The morning times., 1896-06-26

4
IfCommauder McElroy of the Department
| or the Potomac, Is the mouthpiece, the
| proposed visit of the High School Cadets
so Richmond Is opposed by the
| Grand Army OF the Republic. Thefeeling
| over the matter seems 10 De somewhat
intense, on both sides, and may eventually
| lead to the trip being abandoned, Ut least
as High School Cadets.
| The resolutions adopted by burnside
| Post, No. y, are generally approved by tile
veterans, while tue Southerners and
the Confederate veterans think they were
iDopportune.
Commander McElroy, when seen by a
Times reporter, was decidedly emphatic
in his statements concerning the cadets
visit.
I'VE feel decidedly" he said, ,'.that any
, participation by any class OF yonng men.
and especially those from the North, IN
these ceremonies is entirely wrong, and
that IL is even more SO in the case Of JEFF
Davis than 1t would be in testimonials 10
such men as Lee, Johnson, Stoncwall
Jackson and others who were fine soldiers
and who showed skill aud bravery In the
war.
Davis was the leader in the cabal which
years be fore the war deliberately set to
work to breed hostility between the sec-
tions aud precipitate peaceful country INTO
bloody war.
COMMANDER MELROY's VIEWS.
This waA solely for the qualification of
their individual ambitions. The Southern
people really were strongly attached to the
Union. but by the ma chinations OF such men
as Davis were brought into hostility to
1t. After Davis and his couferees lad
brought about the condition OF things which
led TO the war, Lee, Jackson and others
felt that they had to side with their own
people, and they had that excuse, whatever
it may he worth, that they had TO go with
their States. Consequently they are less
blamable than the men who deliberately
plotted and Intrigued 10 bring the rebellion
about, and any honor paid jeff Davis is a
testimonial simply TO guilty, unscrupulous
ambitions, unrelieved by single one OF tie
acts OF soldiership which made the rebel
commanders in the field eminent
We all admit frankly that they fought
well for a bad cause.
I'VE feel that the effect upon the young
mind Of partIcipat ton in such "a ceremony
would he very Iernicious. Those who take
part cannot escape something of the feeling
that altogether IL was more praiseworthy
and honorable TO have intrigued ndpiotted
10 plunge peaceful country into war than
to have fought on the Union side to save
the country from these horrors.
impressions received from such affairs
as these by boys on the verge of manhcoI
are likely to produce a lasting mental color
ing which may have the most unfortunate
results"
WHAT Mr.. DREW THINKS.
Commander r. Byrd Lewis, of the Con-
fcderate Camp in this city, could not be
found last evening, but John w. Drew.
druggist, at Connecticut avenue and L
street northwest, prominent member of
the camp, and a member OF the committee
which invited the cadets to Richfnond, said
that he thoughtit foolish to raise objections
to the visit OF the cadets to Richmond at
this time. 1t is the annual reunion OF the
Confederate camps, and il SO happens that
the laying OF the cornerstone of the monu-
Inept to Davis memory takes place at
this time.
Mr. Drew said the cadets would be the
guests OF the city OF Richmond and he saw
no reason why any objection should he
raised concerning the visit 1t looked to
him like making mountain cut OF :,
molehill.
A call at the rooms of the Confederate
Post on F street, opposite the Ebbtt
House, failed to elicit any expressions
from the several members of the camp
there. DIR. Lewis. the secretary. after
coufefring with one or two members said
they had no statement to make concern
ing the expressions OF opposition to the
visit of the cadets To Richmond. DR.. Lewis
said they did nos want to cause any trouble.