Smyrna times., 1895-09-25
The Grand Army Encampment at
Louisville, Kentucky.
Correspondence to the Times.

Correspondence to the Times.
The following was written for our last issue
but came after our columns were filled up. If
the news is old the sentiment conveyed is fresh
showing the changed feeling between the two
seCtions.-ED.l
The 29th Annual Reunion of the
Grand Army was a greater success this
year than ever before, and what lent
greatest interest to it was that for the
first time since its organization it en-
tered over on Southern soil south of
the Ohio river, on the famous soil of
Kentucky. One year ago they asked
for it, and made large promises of
warm reception, which they fulfilled.
Some of the newspapers got it into cir
culation that the color line would be
drawn, but the Courier journal prompt
ly denied it, and results proved that
they never had such a greeting and
reception. From start to finish it was
a feast of fat things and flow of soul.
City reception decorations, they said,
had been grand before, but never so
profuse and down to individual doors,
as at Louisville. City papers said it
was like as if there had been a fall of
snow in layers Of red, lOhite and blue.
Two new things were a medal and a
badge, bearing the motto of "One flag
and one Country" The medal was
presented to the G. A. r. from the
State and bore appropriate Kentucky
inscriptions.
Think of the Blue and the Gray
marching together in one grand pro-
cessiOn with one fraternal spirit, the
North and the South vieing with each
other, vociferating their attachment to
the Union and the old dag. There is
no such spectacle as that anywhere on
earth. The news of such a scene as
that, borne on the electric currents
and in few hours set up in printed
type and read by millions of people
has softened every heart, sealed and
cemented the Union with that love
and attachment that says it can never
be severed any more.
Thirty years have passed and preju.
dice has grown threadbare and now it
has gone forever That is the way
Americans do things and it is marvel
GUS in the sight of other nations.
From the days of the colonists we
have been building better than we
knew, until history has told it and
proved it,
SINCE the cruel war was over there
has possibly been no little thing done
that has grown to be so great as the
formation and organization of the G.
A. r. Society. 1t is the soul of patriot.
ism, and party is not in it. What a
grand scene is the assembling of l5O,=
600 patriots ip o city that is large
enough to receive them, whose mayor
clears the streets for their reception
and grand carnival of patriotism is
held, when every knee bows to the
shrine of the old Flag those wearing
the Blue and those wearing the Gray,
when every voice joined in the chorus,
soldiers, civilians, male and female,
old and young, when the band strikes
up the Star Spangled Banner.
An assembly like that gives soul
and emphasis to sentiments that be.
come national 10 their bearing,
"The prosperous South has done
we'll. They are daily developing their
country and would not wish for the
Union as it was, but want it as it is.
They boast that they gave US Fremont
and Lincoln and the better half of
Grant
The Encampment was the proudest
day in the hearts and homes of the
metropolis of Kentucky, aud the ad-