Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-05-26
THE GETTYSBURG DEAD.
To the Citizens OF Tennessee and
Mississippi. ~

The care and respect which the living
observe for their dead are sure evidence
of the highest culture and civilization.
To preserve the memory of its heroes,
laureled with the brightest green, is the
proudest Characteristic of the most re-
fined people, To bend above the tomb
Of the loved and the lost, and blend
prayers with tears, spring from the most
noble impulse \of the heart and are most
significant of virtuous resolve. tits meet,
therefore, that those who fell in defense
of the Southern cause should rest in
Southern soil; for scattered over North
ern backgrounds. or where careless
chance may have deposited them, they
are liable to the interruption Of the OBJ
trusive ploughshare, or be converted by
greedy avarice into fertilizers. 1t is not
to be expected that the bleached remains
of the gallant dead, who fell in defense
of great principle, will be treated with
any more respect than the living by
truculent and relentless foe, who can
never forget or bury in oblivion their
luminosity, embittered by bloody battle
fields
II has been ascertained that about
three thousand of the Confederate dead
were buried on the field of. Gettysburg,
and of these about six hundred graves
were marked and can still be identified,
but the distinguishing features WILSON
be obliterated and disappear before the
wasting blight of time, with no hand of
love to protect them, no old mortality 7"
to revive the inscriptions. The ladies
constituting the Hollywood Memorial
Association Of Richmond, Va, have I'M
dertaken the grateful task, and with the
liberal cooperation of the Southern peo-
pie will discharge the duty of transfer
ring these remnants of the Southern
dead to our own soil, where the hand of
affection may Irvine immortelles to deco
rate their graves, and patriotism bedew
them with its holy tears as il bends above
the bivonac Of the dead How different
would be their repose from that SO often
disturbed by those whose hate can never
be appeased but seek consolsti ton for
many defeats in vituperation and speak
ing lightly of the Confederate dead.
That venerable patriot, Robert L. Lee,
who has never counseled aught that was
not dedicated to virtue, regards it as a
pious work" in which the ladies of the
Hollywood Association are engaged, and
approves the plan of removing the Get
tysburg dead to our own soil, where their
memories may be perpetuated and the
cause in which they fell may be held
sacred. 1t will be legacy to those who
come after us, and keep their hearts true
to patriotism while they abhor the selfish
politician and arbitrary tyrant
Having been appointed by the Holly
wood Association to receive donations
for the States of Tennessee and Missis-
sippi, and believing it to be Of the ut
most Importance that sufficient fund
should be collected at as early day as
possible, | shall in few weeks commence
my pilgrimage of duty and visit the va
rious sections of the two States, of which
/ am constituted agent, with the view of
securing such donations as may be
ready offering, and to appoint local
agencies that may forward the good and
patriotic work in the shortest possible
time. The absolute necessity of pre-
venting delay will occur upon the least
reflection, where time and decay are
working with suchbusy fingers.
Respectfully, HENRY MooDE.
N. B.-Papers disposed to aid the
"pious work" will please publish the
above. .a..la ii. M.