The National tribune., 1898-12-22
THE PRESIDENTS ATLANTA SPEECH.

On Friday Mr. RiXey, of Virginia, intro
duced a bill opening National Soldiers
Homes to disabled veterans of the rebel army
of 1861 to 1865. Mr.. Lamb of Richmond
Va. followed this with q bill directing the
Secretary of War to permit clerks appointed
by the Governors of the several States inter
esfea to copy the muster-rolls Of the so-called
Confederate army as part of the records OF
the rebellion.
On Saturday the Chairman of the House
Committee on Appropriations is quoted as
saving to fellow-member, younger man
You Will be voting, aud early i'll your
career, too for pensions to the men on the
Confederate rolls What does the Editor
of THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE think of the
matter? We are waiting for this next num-
Der in this grand-stand plays. A. Mcneil,
31st Ohio. Columbus o.
The editor of THE NATIONAL TRIB
UNE has not changed his opinion par
ticle, and has seen absolutely no reason
for such change. The history of the
war, its causes, the methods of its prose
cution, the motives of those who wantonly
inaugurated it and prosecuted it with per-
verse stubbornnass, the pernicious ends
aimed at, have undergone no change by
the lapse of years, or the intervent ion OF
new incidents and feelings That was
all unchangeably settled years ago. If
anything, public opinion is far more III
durated on the subject than ever, for
every year shows more clearly the cause
! lessness of the rebellion. the selfishness
of those who precipitated it, the horror
of plunging peaceful land into such a
devastating struggle, and the wick ednesg
of the impelling reaso ns. Until men SC
change that they will believe that this
country can be happier disjected and
torn than peaceful and united, and
that humanity and civilization can be
promoted by making men slaves rather
than free, they cannot change their
present opinion of the rebellion, its
authors and supporters.
But firm belief of this kind need
not, should not deter a President Of the
United States, when present among the
people who were deluded and deceived
into joining the rebellion, and giving it
a gallant, earnest, though sadly mistaken
support, from making graceful allusion
to their dead and extending them the
sympathy of the whole people. Why
not? They are Americans and our
countrymen, and we feel the deepest
sorrow tina. they squandered sach
splendid courage and devotion on such
a sadly wrongful cause. They were
always our brethern, though erring, and
never for a moment did We think of
disowning the relationship. In the
hour of supreme victory there was no
suggestion of driving single one of
them into exile. We asked them all. to
stay with US in our fathers home, OH
exactly the same terms as ourselves.
We mourned sincerely with them for
those who were slain, for every house
hold in the Nation had drained to the
dregs the bitter cup of bereavement
To-day, when we are fully reunited
and are rejoicing together over victories
in which all sections joined alike, we
can express that sympathy more earn
estly than ever before. The President
says that we are willing to unite in
helping them care for the places where
their fallen ones sleep. Certainly, that
is an act of brotherly sympathy. This
does not mean for an instant that we
shall know no distinction between the
graves of Union and rebel soldier,
and approach both with the same feel
ing. BY no means. When we lay
wreath on a Union soldiers grave there
goes IN TO the act not merely the tribute
of respect to a man who Ii we'd his life
worthily, but there is the far higher
consideration of specially honoring the
dead for virtues of the utmost value to
the safety and well-being of the country.
He is honored, not for having been brave
and selfsacrifcing, but that his courage
and selfsacrifce were for the sake Of
principle dear and vital to all of us,
and that he fought our battles for US
and rescued us from evils that we
shudder now to think Of We honor
him for what he did and dared, and also
to instruct and encourage our youth to be
ready to initiate his example whenever