The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-03-10
AUTHOR OF MEMORIAL DAY.
Mrs. General Logan vindicntes Her 1iu
band-Tl,e neal Facts.

Mrs. General Logan vindicntes Her 1ius.
band-The neal facts.
National Tribune. Clio. Y.
Itseems incredible that anyone should
attempt to take away from Gen. John A.
Logan the honor-or any portion Of it.
Of conceiying and establishing the glori.
GUS institution Of Memorial Day. lfany
ono thing In the history OF the Grand
Army OF tho Republic is we'll established
1t Is the fact that the solo credit for this
belongs "a our illustrious deceased com.
rade. The documents, as vol as the re.
collections OF those familiar with tho
matter, support this. Dut recently some
persons have put forth claims for share
In the honor, and these are eilectually
disposed Of by tho following conclusive
letters from Mrs. John A. Logan:
CALUMET PLACE,
WASHINGTON, D. O., Feb, %, 1900.
EDlroR NATIONAL nlpuSE:-Slnce Ills
death not u few persons have claimed
tho authorship Of many Of General
Logaa's most brilliant acts and thoughts,
who, II they were tho real authors, were
singularly silent during his lifetime. ]
have reirained from taking any notice Of
these psuedo.claimants. Ny attention,
however, having been called to IL com.
munication Of Mr.. JuliusSimons, where.
In he gives the credit TO Mrs. Kimball Of
having suggested the decoration OF the
soldiers graves TO General Logan, and
gives a letter dated July 0 OF General
Logan's to Mrs. Kimball giving evidence
OF the fact. Tho letter In question Ia
merely IN acknowledgment OF con.
gratulary one Of Mrs. kimball TO General
Logan utter the observance OF the cere'
monies in Arlington, May 80, 1868, in
obedience to General Logan's order
issued May s, 1868, and in no sense in
Inmates that he got the idea from Mrs
Kimball. The facts about tho matter
are these: Colonel Charley Wilson
formerly editor OF the Chicago Journal
and party Of ladies from Boston an,
Chicago came to Washington February
1868, and invited General Logan ant
myself to 20 10 Richmond and visit til,
historic ground around that city. Gen
eral Logan could not go, as his duties 70
CURED his presence In Congress. Ate
our return VIC were all telling him OF al
We had seen; among others, Of the crud
decoration Of Confederate graves. Where
upon he said that the custom Of honor
ing tho dead by chaplets OF laurel an,
flowers was always observed by tn,
ancients, and especially by the Greeks
adding, "and l intend TO inangurate tn,
custom OF decorating the graves Of thu
loyal dead through the Grand Army 0
the Republic, and I will sec Ii canno
get bill through Congress making til,
day on which 1t is done legal holiday.
We all agreed that would be a CRANE
thing TO do, and he at once took step
to carry out his own ideas. Genera
Chapman was enthusiastic about 1t whei
the General mentioned it to lin, and &,
it was done solely through the prompt
ings Of his own great heart in his ever
present desire to pay tribute to loyalty
living or dead.
Mr.. ,Simons occasionally addresse,
public documents for General Logan
but was never his Private Secretary. |
must impress any fair.minded person a
very strange that Mr.. Simons and Mrs
kimball did not make this claim Ion,
ago, as it is now almost twenty-five year
since the first order for Memorial Da,
was issued by General Logan, then Com
mander Of the Grand Army Of tho Re
public. Very truly yours, 'f
Mrs. JonN A. LOGAN,