The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-28
.HATCHET BURIED !. BY MICHIGAN MAN Letter Written b Senator J0hn- stOn Rings Tue is Steel N|R SPIRIT IS BURIED Member of Grand Army of Republic Says senator Johnston Could Get
 Anything He Wants PoIiti-
 caIIy in Michigan
By PATTERSON sTEALEY

Washington, February 27.-(Special.) > When Michigan le islator, republican, offers to support outhern Confederate and democrat for office in the Woi- verlne state, there yerily no more north and south. When further he pledges the entire support of the Michigan G. A. R., the remnant of those who marched through Georgia with Sherman it be- comes miraculous. Yet these offers are made in a letter received by Senator Johnston of. Alabama from Benjamin F. Heckert, representative of Van Buren county in the Michigan assembly.
 Heekert's unusual letter follows;
 Hon. Joseph F. Johnston.
 My Dear Senator I have had the pleasure. of reading your report from the military committee on the application of John Reed of this place for the removal offthe disability of an alleged desertion from this regiment during the civil war, as shown by the records of the war de- partment Having been soldier myself on the Union side for nearly four years, wish to assure you that nothing could be more gratifying to me than that a Confederate soldier should have taken such an active part in rectifying what we all feel to be and to have been great wrong to Comrade Reed, and we all be- ieye you are entitled to the highest praise for the part you took in the mat ter, and as a lot of Grand Army men we wish to thank you and most sincerely. It is only another of the cases to be seen on every hand.
 Bitterness engendered by the cruel civil war has passed away. If the two sections could only know each other bet ter and have more intimate acquain- tance socially, commlngling together. its bitterness would long ago have disap- peared and indeed if the two sections had been better acquainted I doubt whether the fratricidal strife would ever have taken place
 John Reed is a brave, grizzied old vet eran and deserves well of the country. Your action is not only applauded by the old soldiers, but by the whole communi- ty. If you lived in Michigan we would be proud to support you for anything you might aspire to- but as you do not and we are deprived of that privilege, we can only join in asking Almighty God to fol- low you with his blessings through the remainder of your days, and at last give you ready admission to that haven of rest promised to the faithful. We would not care whether you were a democrat, republican, prohibition, or what not, If you lived up here we would be for you. hope you will not consider this long letter an intrusion on your valuable time. Thanking you again for your fine exhibi- ton of loyalty and patriotism and wish ing you many more years of life and an annual return of happiness and plenty, am, yours very sincerely and truly yours. BENJ. F. HECKERT.'
 In his reply Senator Johnston said that he had welcomed the opportunity to show how every faithful Confederate
 feels toward a gallant foeman." He de- clared that If those who had fought against the Confederates had been called upon to restore the southern states there would have been no reconstruc- ton.
 Concluding, Senator Johnston says: "It is left for those who never imperiled their lives to attempt to keep alive the bitter memories of the past and to forget that the Confederate soldier is now an Amer ican citizen, standing for the glory, the honor and the perpetuity of our common country"
 Senator Hepburn please copy.