Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-05-31
Calnnase
Sermon
By Rev.
Frank De Witt Talmsge, ID. d.

sermon, appropriate to the time, the
DID, tender theme of a nations sorrow
ana how il was healed receives new
treatment, and the lesson is learned of
great people united in the bonds of a
common patriotic brotherhood. The
text Is Isaiah xiii. 9, Il will say to the
north, Give up, and to the south, Keep
not back"
l sometimes think we make n mis-
take when we think OF the civil war as
ending at Appomattox. The wounds
were too fresh then on both sides. We
know that the war is ended now, and
think the beginning OF the end dated
about twenty years ago. The begin
ming of the end came In a letter which
Adjutant General r. c. Drum on April
30. 1887, addressed to Hon. w. C. Endi-
colt. secretary of war in President
Cleveland's cabinet. The letter went
thus:
sir-I have the honor 20 state that there
are now in this office. stored in one of the
attic rooms OF the building. a number OF
Union flags captured In action. but recov-
cred on the fail OF the Confederacy and
forwarded to the war department for safe
keeping, together with a number of Con-
federate flags. which the fortunes OF war
placed In our hands during the late civil
war. While in the past favorable action has
always been taken on applications. proper
" supported. for the return OF the Union
flags to organizations representing surviv-
ors OF the military service of the govern
ment, beg to submit that II would be a
graceful act to anticipate future requests
of this nature and venture to suggest the
propristy OF returning all the flags (Union
and Confederate) to the authorities of the
respective states In which the regiments
which love those colors were organized.
While In all civilized nations OF the old
world trophies taken in wars against for
eign enemies have been carefully preserv-
ed and exhibited as proud mementos OF
the nations military glorfes. wise and OBJ
vious reasons have always excepted from
the rule evidences of past internecine
troubles which, by appeals to the arbitra-
ton of the sword, have disturbed the
peaceful march of people to its destiny.
over twenty years have elapsed since tho
termination of the late civil war. Many
or the prominent leaders. civil and mill
tary. are now honored representatives OF
the people in the national council or in
other eminent positions and lend the aid
OF their talents to the wise administration
OF the affairs OF the whole country, and
the people of the several states compos-
Ing the Union are now united. treading
the broader road to "A glorious future.
Very truly yours. r. c. DRUM.
Adtutant General.
But were the people in 1887 united?
No sooner did President Cleveland al
low Secretary Endicott to approve the
suggestion of his adjutant general than
u great howl of denunciation arose.
BY one OF the leading newspapers of
Minnesota, Cleveland was assailed
with opprobrious epithets. The news
papers east and west excoriated him.
over the public banquet tables Gen
eral u. +. Butler, General Lucius Fair
child, commander in chief of the Grand
Army of the Republic; Murat Halstead
and others hurled their vituperation.
The then governor OF Ohio wrote a let
ter, which Senator John Sherman in
dorsed, In which he emphatically re-
fused to surrender the flags. saying.
mo rebel flags shall be returned while
l am governor" General Fairchild
said: May God palsy the hand that
wrote the order. May God palsy the
brain that conceived IL, and may God
palsy the tongue that dictated IT." So
overwhelming was the public bitter
ness at the thought OF giving back the
captured flags that the president had
Ia rescind the order to deliver up to
the southern states their flags on the
ground that the flags were the proper
~ or the United States, and therefore
the United States alone had the right
to return them.
Beginning Of the End
Oh. the sectional bitterness which
was ranking In the human hearts
north and south In 1887. But in spite
OF that fact that letter OF X. G.. Drums
proved To be the beginning OF the end
Rapidly and surely the last fires OF
sectional strife died away. In 1898 the
very men who had most vehemently
opposed the returning OF the Confeder-
ate flags were most anxious to see Ma
jor Mckinley do what President Cleve-
land had failed TO accomplish On Feb.
"a, 1898. congress passed the bill au-
thorizing the war department to return
all the Confederate flags captured In
battle. Governor Foraker, who had
fought the movement before, was then
senator, and he was the most enthusi-
astic advocate OF the bill. Yes, yes, at
last the civil war was ended. At last
by the voluntary return Of the blood
soaked battiehags the United States
congress declared there was no north,
no south, no east, no west, no conquer
ors and no vanquished. The Confeder-
ate battleflags were given back to the
men whose comrades had baptized
them with their life's blood.
Why did the north return those old
battlefiags OF the southern army?
First, the northerners realized that the
southerners were honest men and had
been honest in their advocacy OF the
state rights principle all through the
war. The northerners realized that the
same fidelity to principle which made
Massachusetts and Illinois and Wis
consin and California fight for the cen
tralization OF government drove Geor-
gia and Alabama and South Carolina
TO fight for state rights. These men.
born below the Mason and Dixon line
were not dishonest or mercenary They
were fighting for n principle, because
they believed the principle was just
And for that principle they were ready
TO sacrifice their lives.
The Work Of Years.
Hut some years had to pass before
the boys in blue and the boys in gray
could meet and fellowship together and
recognize each others honesty. 1t Is
almost impossible for n man who Is
lighting to believe that his opponent,
whose doubled fist is pummeling and
beating him, has an honest heart or q
straight hair in his head But after
the battle is over, after time has cooled
the blood, after our adversary may
have been laid away In his silent grave.
then We are able TO look at our past