The leader., 1899-10-18
"RoBIN's : ROoST,"
Johnson CITY, Tenn, Sept. %, 1899. !

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn, Sept. q, 1892
To the Elue and the Gray:
Dear Old Veterans of the Unhappy
Past: Not long ago received an invl-
tation to be present and answer to the
toast. "rhe Southern Patriot" at
banquet to be given to the president OF
the United States and other distin-
guishcd guests on the occasion of the
reunion of the Blue and the Gray, to
be held in Evansville, Ind, on October
1913; and since | am deprived of that
pleasure have concluded to write you
short love letter.
patriot is a citizen who loves his
country, whether he lives in the North
or in the South; therefore every man
who honorably wore the blue, and
every man who honestly wore the gray,
in that struggle which tried the souls
of men, was patriot. The Blue won,
the Gray lost; but the boldness of the
Blue and the gallantry of the Gray
placed us in history as a nation of he
roeS. There can be no brighter proph-
ccy of glorious future for our country
than the fraternlzing of the brave men
who fought each other under opposing
flags long ago. 1t is too late now to
argue questions which were settled by
the sword; it is too late to get hot un-
der the collar ard shout Traitor"
across Mason and DiXon's line. Grim
nations and recrimlnations are very
poor balm for old Sores The Union
can exist in name only if we remain
divided by sectional prejudice and sec
honaI animOsity. We must have the
union OF hearts and the union of hands
To perpetuate the republic forever.
fraternal relations and fraternal feel
ings must exist between the States and
the sections if we would preserve the
institutions established by our fathers.
believe that these relations of broth
erhood between the North and the
south are being strengthened more
rapidly and more thoroughly now than
ever before. The shedding of blood
once separated us; the shedding OF
blood is reuniting us.
When President Mckinley, a little
more than year ago, issued his procla
nation calling for volunteers to fight
1orelgn foe under tropical sun, Ten
hcsseans toed the mark side by side
with the boys of Indiana and Pennsyl-
Vanla and Ohio, ready and willing to
follow the broad stripes and bright
stars of the old flag wherever it might
noat IN battle, and, if need be, to die
with their brethren of the North under
It's ample folds. Grant and Lee were
IN camp together, Lawton and Wheeler
lee at Santiago, and Tennesseans bled
on San Juan hill. What better proof
OF her loyalty to the Union could the
south give than when she sent her sons
INTO Its armies to suffer and shed their
blood for its triumph and it's glory?
Not long ago l heard an old Missis-
s'ppl Confederate soldier say that he
mad fought four years under the Stars
and Bars, and that when he went home
at the close of the war and saw his
country in ruins, he nursed his hatred
ana revenge; but when war was de-
clared against Spain his son volun-
'eered in Mississippi regiment, and
"hen he saw him marching under the
otars and Stripes and wearing the blue
.he spirit of anger came over him. and
ne went to the colonel and said: Take
lhat uniform off these boys and let
'hem put on the gray and show to the
world how the sons of old Confederate
veterans can fight under the old flag"
but the colonel shook his head and
said, mo; they must wear the blue
uniforms" and the regiment marched
away And then he bowed his head
ana said, with fearful eyes: ''But when
mey brought my boy home, and stood
over his coffin and looked at him pale in
death, IN his blue uniform and wrapped
IN MS country's flag, all my anger and
animosity vanished, and said: Hence
lorth that is my uniform, that is my
nag and this whole country is my
country"
1T is not the number of people that
makes nations great, else China would
De the greatest nation ON the face of
the earth today; it is not prowess that
preserves empires from decay, else
Rome would have lived forever; it is
not genius, else the dust of thePar-
.henon would not now mingle with the
aust OF Grecian art, and we might still
oe enchanted with the songs of some
uark-eyed sappho and charmed with
the lIlad of some modern Homer IL is
'he virtue and patriotism of the people.
and their faith in Almighty God, which
Uphold governments and lengthen the
paths OF their glory. 1t seems to me
that the God OF nations Is gaiding us
and shaping our destiny. we have the
paubers and the proves and sbs