander.
Holding the position of Commander-in-
Chief of the GAR you must have been
soldier, distinguished for bravery as well as
possessing all the other essential attributes
of good soldier in war, while in peace you
are doubtless a gentleman and good citi-
eel, and as such l now salute You.
l was soldier of the Army of Northern
Virginia, First Lieutenant of artillery at
the first battle of Manassas, and Major
General of cavalry at Appomattox, and dur
ing that time, except at short intervals when
absent on account of wounds, l battled, bled
ana hungered to the utmost limit of my
capacity-indeed, did all in my power TO
contribute to the success of my side OF the
conflict, and thus performed, conscientiously,
my duty-and, you having done the same,
as judged from your standpoint, before our
respective comrades we stand on the same
plane.
You declare, in the dispatch above referred
TO, that tine reputation of the Union vet
Grams is secure. Having whipped the rebels
and secured the blessings of national life to
the South as well as the North, we can rest
on our arms. We have all we can do to
carry on our work of charity, and teach
patriotism in the public schools"
Now, Captain, put yourself In my place
for a moment. On the Both ult. stood
before several thousand of my MANNED,
SCARED, grizzled, and careworn comrades,
who had met at the Capital of my State,
which was the Capital of the Confederate
States, for the purpose of unvailing a mOnu-
ment, not only to the memory of such of
our comrades as had fallen in our struggle
for independence, but to show our undying
devotion to the sacred right of self-goyern-
ment inherited from our fathers. When
recognized in the crowd by my comrades
and called on to SAY something" remem-
herring that we had never been whipped
never in all the vicissitudes of that long
and bloody war had we turned our backs on
an equal nuKiber OF our enemies, but Oh
many occasions we had won and held the
field of conflict against numbers greatly in
excess of our own-remembering that we
had finally surrendered merely the right of
secession - remembering that indignites
which we never supposed the American
people would ever impose upon fallen foe
were heaped on US a. soon as we laid down
our arms-remembering the boasts of your
comrades of having whipped US, and your
taunts. calling US rebels" and traitors D
remembering that we laid down our arms
30 years ago, and that you 1.-THE GAR are
still on the payroll, and being supported, in
a large part, by our labor-I could not
restrain the honest and manly outburst of
my Indignation, contempt, and resentment
of my whole soul against all of these wrongs
perpetrated IN the high name Of patriotism.
Do you honestly suppose that the G. Ar.
alone is competent to teach patriotism to
the children In the public schools? If you
90 into the public schools TO teach, give the
children an obiect-lesson in patriotism by
erasing the names of fraudulent pensioners
from your rolls, and make the pension-roll
a roll OF honor.
Show your patriotism By asking the Gov
ernment to support only those who were
actually disabled in war, and thus relieve
your country of great burden in its present
impec9niOus condition.
AS soldiers, Captain, we only differed as
to the right of State TO secede from the
Union of States; and since / have surren-
dcred fnat rItyhf hanon hair ,,b,-
ly able to maintain it against overwhelming
numbers, and it is now finally and forever
settled, l am your peer in eitizenship-have
rs many rights as you have, and am always
ready anywhere, and at any time, to defend
them.
We are now living in times of peace; the
American flag is as much mine as it is yours,
or as much mine as it is the property of the
GAR, and Virginia had as much hand in
acquiring that flag as Massachusetts, had !;
and | suggest 10 you that the citizens of the
Southern States Of this Union are neither
rebels" nor traitors" and the citizens of
Massachusetts are not more loyal to our
common country than those of Virginia and
the other States of the South.
Your obedient servant,
(Signed) THos l.. RossER.
Comrade Adams replied as follows:
LYNN, MASS, June II, 1894.
Gen. THos. /. RoSsER, Charlottesville, Va
GENERAL: / am in receipt of your favor
of The 9TH instant. As you say, 1t is now
finally and forever settled" see no reason
why we should keep up the fight.
Since Grant received the sword of Lee at
AppomattoK and said "Let us have peace {"
the exUnion soldiers have prayed and
worked to that end. All we have ever asked
is that those who were in arms against the
Government should be loyal to it. You also
say: The American flag is as much mine
as it is yours" Then why not run it up on all
occasions, put your Confederate flags out of
sight, accept the situation, and unite with
US for one country and one flag? There can
be nothing gained for ourselves OF those that
come after us by keeping our mouths hung
on hair trigger, to be pulled On any occa-
sion. Think for a moment what q grand
Nation we are, and be sorry that you ever
fought to destroy it.
Very truly, yours,
(Signed) JOHN G. b. ADAMS,
Commauder-in-Ch Chief, GAR.
As near as there can be said to be an
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