The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1870-04-06

mona Tor the removal OF 1he OoHleueraCe
dead at Gettysburg since learning of the
neglect of their remains on the battle field.
| hope that sufficient funds may be collected
by the Association to accomplish this pious
work. | feel assured that it will receive the
grateful thanks of the humane and benevo-
lent. May request you to apply the en-
closed amount to this object.
x X
With great respect and esteem, | am your
most obedient servant, r. h. LEE.
To Ms.-, Richmond, Va:
The, above letter was received in Rich
monday one of the Directors of the Holly
wood Memorial Association enclosing very
handsome contribution from General Lee to
aid in the removal of the Confederate dead
from Gettysburg. AS it was private letter,
it was not published until permission was
granted by General Lee. In subsequent
letter, dated 18th March, 1870, he says:
"Nky former letter was written for your own
eye, and am always reluctant to be unneces
sarily brought before the public. Still, if
you think that its publication will be Of
any aid to the cause which the Hollywood
Memorial Association has so kindly under
taken, / cannot refuse the slight assistance
within my power"
We are informed by the President of the
National Cemetery at Gettysburg-David
Wills, Esq.-that the charter Incorporating
the association in charge of that national
cemetery provides only for the "interment
of the remains of those who fell in defence
of the Union" 1t is estimated that 1000
Confederate dead were hastily inferred at
Gettysburg, 600 alone having their graves
marked. The marks on these 600 graves,
MIR. Wills informs US, are fast becoming
oblterated. The remains of the 1000 of
our kindred who there offered so willingly
their lives for US and ours, are constantly, we
are told, being thrown out from their shall
low sepulchres Gas the farmers cultivate
their fields.
An appeal has been already made to the
southern people by the Hollywood Associa-
ton to aid in the removal of what we once
esteemed "our beloved and honored dead"
from Gettysburg, a work which General Lee
terms "a pious work, and of which he, in
the letter above copied, says: II feel assured
that it will receive the grateful thanks of the
humane and benevolent" This appeal went
forth some months since, and about one
thousand dollars have been received by the
Association from the following sources:
From Norfolk, Va, about. $3.50 90
From Richmond Va, about...... 294 90
From General Lee and his family about. l25 90
From lady in Louisiana .............. 20 90
From the State of Alabama. .......... So 90
From the State of Georgia As 90
These figures require little commentary.
We would simply ask, Are they true ndi
cation of our estimate of what we fought,
bled, and died for, during those memorable
years, between April 1861 and April 1865?
Is life so cheap in this our land of chivalry,
or is a name and nation but an empty
sound? The Legislature of Louisiana has
recently-nobly, We would say authorized
SIS, 900 to be paid from her public treasury
for the protection of her dead at Fredericks.
burg, 1t was righteous act on her part,
for it is her solemn duty to guard the graves
of her children wherever found. They rest,
however, in Virginia, where the grave of the
southern soldier who fell under Lee and
Jackson will ever be hallowed spot. But
our dead at Gettysburg find no resting place
Their bones lie scattered on that terrible
field, exposed to every insult, polluted and
cast out by North and South, by friend and
foe. The Soldiers National Cemetery has
no place for them, as it is only for {" the re-
mains of those who fell in defence of the
Union" and they are thrown out of the shall
low sepulchres in which, in our haste, on
the field of battle, we inferred them, exposed
to every insult "as the farmers cultivate
their fields
If there is indeed any one thing that
makes us tremble most of all for the future
of our country, it is the quick oblivion that
covers the past. The nation that never re-
members the past will never be mindful of
the future. The present alone will be its
God.
We ask, Shall this be So in the South?
Shall the North provide for its dead, and
have we no thought for ours? Where is our
boosted pride and chivalry? Eighty five dol
lars from Alabama and forty-six dollars from
Georgia Nothing from South Carolina!
Nothing from TENNESSEE Nothing from Mis-
sissippiI Nothing from Texas! Nothing from
Arkansas Nothing from Florida If this
had been told in their lives to the seven
thousand men whose bones now lie on the
field of Gettysburg-the "seven thousand
who have not bowed the knee to Baal' do
you think they would have so willingly
offered up their lives for us and ours, to make
us nation, to give us liberty, if they had
been told that we would let their bones be
thus thrown out of their graves Gas the
farmers cultivate their felds?" In the name
of our country, in the name of our kindred,
in the name of honor, in the name of bare
humanity, we ask the southern States and
southern people, one and all, to come for
ward and rescue our name and the cause for
which so many died from this reproach
VIRGINIA.
Communications and REMIT ances may be
sent to Mrs. George W. Randolph, Rich
mond, Va.
Southern papers are respectfully request
ed to copy this appeal at once, and bring it
to the notice of the southern people.
POPULAR ERRoRs.-That editors keep
public reading rooms. That they have plenty