The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-02
os ANGELES, Cal, May 26.-In thlI

row and how 1t was healed receives new treatment, and the lesson is learned of great people united in the bonds of common patriotic brotherhood. The text is Isaiah xiii, 6, "I will say to the north, give up, and to the south, keep not back"
 l sometimes think we make mistake when we think of the civil war as end- ing at Appomattox. The wounds were too fresh then on both sides. We know that the was is ended now, and I think the beginning of the end dated about twenty years ago. The beginning of the end came in a letter which AdJutant Gem eral R. c. Drum on April 30, ss7, ad- dressed to Hon. ". c. Endicott, secretary of war in President Cleveland's cabinet. The letter went thus:
 Sir--I have the honor to state that there are now in this ofice stored in one of the attic rooms of the building, number Of Unoin flags captured in action, but recov- cred on the fall of the Confectionery and forwarded to the war department for safe keeping together with 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, properly supported. for the return of the Union flags to organizations representing survivors of the military service of the government, l beg to submit that 1t would be a graceful act to anticipate re- quests of this nature and venture to sug gest the propriety of returning all the flags CUnion 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 have been carefully preserved and eX- hibited as proud mementoes of the nations military glories wise and obvious req sons have always excepted from the rule evidences of past internecine troubles which, by appeals to the arbitration of the sword, have disturbed the peaceful march of a people to it's destiny. over twenty years have elapsed since the ter mnatlorka of the late civil war. Many of 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
 Adjutant General.
 But were tho people in S57 united? No sooner did President Cleveland allow Secretary Endcott to approve the sug- gestion of his adjutant general than great howl of denunciation arose. By one of the leading newspapers Of Min nesota, Cleveland was assailed with op- probrious epithets. The newspapers east and west excoriated him. Over the public banquet tables Gen. B. F. Butler, Gen. Lucius Farchild, commander-in-ehief or the Grand Army of the Republic Murat Ualstead and others hurled their vituper- ation The then governor of Ohio wrote a letter which Senator John Sherman indorsed in which he emphaticaly re- fused to surrender the flags, saying, No rebel flags shall be returned while 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 bitterness at the thought of giving hack the captured flags that the President had to resclnd the order to deliver up to the southern states their flags on the ground that the flags were the property of the United States, and therefore the United States alone had the right to re- turn them.
 Beginning of the End.
 Oh the sectional bitterness which was rnnkling in the human hearts north and south in 1887! But in spite of that fact 1bat letter of R. c. Drum's proved to be the beginning of the end. Rapidly and surely the last fires of sectional strlte died away. In lses the very men who had most vehemently opposed the return 4hp of the Confederate flags were most anxious to see Major Mckinley do what President Cleveland had failed to accom- plish. On February 24, 1895, Congress passed the bill authorizing the war de- partment to return all the Conleoerate flags captured in battle. Governor For ater. who had fought the movement be- fore. was then senator, and he was the most enthusiastic advocate of the Dill. Yes. yes, at last the civil war was ended' Al last by the voluntary return or the blood soaked battle flags the unlted States Congress declared there was no north no south, no east no west, no eonouerors and no vanquished- The Con eederate battlenags were given back to the men whose comrades had baptized .hem with their lifes blood
 Why did the north return those old hattleflags of the southern army? tlrst' the northerners realized that the south erners were honest men and had been honest in their advocacy Of the state rights principle all through the war. The nOrtnefnefS TedHAtu ehot Niic N ity to principle which made Massachusetts ana Illinois and Wisconsin and California nght for the standardization Of government drove Georgia and Alabama and South Carolina to fight for state rlgnts. 1hese men. born below the Mason and Dixon line were not dishonest or mercenary' They were fighting for a principle pe- cause they believed the principle was just. And for that principle they were ready to sacrifice their lives.
 Work of Years.
 Rut some years had to pass before the boys in blue and the boys In gray could meet in fellowship together and recognize each other honestly. It is almost impossible for man who is fighting to believe that his opponent whose doubled fist is pummeling and heating him, has an honest heart or straight hair in his head. But after the battle is owed. after time has cooled the blood. after our adversary may have been laid away in his silent grave, then we arc able to look at our past actions and those of our enemies as through anothors eyes Then we see that both of us may have been honest in our ideas, bur both or one of us may have been mistaken in our judgment.
 If those southerners were not honest in their advocacy of state rights how can you account for the actions of Rob ert b. Lee? Study the history of the man any way you will, and you will find him q noble, true hero through and through He certainly did not enter the southern army for fame. Had he t1a ar a milf