The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-12

AAcA ~ W INV Will all OY whom re tMT.
Davis is held in reverence and affection.
l his was the attitude of mind Of tns com
mittee of which | was a member, and
which IS the executive of the society, and
which took no action on the death of Mr..
DAVIS; and l have now only expressed my
unwlllingness to accept censure for reSpec
ing the rights Of an important and hereto
fore welcomed minority in the society.
did not protest against the passage OF the
resolutions, because saw that there would
be row If there was any objecti N. rose
to my feet twice TO make formal objec-
ton, anyw y, but was cut off by m tons
OF one kind or another. deSisted rather
than make a cere.n
George Rutledge Gibson is a republican
and member of the Union League Club.
and he vas elected a member of the ex-
ecutive committee of the Southern Society
In order that it might be said that the club
was not sectional or partisan. He said yes
terdav:
the action of the society in calling a
meeting and passing these resolutions after
our committee had decided that this was
not the course to pursue, discredits our COM
mlttee and makes it 40 10 ger representa-
tive. Hence l resigned"
MIR. Gibson wrote this letter on Tuesday
to member of the society:
DEAR SIR shall be unable to be present at
the meeting OF the Southern Society is even
ing, but | shall deplore any action on the death
OF jefferson Davis. Mr.. Dav S vas in his own
person political question, and as our society is
nOn-p partisan We should ave no official views
on political questions. The prime object of the
existence of our soc ETY., as take il, is 10 pro-
mote the social enjoyment of men from the
south, and to ere te harmony of feeli z be-
tween the two sections from whence and to
which they come. Both of these objects would
be injured by any Davis resolutions, as it would
create friction within the club on political
grounds, and it would irritate the north. de-
strOylng much OF the favorable i'm preston pro-
duced by our organization. Mr.. Davis an
able and conscientious man, but wnen the war
closed AMI all the states were brou yht under
one jurisdiction it was the manifest duty of
every citizen 10 accept the situation in good
falth, anu to promote harmony and peace. This
was done by ali the members of our society.
but not by Mr.. Davis, who chung TO the lost
cause with great consistency, but, in view of
the changed conditions, with bad grace | do
not see any reason why the entire membership
OF this society should be committed to TIL
private opinions even of majority. 1t would.
to say the least, be unnecessary a inexpe-
dent, and for one protest against it.
The south" is a phrase W ich historically
means more 20 us in its mem )rles than merely
the civil war period. 1t means a record Of
social life, with its peculiarites and character
istics, which we would perpetuite. It means
roll of honor for 100 years in craftsmanship and
County re inements. Trans planted, as we are,
to this city, | would cultivate these pleasing
recollections, wholly avoiding all questions
that excite rancor and bitterness tlat snould
lie buried in the graves of the blue and gray.
1t is because of my sincere desire that the
death of Mr.. Davis should t De made the
means of raking up the dying embers of past
strife that so heartily would oppose any action
whatever. 1t is not necessary, it is not polite,
our society In the north Let the dead past
bury its dead" Yours sincerely.
GEO. RUTLEDGE GIBSON
Mr.. W. n. Flanagan, cas- lier of the Com
mercial Natl nal Bank, and a member of
the Sout fern Society ex tive co nmit+ee,
said yesterday that he thought the Davis
resolutio in poor tas e. and that some of
the no, had been little not-haaded. Still,
he did not propose to resign. Mr.. Sidney
Strotner Logan said:
There is no one subject about which
there is so little talk in the Southern Socie5y
as the late war. The war with us is past
and gone, and we are now New York
But that does not prevent US from having
home memories A m n dies who was
to US the embodiment of great
idea. He was man of high char
acter and great ability. No one
doubts that. Why shall we not say soa 1t
seems to me very peculiar that the South
ern Society in this city cannot pass the
same resolutions about Mr.. Davis that other
southern societies all over the lio a @
passing. 1t is purely natural feeling, and
one tn t we are not ashamed of. an sure
that is the way the majority of the members
of the society feel"
At the quarterly election of the society
an effort will unqueslionably BE- made to
defeat the reelection of the present board
of officers. The Sun has received this
letter:
To the Editor OF the sun: SIR-The press OF
this city was represented at the recent special
meeting of the New York South-rn Society,
which was. called for the purpose of enabling
such of its members as held the late jefferson
Davis in esteem, and VINO desired to express
their respect for the dea and their sympathy
for his widow and daughters, to do so as boIy.
The editors of the several metropolitan journals
recognized the fact that the purpose of the
meeting was in the nature of a family discus
sion, and, save thoroughly kindly no in ne
Tribune. no allu sion was made to the affair by
either Of the five great dailieS,' so far as am
aware.
But one of our own members and an Official
has treated US ! SIS consi Ter tely Irefer to Mr..
st. John. ex-vice pres dent. This gentleman
has, as he had perfect right, resigned his official
post and membership together. But he did not
stop there. Why not? Notice of the call was
sent 10 all resident m -mbers. If there be mem
berS who can see nothing to admire in t e dead
they had right to vote as they thought or
think. The majority rules in the Southern
SociotyS meetings. But viva voce vote IS
taken Would the Australia !" system have
batter pleased the oppos tiony What purpose
was served by the publication of Mr.. st. Jo1n's
resignation and animadversions? No hing could
persuade me that he had any thought of injur-
ing either the people of the southern part of the
country, or the New YORK Southern Society.
Had the mighty dollar" anything to do with
the case? To put it more euphouiousy: Does
Mr.. st. John believe that me things butter no
parsnips and that some things do butter
parsnips? j. c. PEMBERToE.
III East Ticenty-Sirth street, Jan. 8.
| To the Editor of the Sun:
SIR read with considerable surprise your
notice this m rDing on the wit drawal or Mr..
| St John from the New York Southern Society
and his remarks in his let er of resign ltion. II
| seems to me that Mr. st. John in publicly pro-
claiming, as he virtually does. that the action of
| the society in Mr.. Davis death is sectional
| and foreign to the purpose for which tho society
| was founded. is making mountain out OF a
moe hill, and iopting advertising methods
| which smack strongly of ''Wanamakerism.
| / am member of the Southern Society and
| freduenter of its club rooms at IS West Twenty
| fifth street. and | have yet to hear the first
| sectional discusso on by any of the members. IL
| as Mr. ST. John says, 1.-THE sole justification
| for the existence of an organization
| in New York bearing the sectional
| title southern is as the interpreter between
| north and south for the spread of sentiment IN
| common" pray what is the object OF the New
| England society and others with names just as
| sectional" q as Southern? surely no one
| objects to our passing resolutions OF respect
| and regret at Mr.. Davis death, unless IL De
| men like Mr.. st. John, VINO fear 70 LOSE the
| patrona ye of people who still wave the bloody
| shirt and believe that every man born south OF
| Mason a. Dixon's line is C Throat whose
| one object is to again rebel and put the
| negroes back into slavery; on the contrary, L
| hear universal opinions of respect TO the
| III. 11H-a and