Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-18
HONOR TO coNrEDERATEs.
Grand Army Men Unite In Decorat-
fng Graves of Southern SoIdgerx

Tho sectional feeling engendered by
the civil war is dying out rapidly, and
now that another war is occupying the
attention Of the people of this country.
Americans, without respect TO their past
experiences or their local surroundings,
have Joined hands across the bloody
chasm which yawned thirty and more
years ago, and to-day they stand as one
people. united In a common band Of
brotherly love.
Nothing more forcibly illustrates this
! than the union OF the Grand Army of the
Republic and the Confederate Veterans.
at Columbus, o.. last week. in decorating
the graves OF southern soldiers. who fell
while invading what was then a hostile
country. The ceremony Is described in
the Columbus Dispatch as follows:
Here's 10 the veterans out of the South.
They fought. IL is true, in gray.
But the heart goes out in the word OF
mouth
TO greet them in love to-day.
The strife is ended, and now we stand,
United in loves sweet thrall:
And we look aloft, as the hand clasps
hand.
To the one flag over us all.
The ceremony Of placing flowers upon
the graves of the Confederate soldiery,
buried at Camp Chase. in this city, which
was 50 well and feelingy performed to-
Gay. is a ceremony Of great significance
TO the people of the North, where IT is
practically a new thing. The participa-
ton in the ceremonies by members of the
Grand Army and ex-soldiers who wore
the blue gives additional meaning to the
incident 1t gives added Zest TO the opin-
A.y, ND toll,
between the sections prevails; that in the
graves of the North and South the ami
mosities of the war have been buried,
and that all now stand upon common
platform-one country and one flag.
The taking part in the exercises, not
alone in Columbus, but I'm all places
where there are buried Confederates, by
the boys in blue, is not considered by
either the blue or the gray as the sacri-
ficing of thought or conviction as to the
issues of the war. only one sentiment pre-
vailed through the day and through the
proceedings-the dead were honored as
American soldiers, and the honor was
given by Americans. The victors were
merciful; they applauded not the acts of
the unfortunate southern boys, but they
do recognize their bravery as Americans,
and that is the principle which has gov
erned them. In thus recognizing them
they gladden. the hearts of many southern
friends of the dead they knit closer the
bonds Of amity between the North and
the South.
Particularly at this time is the act
Of to-day significant; when the boys Of
the Northland and the Southland are
standing shoulder to shoulder under
one flag, fighting for a common cause.
Think of it for moment; Michigan and
Georgia in the same brigade; Illinois
and Florida in another a Confederate
commanding a corps, and the boys from
the North envious of those who are so
fortunate as TO be in his command. The
.Whirligig of time works great wonders,
which are hard to understand, but in this
day and age the fights are all towards
harmony and peace; the two sections
understand that, the soldiery of the two
sections have long ago learned that the
war is over; our southern brothers have
accepted the situation, and the exhibition
Of to-day was only a manifestation OF
that return Of peace at which all the
world wonders.
Colonel Bennett II. Young. of Louisville,
a Confederate soldier, delivered the ad-
dress of the occasion. and Governor
Bob" Taylor, of Tennessee, made a
feeling talk. The Blue and Gray was
sung, and after the exercises the Con-
federates We're entertained at a camp
fire by the Grand Army men.