The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1900-08-24
Gen. Gordon's Reply.

Atlanta, Ca, Aug. 2O.-Gen.
John b. Gordon, COMMANDMENTS
Chief of the United Confederate
Veterans, has prepared reply to a
resolution recently adopted by a
camp of Confederate veterans at
New Orleans condemning the recent
Blue and Gray Reunion it Atlanta,
recommending that no more similar
reunions be held and protesting
against Gen. Gordon accepting an
invitation to the Grand Army of
the Republic reunion at Chicago.
The reply is as follows:
"Klrkwood, Ca, Aug. 2O.-To
the Confederate Association of the
Army of Tennessee.--Comrades:
A resolution recently adopted by
your association at the instance of
General Chaleron criticising certain
acts or supposed acts of mine, en-
tirely escaped my attention at the
time of its appearance in the public
press and have just seen it for the
first time. | understand this action
of your association to mean formal
and public notice that you disap-
prove of my participation in the
Blue and Gray meeting which re-
Gently occurred in Atlanta; and also
that it means a formal and public
protest by your association against
my acceptance Of an invitation ex-
tended to me by the Grand Army of
the Republic and by the executive
committee of the citizens of Chicago.
"The object of this reply to your
resolution which you failed to send
me, is not to call in question the
right of your association to criticise
any official act of mine which does
not meet your approval. l do wish,
however, to state kindly but frank
ly and plainly that my own con-
scious and my own conception of
duty must be my guide in the future
as in the past.
GAS to the courteous and cordial
invitation of both the Grand Army
of the Republic and of the executive
committee Of Chicago's citizens, l
have to state that l greatly appreci-
ated the compliment paid me by the
invitation and the spirit which
prompted it. Circumstances, how
ever, rendered it impossible for me
to accept, and | so notified the of
fcers and committees nearly two
months ago when that invitation
first reached me. But in this con-
nection also l wish to say that |
must be the judge now and hereafter
of the propriety of accepting invita-
tions from any section of the country
or any class of my fellow country
men.
elm order that there may be no
possible misunderstanding of my po-
sition on these, and all kindred
matters, l repeat my sole guide
must be my own convictions of
duty TO this whole country, and to
the Southern people whose glorious
record in all the past, whose
dignity and honor I have
to defend and uphold at
all times, in all sections and under all
F'In conclusion, let it be definitely
that so long as Provi-
ience permits me to speak or labor
[ shall continue the efforts which l
have made for thirty years in the
of sectional harmony and
unity. Whatever | can do will
assuredly be done for the truth of
history, for justice of the South,
and to all sections, for fostering our
cherished memories, for the oblitera-
ion of all sectional bitterness and
'or the settlement of all sectional |
on a basis consistent
With the honor and the manhood and |
he selfrespect of all.
81 am, as ever, fraternally yours,
NI r GORDON