New-York tribune., 1867-09-27
TIE AEnET1M DEDlCAUoM
IMPORTANT STATEMENT FROM DIR. sNODGRASs,
CHAIRMAN or THE COMMITTEE OF ARRANGE

To tie Eiiter Of Tls IsJtr,
SIR: iud myself more or less exposed TO un-
deserved censue by the press for supposed deln-
queIcy my part, rs Chairman of the Committee OF
Arrlncements, for the dedication of the National Gene
tcryat Antletam which took place the 18th inst.
sailing in the "snubblng" Of the loyal Governors who
present TO what their commissioners hao done
To bUonnsly honor Tie dead Of their respective States
and " comming their homage with that of the people at
large their graves. Although, in inviting these
Govrnors TO attend that patriotic occasion. but
acted the organ OF others associated with me- il was
yet unreasonable such them responded with
their very gratifying presence 70 expect that would
hayethe way opened foI the public preston OF tor
satisfaction at what had been done with the aid of the
fund.- which their sanction had secured, toward inc
sacred work Of the Cemetery. The purpose O this state
ment Is TO assure them. and those whom they repre-
sgniG al te dGdietion. that di ''' omit 10 10 lily
Onlhc evening OF the i6th after waiting TO as late an
hOur ~ Thought safe, for an n'imauon nom the hoh
Thouas Swami. the gentleman to whom, rs Governor OF
the state wherein the restineacc for the defenders
Cf hc soil mo Presidency OF tle dy lad brh tchOeltd
by m with The appreciation of the Committee and ac-
Pied, sought an interview with him. was received
ceedel at once 10 conference To carrying ont the
letter remarked that It had been antcpatcd by tho
Committee, though no formal understanding mad been
Governors who were to atteud-some OF whom were al
ready IL Baltimore To- MS personal EnoWledse-wouid be
aTjr led opportunity 70 express thoir sympathy with
the that called them together from the various
sections Of The Union. TO his ho promptly assencd
then the Ordcrn NnNh tnOug tley
should be called 70 speak as thor respective claims
pro.clcd themselves 10 my mind. cited, amorg
other circumstances thc fact that the Board or Manage
neit. in which, had tho honor OF y seat and whose com
npnurg1 lad consented 10 hccOmea President Of the
Day, NJ the request OF their Committee ol Arnngrmenis
rad conceded to NowiOrk ana Penhsy yanla rot only
the largest hut the most prominent burial sections Of the
/ having more dead ou the field uf Anhctam Than the
other loyal statcsand that they had met the demands
upon their treasures with corresponding nDcrality
thcn W'dc The request That Dir. Fenion might be- hrst
called upon speak as the older Executive, officially
! whose legislature under his generous promptines
had come 10 the aid 0f his Gov. swannS own state IN
| tie cemetery cnttgpri-e with liberal hand and
Gov Gcay the second one and then other Governors
whom mentioned hy uanrc as having encouraged
expect 'hcu and one ~ least Of whom (GOy. Ntrd was
~ town. he fG1y. swami aware, In relation 10
Ahose Introduction. respectfully suggested. he might
he Guided by circumstances. To all these suggestions
Gov. SWAIN gave bis most unqualified and explicit AZ
sent That lr failed 70 carry cat the Arrangement thus
agreed upOu the public need not be Informed by me,
because TIE fact has go" into tue history OF The occasion
Nor Is r the purpose of this statement to either crlticsc
his failure or canvass mntivcs-my sclf vindicaiiOn
from the inference that the failure was FAINT OF me
being my sne de- re-.
Gov swami has rot fit to offer any explanation,
ad therefore have lht to shed on This latter point
see tho statement IN THH TRIhlNp that Gov SWAIN
closed the door pc did against the Governors by ca
ing fore benedi ton 81 the dctatlon OF ihe irdcnt
of the United states was bnslly engaged ~ ''c no
mont furnishing some representatives, Ot the press laCts
iu The history of The cemetery. and therefore cannot say
oi my own hu""lcntc' mat lhS - 80, ,ut lo h,'"
that snch step of Interference would amount To an s
sumption Of authority al once so contrary 10 al 'i.o
pr"puriIr, oi Iir, Nhle grossly u'M1itdh'"ic Us 10
make difficult 10 believe that even the present success
Washington ana Lincoln tOhlU nave heth oe'yeu
into And here Il j. proper To add that he PRESIDENT
was down iu the programme for " smarks" without
authority from the Committee OF Arrangements During
our drlcra'i"r, 49, o Who Should b' LNlth 10 t"c ".t
i'm rhe ceremonies, his only mentioned, wien
at all, 70, thAtm lis3iai us,, py ~ HS uc'u
irnt officially. from whom remarks were 10 be expected
VS.. ~ ntV,rthse"s mt down for 'remarRf" Tn4 wa
done without consulting the Committee Of Arrangements
gc. ot: tine fist knowledge hat ~ It's being intro
duccd into ineposl tnmo being proof sent to me by
iah .tntc whs appointed the Committee Of
Aglar. .rmcut, bat who was scENing on subcohlttcc
who hla the pnvcrr Of calling him TO hii aid ON my
insisting ant receiving Tho proof when previous cor
rrsuOudencc Indicated design 10 Withhold from me-
surprised ~ not only ana thc President eomnod 10
"rcinar hutmynE pIrtedcncr, on ti poHI9iniri & .,
wa pay ~ @ M r,i Sr MsInheI Who was not GommiS
euner Disposed 10 avoid unpcasantncss II possibly
CoId aCUucsccd Ia The temptation thus oHtrtd 10 ts
ut lv uuttlug him down for remarks" hut in
sisted tlt r should be named after the appointed partci
pants as 10 provide against his breaking IN upon tue
regular order ~ exercises, and Ia the end That the loyal
Governors might follow him appropriate sequence,
fct warranted In saying some ui thtn "oud reason
ably expect be pocrcd an opportunity TO 90 whether
Pf. cnt was Aualy placed last according tn my lead
ing suggestion, IN the circular cdon "I the programme
ana no dissent was pressed 20 my other suggestions
had night 10 conclude That remarks were cS"rled from
The Governors by nay correspondents rs wen ~ II2in Ig
PRESIDENT. CictuWlc the programme ~ originally and
faulty mudc up found iis way hy oversight wac rs
agsoc.acd Press II WI; in accordance win tie forc
going ~ least implied uidristandng Wl'h lnr lrhenth
iefrIcl to aud encouraged 10y 10 uo Mhhl iy ppll
a. Chairman made proper. while my sense oi ptoety
dictated II, Ht made ne artdhs'
~ Prrsii,nt ui tire diY "Iicl j. tiI'Iil
and which Is noWn 10 have been 80 uu"airltaDy us
chleryc tat the Associated Prcsss report mentions
"arraipcmeuts tor hc dedication by the uth"rteS o
Maria,d G 'y " we & l aiia With those Of
Gov. Gea,y, nude INDEPENDENTLY or thlt o'itc 5
authpiiiic." No; b,e leave t0 ly that the author
tiles Of Maryland had no more to 40 with the arranse,
ucnts than The authorize, Of any other siAle Nor mo
the pfocc 'dircs tAan her Trustees, VINO hu u.eea''
their power Tor The occnsiou, 10 the Committee - q
similar misnpprchcusion may exist IN uuiorlned minds
a t lie relation Of the National authorities 10 the occa
sion. . U lc .n place hero 10 slac iial ,nr ttut'n!
/ although called tie Auiicam Ndi,onm Cemetery" Is
, sIr in Ec s.nso that nearly an OF those States
coiy.d ag col .fitutnQ our Nationality when The cnicf
SJ I Srs ovl.. ta ON tie lrlI OF Ant.cam. re
card this statement rs the relations Of Maryland and
the National Government cSst ntll To clearer uurr-
st,rd nc of tho actual relation ~ the President of the
United states Ia the Occas0n than wood seem 10 30 hal
hy portion uf the public. Ltt be distinctly understood
ieu nt the Precedent was simply au Invited guest only
this and nothing mie just as We're me ieyai n1yet"is
with ndnity and that as suehho was utterly destitute
OF even the slightest authority TO teG&" & |!5u @ Vs s m
any authority except That derived from iho 'nlh.in
aud through the o6oye mentioned unerIaGhnG h h G G5r or
what lie failed TO do. nconsiSten thcrcwlth WAS az u
sumption or violation M P boyn ea an nnd"rst9ndn in re-
ard TO an invitation which he additionally ana especaIy
agreed extend TO GOV Fcnton beg leave 10 trlrE to
Committee OF gentlemen (whosc names can he furnished
n mado necessary who conferred with MN III fegpru 10
| sneakers while the train between Baltimore ana Az
rtorn ON the very day of the dedication, ana only an
hnur or before the time appointed Tor the cceots
| purposely refrain here from comment on 'ne iao,s
o tr,isnctious above disclosed. because nay present
nrpoe is defensive onlythc protec ton or not only my
self but the other loyal members o the committee anu
of e Tonrt nom whiah We derived our authory-from
yb,trvrr uns, ineiences already drawn or liable to be
drawn hereafter, by liking the rcSpon|mly ot the oc
| cnrrcucrs complared oi where II rightly belongs.
| '"i''' j. T.. SNOpaRASS.
Chairman Of the Committee OF Arrangements
ncc Ioyk. sept. 22. 1861
COMPLICATED CASE.
In the Middlcscx County Court, Ncw-Jersey,a
cnutrlot c h - ln. boon tried which seems 70 have pnz