GROVER CLEVELAND.
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE,
_Washington, April 30, 1887_.
HON. WILLIAM C. ENDICOTT,
_Secretary of War_.
SIR: I have the honor to 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 recovered on the fall of the Confederacy and
forwarded to the War Department for safe-keeping, together with a number
of Confederate flags which the fortunes of war placed in our hands
during the late Civil War.
While in the past favorable action has been taken on applications
properly supported for the return of Union flags to organizations
representing survivors of the military regiments in the service of the
Government, I beg to submit that it would be a graceful act to
anticipate future requests of this nature, and venture to suggest the
propriety of returning all the flags (Union and Confederate) to the
authorities of the respective States in which the regiments which bore
these colors were organized, for such final disposition as they may
determine.
While in all the civilized nations of the world trophies taken in war
against foreign enemies have been carefully preserved and exhibited as
proud mementos of the nation's military glories, wise and obvious
reasons have always excepted from the rule evidences of past internecine
troubles which by appeals to the arbitrament of the sword have disturbed
the peaceful march of a people to its destiny.
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