San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-05-23
BURY THE DEAD PAST.

III
the Houston reunion Is in gener-
Gus contrast to the efforts OF a
small minority OF the Grand Army
Of the Republic to keep alive a
sectional feeling. That address
was replete with loyalty, conser-
vatism and genuine PATRIOTS m
The man who would ask more Of
the Confederate Veteran than that
has no generous impulses in his
soul, or he greatly mistakes the
real issue between the North and
the South. That contest was one
for the triumph OF one Of two rad.
ically antagonistic principles, also
for a government in accordance
with those principles. The South,
cOnviced that the whole people
never would consent to their ideas
made no attempt to coerce the
Nation into their acceptance, but
declaring their right to a separate
form of their own, formally Sc
ceeded from the Union OF Ameri-
can states. This right to divide
the government and establish
another Republic was resisted by
the Federal government and the
war for the restoration Of that Old
Union was commenced. That war
was successful. The Union was re-
stored. The results of that conflict
have been accepted. To what ex.
tent let the speech OF General Cor
don at Houston attest. What is not
meant in this whole matter of Con.
federate reunion and monument
building is hostility to the Union
as it is. To this fact a thousand
Confederate speeches attest. What
is meant is a commemoration OF
the honesty Of purpose that led to
that, fortunately, Intellectual at
tempt to divide the Nation. What
is meant is a perpetual remem-
brance of the valor and soldierly
quality Of that Confederate host;
a kindly communion with
the spirits of the dead who fell
in that conflict; brotherly
remembrance Of their virtues and
a sympathizing tear for their
memories. The "Boys in Blue"
have on more than one occasion ex.
pressed their appreciation Of the
soldierly quality and splendid
courage Of the "Boys in Gray" and
it is not in accordance with that
spirit that unkind structures are
passed upon the commemorative
services of the army Of the "Lost
Cause" That Cause was lost hon.
orably. That some things should
occur in the heat Of that inferno.
cine contest that the sober judg-
ment of the peaceful Preside would
rebuke, goes without saying, but
the facts Of that struggle are not to
be interpreted in the light OF these
occasional outcropppings OF bitter.
ness and retaliation. 1t is not in
the power Of the present to dis
possess the South OF the legacy Of
personal sacrifice and valor that is
her inheritance through the SPLEEN
did achievements of her sons upon
the field of battle. To attempt it is
to attempt foolish thing. Those
men were Americans. Their valor
was American valor. Their sacrifice
American sacrifice. That it was
mistakenly directed does not
change one hair OF its head, as an
inheritance to those who so grand
ly illustrated these personal quail
ties. Ali that the Nation could ask,
all that the South could honestly
concede, is this fact of mistake
That done, the generous Union
soldier makes haste to grasp the
hand OF his former foe and acknow.
lodging his personal bravery and
serving welcome him as brother
in arms. To deny him the prec.
ious privilege OF COMMUNICATING
these things, in reunion or monu'
ment, is unworthy Of that soldier
ly quality which the Union sold
iers so signally displayed on so