Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-31

/ Governor elLOu on tue ou Instant
addressed letter TO John Day, Esq
the special commissioner from this SiaIe
/ 70 the Antietsm cemetery board, relative
TO the burial within the lnclosurs Of the
! cemetTy of the .Confederates who fell al
/ the battle Of Antietam. The BaltimOrt
/ American says that this letter was read
at the last meeting Of the board, sndthat
after considerable discussion, a resolution
| to permit the burial of the Confederate
dead was adopted, with but two States
| dissenting. TheADlericdn adds: "Phis
| has been 8 question much discussed by
the commissioners Of the cemetry from
the time OF the formation OF the board. The
original bill passed by the Maryland
Legislature made no provision for the
rebel dead, but 3 supplemental bill,
passed in March, 1855, directed that the
remains of the soldiers in the Confeder-
ate army be buried in y part of the
ground separated from those Of the Union
army. Previous to making application for
the appropriation contained in this bill,
the Board OF Commissioners had taken a
direct vote on the question, and resOi we'd.
with bat one dissenting voice, not to
permit the burial Of the rebel dead Ia the
Enclosure. Even the fact that the bill
passed by the Legislature contained this
order was not known by all the mem bers
Of the board for many months after it
passed, and we doubt whether the
msjority of the members Of Legislature
who voted for It had any knowledge q 1t
IL contains such q provision. Be this as
it may, the fact Of this legislative order
being in eXistance was never brought
before ell the board until Tecsntly -
Governor FentOn in his letter described
tI,a. r,Frvrfsiprt nf the Marvfar.sH 3 gaf -.s,f
fishing the cemetry, and concluded as
follows:
'But looking at the matter not from q
narrow technical point OF view, bat
from broad national stanpoint, it seems
to me that good faith towards the State
Of Maryland, which originated the
scheme, purchased the ground, enacted
the Law, and made two appropriations
to carry out its object, makes il the clear
duty OF the trustee toseftectuate as far as
lies in his power, the known intent OF the
act, and hen such q course will meet
the app val Of the people Of the loyal
States who have become parties TO the
corporation, and whose dead reDose in
the cemeteTy. A strong local and in
dividul feeling Ia the neigh barhood OF
Autiatam and other parts OF NarvIand
naturally eBgendered by the invasion,
may have created some Indifference in
regard to the Confederate dead. and An
indispOsitiOn to see them buried side bv
side with those who died in defence Of
our nationality. But it Is confidently
believed thatnO such feeling pervades the
breast Of the American people, or the
surviving officers and soldiers Of the
Union armies.
When We recall the generosity end
moderation that marked the conduct of
the people and Government and the army
during the war, and the msguanimity
tina. presided at its close when We re-
member that our cOuutrymsn are now
engaged iD the work Of recOnstructing
the Union on the basis univesal freedom,
aud with 3 nearest efecJfO to restoreto the
Southern States q prosperity greater
than that which slavery and rebellion
cOnspired to destroy, it is impossible to
believe that they would desire to make
an invidiOUs distinction sg4inst the
mOuldering remains Cfthe COuf=derstes
or that they would disapprove OF their
being carefully gathered from the spots
where they fell and laid 70 rest in the
national cemetery on the battle field Of
Autietam.
COnquerOrs as We were In that great
struggle, our stern disspprOvsl of the
calse in which they fought need not for
bid cur admiration Of the bravery with
which they died They were Americans
misguided indeed, but still our country
mon, and We cannot remsmber them
nov either with enmity or uukindness
The hostility Ofthe generous and heroic
ends with death, and brisf as our history
is, it has furnished an early example.
The British and Americans who fell at
Pittsburg sleep side by eide, and COM
mon mOnument0u tue Plains Of AbrR-
ham attssts the horoism Of Wolfe and
MOntcalm.
To day nothing, perhaps, could sooner
reawakeu nstiOnal spirit ia the heart Of
the South than the thought that the re-
representatives. of the Northern States
we're gathering the remains Of its fallen
sons for interment in our national
cemetery and in future days, when our
country Is one, not alone 10 its bound
eriGs, but in spirit and affection, and the
recent struggle is remem oered as 8 war
less OF section than of systems, the Gene
terry at Antietsm, with its colossal statue
Of Union soldier keeping guard over
the ssheTs Of all who fell in the opposing
ranks Of Mcclellan and Lee, will have q
com non interests for the descendants
Of those who died Oh either side in that
sad aud memorable civil war.
think, therefore, that the trustees Of
tie Antietam cemetery, especially in
view Of the fact that the Southern
States have not thus flr been in q posi-
ION to contribute 10 the general fund,
sG9uld either set apart plat Of grou d
within the cemetery wslls for the burial
OF the Confederate dead, or make suit
ble RrrGOUpmaDt f,r an anlarCOpDt of
the present Enclosure, If necessary to the
end proposed. L would also recommend
that the attention of the war department
be called to the subject, aud l entertain
no doubt that the Secretary will cheer
fully cooperate in an object OF so much
interest.
~ .-.,l.. ...r--. u L, r,r-.......-