Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1887 — Gen. John Newton feelers to the Flag Controversy. [ARTICLE]

Gen. John Newton feelers to the Flag Controversy.

Colonel William 11. Aylette, who succeeded General Armistead as commander of the brigade, of Pickett’s division (rebel), upon the death of Armistead, having been chosen to respond on behalf of the State of Virginia to Pennsylvania’s welcome, at the recent gathering of “the Blue and tlie Gray”at Get” lysburg, said:

“I utter it as a sentiment that conies welling up from every bosom of Virginia and the South, tiat the man who would rekindle again that feeling which filled onr land with death and tears and grief and mourning, with craves and suffering, is not only unworthy of the high title of American citizon, but even of that of human being, and should find no home or friends on earth or in heaven. There is not ** true man at the South to-day but who feelc as if he would like to stand at the |tomb of Lincoln and Grant, to plant a flower there and to water it with a manly tear. In the presence of a feeling like this, too sacred and deep for utterance, what matters it who shall keep the battle-flags? They passed into your hands in brave and manly combat, untouched by dishonor, after a baptism in blood that made the gray jacket a mantle of glory, and we are as willing your people should keep them “s ours. Thev ire in the hands of our Government and brethren to whom our hon 3r should be as dear as their own. Never again will our old battle-flags wave in strife. They have gone down forever, but they went down in glory and honorThey are dead, and we love and follow alone now the living flag, which floats from Key West to Behring Straits, from Bunker Hill to San Francisco.”

Gauged by Bro. James’ standard for propriety of deeds and expression, the above might be regarded as so much “gush.” But then all the same the sentiments are the utterances of one whose personal bearing in that fearful battle commanded the respect and admiration of friends and foes. — Such sentiments are refreshing after the exhibition of artificial loyalty, patriotism and fr nzy,prompted by partisan malignity, indulged in by the Tuttle-Fairchild Message class.

in the published leport of the proceedings of the Gettysburg Reunion we find the following pleasing and touching paragraph: “Perhaps the most interesting incident of the whole dedication was the presentation by Colonel Cowan to the Pickett Division Association of a sword which he took during Pickett’s famous charge.— It is about three feet long, the handle of mother-of-pearl and the blade of finely polished steel. The way it came into the possession of Colonel Cowan was th..s: During the charge a very young rebel officer jumped toward the gun at which he was standing, but was immediately shot down and his sword fell at the Colonel’s feet. He kept it, but has never been able to restore it t. the family of the officer, and he has now given it to the division in order that they may take measures to see that it is returned to the proper person.” There’s another “gush” for the Message.

New York, June 24.—Gen. John Newton, commissioner of public works, in an address to the graduating class at St. John’s college, Fordhani, speaking of the profession of arms in cornection with other honorable employments said: The assemblage of large armies during the war gave the opportunity to distinguish between two classes of soldiers. The difference was very apparent between the real sol-

dier who entered the war to tafc its risks and do his whole duty, re* alizing his obligations and responsibilities, and the political specimen who embarked in the war mainly from selfish motives, and! who intended to avoid risks as much as possible in order to outlive his service and satisfy his ambition for place and preferment This class was always iutimate with reporters, in the hope of frequent mention in the papers, and understood the art of magnif>dng the most trivial services. So confusing: has this been that, with the exception of a few of the most distinguished general officers, the public has been left in a fog as to the comparative merits of >he rest But the political soldier did not stop his mischief at the close of the war. He is incessantly active in all the associations of the veterans of the war, to take advantage of any event which appeals to sentiment or to prejudice. He joins an association with the intent and hope of making a political machine of it, while proclaiming in public the entire freedom of the org tnization from politics. Late events have unmasked the hypocricy of th* intention by the gross insults offered to the chief magistrate of the nation in twoinstances —in lowa and in this neighborhood. In both the attempt was made, scarcely with disguise, to turn over the Organization to the support of one of thepolitical parties, and thus to better the prospects of the agitators.— Should this barefaced attempt succeed, it would then be a close question whether such organizations are compatible with the free working of our system of government*, and whether it does not become the honorable members of that organization to abandon it.