The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-06-06
The Ladies' Memorial Association.

Inc L0d1e9 memorial AsSOcIdtlOns
The annual meeting of the Ladies' Memorial AS
sociation was held at Masonic Hall, May 29th, Mrs
M. A. SNowDEN, President, in the Chair.
The President called the meeting to order, and
the minutes of the last meeting we're read and
confirmed.
The following resolutions were submitted and
unanimously adopted:
Rssolued That the thanks Of this Association
are hereby ten 1ered to the President and Superin-
tendent Of the South Carolina Railroad, for their
kind and generous assistance during the past year.
Resolved That the thanks Of this Association are
! hereby rendered to Mr.. Alison, Keeper of Masonic
Hail. for his courteous attention at their several
meetings; also to Mr.. Strsub, Keeper of the Ceme-
terry, for his kind and considerate assistance IN
carrying out their wishes
The report of the Treasurer was submitted, and
received as information.
The Secretary submitted the following report:
One year has elapsed since the formation OF this
Association, year 80 replete with sad and painful
memories of the past, and anxious, gloomy fore
bodings for the future, that congratulations on the
successful result Of our operations thus far, ap-
pear almost inadmissable. And yet, thanks to a
kind Providence, who has blessed and aided our
endeavors, we have accomplished the first portion
of the object of this Association. We have been
enabled to rescue from neglect and preserve from
future oblivion, those sacred mounds that mark
the last resting place of our heroic and martyr
dead, who 80 nobly defended, and also, 30 vainly
uied for the safety Of our city and our homes, q
task than which none can be more sacred or more
grateful to the hearts Of those, in whose memo
RES their names and deeds are enshrined.
On the 14th Of May, 1885, q small number OF the
ladies Of this city, aided and encouraged by some
Of our clergy, formed the determination Of estab.
fishing this Association for the exclusive object Of
taking care Of the graves Of our Confederate mar.
tyrs, who lie within the precincts OF Magnolia
Cemetery, and, rpossible, erect some memorial OF
their names and valor. There was much opposi-
ton to contend with, and our list OF members was
and is still but small, for, though all acknowl-
edged the credness OF their obligation, yet many
feared it would conflict with duties to the living
whose claims were indeed loud and pressing; new
ertheless we persevered, and with the few who
would join US, entered on our sacred mission. On
the anniversary Of the battle OF SecessionVllle,
lust one month after our drst meeting, we inaugu-
rated our object, and, with prayers, odes and ad-
dresses, dedicated the soil which had been made
holy by the mouldering remains of our loved and
honored ones. Floral decorations and evergreens,
offerings not only of the ASSOCIATION, but OF the
whole community, aided in blessing the just ap-
probation and touching sympathy with the cere-
monies of the occasion.
Our next object was an enclosure, In which W
had to consult economy, stability, and if possible
beauty, the whole Of which we think We have &C
compiished by selecting hedge Of evergreens,
which has been planted and is aourishlng, and we
hope the future will show has been well chosen.
Our attention was then directed to m1kng each
individual mound by separate tablet as coming
more within the sphere Of our means, and the time
in which live leaving the future to carry out 1ur
chief ambition whenever 1t shall be practicable.
This requiring large outlay, In fact more than we
had collected from our subscription or the dona-
tions from the community, We appealed through
our President for assistance to the Governor and
Legislature Of the State. The latter generously
don ,ted in furtheranoe Of our purpose one thou
living around the State House in Columbia; also,
grant Of granite, whenever needed, for the erec-
ton Of our monument. The marble donated we
found was unsuited to our purpose that ls, po.-
ton OF it, therefore We concluded it best to re-
serve it for future use, particularly as the cost
for bringing it to the city, we feared would be too
large for our finances, since which time, however,
aided by the generosity Of the President OF the
South Carolina Railroad, it has been brought
down and stored by him at but small expense to
the Association.
The CONTRACT for the tablets, or headstones, has
been made at reasonable rate with three stone.
cutters in the city, and they are now IN course OF
erection fifty OF them being already in place, and
the others we expect to see ere he warm weather
closes. 1he payment for these will very nearly ex-
haust our treasury, and we shall have to rely on
our yearly subscription for remunerations to those
employed to keep the grounds clean. The i'm
poverished stat of the community, and the urgent
claims on their humanity preclude the possibility
of an appeal to their generosity.
Our annual subscription being but one dollar;
each and all are enabled to unite in the sacredpur-
pose we have in view.
The anniversary OF the Association has been
changed to the 10th OF May, for two reasons First,
as uniting ours with the sister ASSOCIATION OF Vr.
ginia and other States, and second, as commemo-
rating the death of the lamented Jackson.
This year, in view OF the disturbed
state Of the country and city, we resolved
to keep our anniversary unostentatously,
in order TO prevent all possibility Of in.
terruption, we therefore decorated the graves OF
our Heroes quietly, trusting the future may enable
us to do all we desire, and to show to the world
how grateful and tender is our appreciation OF
them and their memory
The report was duly received, and, on motion
Resolued, That the same be published with the
proceedings Of the Association.
An election for officers was then held, when the
following were declared elected for the ensuing
year:
Mrs. NJ. A. sNOwDEN, reelected President.
Miss NJ. G. BURROWS reelected VicePresident
Mrs. HENRY WIGFALL, reelected Treasurer.
Miss A. SIMP~ON, reelected Secretary.
There being 20 other business, on motion, ad-
journed. Miss A. SIMPSON, secy.