Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-06-11
CONFEDERATE MEMORIAL DAY.
The Procession Headed by the Stone.
wall Brigade Band.

The Procession Headed by the stone.
wall Brigade Band.
DECORATING THE GRAvFs-TBE EXERCISES AT
THE sTAND-MEKTING OF THE MEMORIAL AS
ISOLATION.
The observances OF Confederate Memorial
Day came off on the 9th instant.
The procession. headed by the Stonewall
Brigade Band, moved at IL A. M. nom New
up Main street to the Cemetery.
The ladies. during Saturday had made large
preparations with wreaths and other decora
lions for the occasion. They assembled early
on Memorial Day at the City Hall to receive
the contributions of flowers which came in
in liberal quantities, from the country.
After the arrival at the pavilion Col. ]. c.
Shields. Chief Marshal, announced that the
ceremonies would be opened by music by the
Stonewall Brigade Band. The Band then
played an appropriate piece of music, after
which Rev. T. ]. Williams. Pastor of the M.
E. Church South of Staunton. delivered a
fervent. appropriate. and patriotic prayer
Then the Band played another piece of music.
after which Col. Shields introduced Capt. John
N. OpIe. President of the Augusta Memorial
Association. who then delivered a brief ad-
dress, in which he said that 1t was no spirit Of
disloyalty TO the Union that this vast audi
enoe had assembled. but to honor the memory
OF the brave soldiers who sleep in the ceme-
terry, and to give them the tribute of tears and
flowers; that those who do not honor the
dead. have no honor themselves and that the
nation that would fail to honor its heroes is o
nation of towards. that those whose memory
we honor. were u part of that gallant army
Shat shook the earth with their tread and
IxrvI,<~ III oad fI,air
they honestly and patriotically believed to be
right. Though demagogues in the North
charge us with being disloyal. they basely
misrepresent us, for we love the Union, and II
our country should be invaded by foreign
foe the South would furnish too soldiers to the
North's one in defense OF our country. Some
In the North have compared r. E. Lee with
Benedict Arnold-Lee man whose character
military and civil, public and private, is with
out reproach. Capt. Opie then introduced
Rev. DIR. 8. K. Cox, of Harrisonburg, who de-
livered an excellent impromptu address.
He said that he had been called on unex.
pectedly-that he was on his return to his
home, merely passing through the city, wien
he was, in the absence of an orator for the oc-
casion. pressed into service by his friend. PSsv.
W. g. Hullihen. He could not refuse. 20 COM
ply, for he hoped his tongue might cleave to
the roof OF his mouth. and his right hand
forget its cunning, If his tongue should fail to
| speak in honor of the Confederate dead, or his
| hand should withhold noral tributes from
| their graves. Capt. Opie, he said, had OK.
pressed a true sentiment when he declared
| that those who failed to honor the dead have
no honor themselves. The Southern soldiers
| had honest convictions and fought in defense
| Of the principles they believed right. The
cause for which they fought had been termed
the "Lost Cause" because the end aimed at
| was not accomplished, but the great principle
| for which they fought will live long as the
spirit OF true liberty survives. The South had
sacrificed its young men In the struggle. and
as Pericles. the Grecian orator, had truly said
the loss to the country of Its youths is like the
| loss to q garden of Its flowers. The scene
| recently witnessed in Richmond when repre-
| sentatives from every Southern State were
present to do honor to the memory of Gen. r.
| e Lee on the occasion of the unwilling of his
| statue. shows that the Southern people are
| true 20 the memory Of her distinguished citi-
| zen who rank sd next to the Father of his
Country In true, genuine merit. He con-
cludod with the expression of the confident be-
| lief that our people would never show any
abatement IN their love for the dead or in
doing them honor on occasions similar to
| this, and that this beautiful custom of annual
floral tributes Would bs perpetuated from
generation TIC generation,
The ceremonies were concluded with music
| by the Band, arc which the parties returned
| to thu city or 10 then homes.
AUGUSTA MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.
The annual messing OF the Augusta Confed.
| crate Memorial Association was held in the
City Council Chanee.. Captain john N. Opie In
| the Chair.
The proceedings of the last meeting were
| read and approved
The committee appointed to settle the &C.
counts of the former treasurer. Mr.. Joseph E.
Rollins. reported balance on hand of s66S 20.
Captain Thomas D. Ransom was unanimous
| ly elected President for the ensuing year. He
responded to this action of the Association In
| a touching address recognizing other duties
| and obligations subordinate to those which we
| eve to the memory of our comrades who fell
in battle and in the service of their country.
He pointed out some work which should be
done in which was the perfecting of the record
of the dead, and in speaking Of our efforts for
accomplishing those objects. he bestowed the
highest encomiums upon the ladies who so
constantly and unwearyingly aided the associ.
alton in its objects.
The retiring President appointed Captain
James Bumgardner and Mr. D W Drake to
escort his successor, Captain Ransom, to the
chair
The vice-Presidents were then elected as fol-
lows: John Op1e. John W Bryan.D W Drake.
Jno M Brown. E Fulcher. h McCue. ] @
Shields.
The Executive committee consists of NJ
Mcfarland. W l. Olivier. r A Hamilton, u
Llley and Carson. N Argenbright was re-
elected Secretary, and F B Berkeley, treasurer.
Captain James Bumgardner stated that TO
perpetuate the objects, Of the Association, 1t
would be necessary to amend the charter. At
present. the membership was limited to those
who had been Confederate soldiers. who were
gradually passing away. He thought 1t would
be wise to bring into membership the wives
and widows, and the sons and daughters of the