The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-21


the Grand Army of the Republic, but as
a veteran and private soldier of Com
pany A, Thirty-fifth New York Vofun-
teers, in which 1 carried a gun for two
this great occasion. l believe the time
has come when plain words should be
spoken. of past that will forever witch
the world by its great deeds and great
men, covering the period of American
history between 1861 and 1865.
1 will not dwell long upon the unhap-
py trend of events which led up to the
opening of the great war here and now.
1t will be enough to say that the South
and the North became divided in the cur
rent of national ideas and sentiments OF
liberty, and slavery and states rights be-
came the causes of an ''irrepressible con-
fiict'' between two great sections OF the
Union. Our diplomacy and state craft
famentably failed to compose the sec
tional differences that divided the nation
along sectional lines, and the final ap-
peal to the bloody court of war, through
the cruel arbitrament Of the sword. came
as the last resort in the composing OF
vital questions in which the fate of the
Union was at stake.
And there followed four years OF the
fiercest internecine war Of ali the ages
fought in the main by armies or Volun-
teers on either side, composed OF the
flower of the North and OF the SOutn,
equally brave, equally as honest in their
convictions of duty, and of glrth ana
brain of lofty patriotism that has won
for their soldierly qualities the adm!ra-
fion Of the whole world The great strug-
gle was a stupendous conflict unpaIaheleu
In its sacrifices in the history OF wars.
More and greater battles We're toughl
and more men woae killed, wounded ana
died of disease than ever before went TO
their doom in the horrid holocaust OF war
during any similar period In history.
The end came at AppomattoX, anu tilS
Cavalier Lee and the Puritan Grant tacsd
each other on the closing scene OF tile
most pathetic and bloody drawn OF an INC
ages The half-drawn SWORD was ,? li?
- nd victorious >
words sounded forth the death kneH OF
past national division and greeted the go
rious dawn of a new, destiny WneE nc
said: How many rations do your n4hsES ~,
soldiers need?' And then followed the
blessed assurance that horses ana slde
arms could be retained, the former as
helps in the new life of peace; anO the
latter as evidence OF personal ioyaity
What a scene was this, my countrymen.
Here stood side by side, the gf2nu rep
resentative Of the Cavaliers ana the spIel-
did type of the Puritans, racing new
epoch in the history. of the saved nation.
In this hour, big with events, the Furllsn
and Cavalier were merged INTO a @ neW
| product of our soil, the one represents id
| five type of the future within our lnioa
the American Christian citizen. 1lIhe >
curtain then dropped down TO smut out
from view the carnage Of war, biooa t Seas-
ed to flow, and only the memories OF ING
dread strife remained. Peace, sweet
peace. came to bless all homes ana giau-
den all hearts within the circle Of our
Union. .1>,,,,,,Y.nrony
7 am proud to say on this glad day
that as whole, and under az thS t con, on
dttions in a broad view, the Soutn mas
nobly kept the bond mace al o IL See, as
complete as it has been glorious III @ Iue
happy circle of our redeemed Union. ~ ~
hraVest are the tendereSt, and the heIolS
are the daring in all battles OF war anu
or peace. and the stately and heroic Lee
ard his able generals, as Wnole, lully
accepted the bond of blood ana at oIce
entered upon the era OF peace, worthIy ~ q
citizenship surcharged with the sentiments
of lasting peace and concord. But IL re-
mained under God for the Spans5h-AlneejT- nej-
lean war to come to bring INTO nne, sue sue
NV side the sons of veterans Oh tlo
North and the sons of veterans of the
South marching to the music OF the On7
ION. under the Stars and Stripes, ana
commanded by former WeareTs OF olle = b,, ly
tween old foes, and thus secure a common
sentiment of American PATRIOTISM. ibis DIS
meeting on the ground Where tife pFdVe
men fought and fell during the herce on
snts of the blue and the gray In the oV5
hut illustrates the lessons Of peace ana
concord Of the '9Os I have just meneohcu.
trust this great gathering OF FORMER
Iaterane az the armies of the South and
of the North will bear lasting 1rult az an
object lesson of fellowship as American
citizens. one that stanos 1oF suohs an
high -ciViliza ton.
IRRITATING MEMORIES.
am aware that both In the South and
IN the North there linger irritating MEM
cries over the great war. 1t IS not strahse
that this should be so; n Would De
stranpe indeed. IL 1t were otherwise un-
der ali the remarkable circumstances sur
rounding the mighty conflict and victory,
There is some misunderstannlng' n9
doubt. even yet, both in the North ana
in the South, over the conditions ana
properties which the surrenderer made
binding upon all. The South fought un-
der their stars and bars, and the princi-
nles these stood for, with q heroism un-
surpassed in battle record, and when they
laid down their arms In surrender, al
they fought for went with their slience9
guns in an unquestionable settlement and
decision of all the issues invo.Ved. The
Confederacy passed into history as
dead and gone effort to round new
ma tton" on American soil, and Its furled
flag should have no place In public view
or parade henceforth. Old things nave
indeed passed away with US, and the new
promises of present and tuture CROWN
in all that makes a nation happy and
free as well as wise and truly great.
should be as the pearl OF great price
to every soul in our dear land. do not
like to hear the term ''rebels" and trait
ors'' applied now to the former foes Of
our nation, for 1t seems to me that men
who volunteered to face death in the
hell of battle did all that honest men
could do to prove their loyalty to prin-
ciple and duty, as they saw from their
point of view, duty and principle When
. they yielded TO the rate OF war ana ac-
cepted the new destiny of the nation.
they stood upon a common plane of
American citizenship, flesh of our flesh,
bone Of our bone. and Americans ALL
And I do not believe we should ask ex-
Confederates to admit that they were
wrong or traitors in the service they
honestly rendered the Southern Confed-
eracY.
I know of no higher test Of love Of
country than that of periIing ones life
for his Ideas Of law, Justice and liberty
Under this view It would follow that a
final settlement of our sad and bloody
difference should forever end all harsh
recriminations regarding the great war
What I am anxious to see Is the disap-
peaPance of all unworthy reminders of
the terrible conflict. and the culture OF
present unity and Righteousness over all
the Union. There can now be but one
ideal Of American citizenship. one Stars
and Stripes. one bulwark Of future ma
tional glory, and one line Of patriotic
teachings for all and by all In this
view the keeping alive of sectional teach
ings as to the Justice and rights OF the
caDse of the South in the hearts Of the
children Is all out Of order unwise iln-
just and utterly opposed to the bond by
which the great Chieftain Lee solemnlv
bound the cause Of the South IN his final
surrender. I deeply deplore all agencies
Of this sort. because in honor and in
chivalric American manhood and woman
hood nothing Of this nature should be