The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-29
G. A. r.. and Our New Soldiers.

To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
We take great pride in our new soldiers
and honor and reverence them, but as to
just how to give them suitable prominence
and keep them in the front of the process
sion there is much diversity of opinion. Our
new soldiers are coming home, the G. A. r.
meets in national encampmentsnext month,
and hence the question continues to present
itself of how the old guard shall show honor
to the new 1t was the services of the old
veterans thirty-five years ago which made
the present war possible and the recent VIC
tories sure They fought to preserve the
Union whose flag to-day floats foremost
among the nations. But the present war
was fought for a new cause, ander new
conditions and with new sentiments and
purposes. Then why endeavor to incorpo-
rate the new soldiers in the old organiza-
ton? Why seek to engraft new culture
upon the old, stately tree, which will ulti-
mately supplant and destroy the identity of
that old army whose purposes are so dis
tinct and different, and whose significance
should never be forgotten nor overshad-
owed? Let the G. A. r. be preserved in
tact until time shall give it and it's sacred
memories to history. All honor and praise
to our country's new defenders but let them
organize their separate and distinguished
military society, as have all armies in the
past since the revolution. Let them be
called the National Guards, or the New
Grand Army, or some BETTING name An
other objection to the incorporation, and
one which seems we'll taken, meets the re-
buke of some whose charity outruns their
discretion, and whose liberality is broader
than their wisdom, viz, 1T will admit ex-
Confederates.' Now. these sentimentaIists,
who have been quick to grasp the sublimity
of the act of former foes standing together
as brothers under one flag, and who rejoice
(as we alb that sectional lines are being OBJ
liberated, have allowed this tenderer passion
to subvert their judgment, and call it UNI
fair and uncharitable that one sees the in
compatibility of admitting ex-Confederates
into the ranks of the G. A r. Because one
sees that the purposes and principles of the
G. A r. must be subverted to admit them
even though they be completely recon
structed, he is accused of wanting to CON
tinue the old strife. The Boys in Blue
and right prevailed in the sixties. The lines
of gray yielded and disbanded and have
since proved themselves loyal to the Union
SCENTS no more glorious spectacle than this
coming together of the old boys of the
North and the South under one flag to fight
for d common country. But because the
blue and the gray can stand side by side in
solid phalanX against their countrys foe,
is that to give them passport into an or
memories of Charlottesville Lookout
Mountain and Vicksburg: to keep their me-
MORALS, and to teach the difference be-
tween treason and patriotism? Could the
boys in gray or the sons of the gray, loyal
and true though they be to-day. and heroic
as they were in the trenches before San
tiago. wish TO join this company of dying
veterans whose greatest glory was their de-
feat? Could the G.. A. r. wish to so revise
their principles. subdue their enthusiasm
and "reminiscences to not offend the new
membership? Shall they hush back all ref
erence to the odious past, now part of his
tory, and be oil things to all men? Would
this so widen their pale and extend the
arms Of charity until ii would be a shall
low nothingness and a modified emptiness.
to accommodate discordant elements? AS
well ask the churches to surrender each its
identity. yield their sectarian differences
and ask the Baptist Church TO extend its
boundaries and widen it's creed TO admit
the sprinkled infsnts of Presbyterians sim
ply because we are all trying to get to
Heaven. We need these different roads 10
avoid being crowded and jostled on one
teeming highway
We are building great Nation. every
man is Il soldier, and each organization
salutes one flag. We cannot wipe out a
page of history even with tears. and no
matter how charitably we may feel. until
the last blue coat and grand army button
is laid in the grave, let the old organiza ton
remain distinct and distinguished. Leave
10 the new guard it's future and 10 the old
guard its hallowed past:
Bedford. Ind, Aug. %.