The Orangeburg news. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1867-1875, 1867-08-24
CIRCULAR
People of the South.

AS Corresponding Secretary of tho Petersburg
Memorial Association, it becomes my duty to seek
your aid in cause which is go sacrcd so precious,
that we would do and suffer n things for its success
| full prosecution; but circumstances deny us what
would be equally the pride and joy of our hearts to
perform. We, therefore, come to you, oppressed
with the magnitude of the work, asking your sym
pathy and cooperation. And what is the cause for
which We plead? ais It that we should say, come
with us to crown with laurel and celebrate In song
the victors of righteous, noble struggle, to rejoice
with them that the conflict ended the warfare nc
complished, they return with shouts Of victory and
glad hosannas to their happy homes. their long for
saken nltars, their expcctant and e1ulting loved
ones y not this, not this oh God hearts are in
the dust, our laurcls withered homes dcsoated,
and our warriors return more! "They have
fought their last battle, they sleep their last sleep
and it is on their graves place the roses Of our
grateful affection, and the immOrtclles Of our undy-
ing remembrance. All along the lines Of this long
bclcagurcd city can be found the little hllock which
marks hero grave while in distant honest cads
in every Southern State, weeping mothers mourn
these loved ones absent from their residcs absent
from the consccratcd cemeteries of their fathers {.
Shall these 1000 graves be neglected and uncared
Tor shall they be trampled into nohngness by the
very beasts of the field. and he ploughod into tho
soil which thcy died TO defond? Forbid it, ye
mothers, yc sires, ye maidens, of the South; for
bid It, yo comrades who battled at their sides: for
bid It, ye legislators, who arc jealous for the honor
and integrity of your Commonwealth; forbid il.
oh God, Thou God of the fatherless, tho widow,
and tho friendlcss!
the ravages md dcsolations Of war have left us; We
offer you the willing labor of our hands, and that
OF our noble young men who have toiled with us !;
we offer You spot made ours by tho patriotic
generosity of our City Fathers and we say to you,
help us to take these bodies of your noble sons
rcny to lay them in honored graves and to rear
over them proud monument worthy of our cause
ana their deeds Is it not fitting that here, where
thelast blow WAS struck, where half-clad starving
men stood mp SO herocally amid such scenes Of ter
rible carnage, pressed and finally overwhelmed by
cgions of the foe, the admiration and wonder of the
world, is 1t not fitting that should thus honor
our sons," proudly committing their names to pos
tcrity. Our receipts outside do not exceed $500
to this date nil the dead have received equal
now we are making efforts to rescue fFon distant
battle fields the .'slain Of our city" which draws
largely on our impoverished treasury, and unless
this appeal shall be liberaly responded to. the
traces Of Father, Husband, Son, must perish from
the earth. Thcn shall we lay them by the side of
our noble sons whom we are now gathering from
mountains hillside, and valley send them to slum-
bcr in their natal SOIL or leave them where they
fell: No, no! let u.s. deny ourselves anything.
everything, rather nan deny to these SCARED, and
manned, and toil-worn martyrs, the sweet repose Of
conscorated grave, until the last trump shal sum-
mon them to mansions prepared above. Confident
that shall not plead in vain we leave the cause
with you, awaiting your action to carry out tho
plans before tls.
MRS. j. NJ. wYCHE.
Corresponding Secretary Ladiss
Memorial Association, PoteYsbuYg, ve
Mrs VIZ r. JOrSRs President
Mrs. JOHN MILLER, Treasurer,
Mrs. c. PANSIL, Rec'g Secretary, Executive
Mrs. J. NJ WrcHE, Cor. Secretary. I Committee.
Mrs. DAVID CALENDER,
Mrs. WM. SIMPSON,
aug II . n