Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-06-05
Sorry and Not Sorry.

1 am not sorry invited Lee Camp Con-
federate Veterans and the Alexandria Light
Infantry to participate In memorial e1er.
cises at this cemetery on May 30ih, but am
truly sorry II have been the innocent cause
of humilisting any member of either organi-
cation. As so much has been said and writ
ten on the subject, deem it but justice
to these who took part in the exercises, as
we'll as to myself, to make the following
statement. The authors the two articles
In the Washington Post of yesterday, d. not
constitute the @. A. R., nor msj ority Of
those who wore the "biue." And i! / am
not sadly mis- AIKEN niuety-6ve per cen.. CT
those who did the fighting will endorse ms
action. have been superintendent Of this
cemetery nearly seventeen years. Every
Memorial Day have begged the G. A. r
not to let the day pass Dnobserved, that
| these 500 soldiers were as much theie COM
rsdea as vera those in other cemeteries, and
hsd yielded up their lives in The same cause,
bui never succeeded 10 getting single posi-
of that Organization to pin the services here.
although these graves are almost WITHIN
sight OF the Capitol they died to pave. 10
order that no graves n light be egsctsi Oh
that dsy, the Qlartermaster General Of the
army, who mas charge of all national ceme-
|
| that where no organic ,tious existed to take
charge of the services, that the superiDten-
dents should do 30, invite comrades, religi-
Gus societies and other organizations in the
vicinity to join in the exercises incident to
the dsy. determined to carry out these
| instructions If possible. | extended invits-
| zion to the g. a, r and Union Veterans
Union of Washington, D. @. Both o'gan'z:-
lions being composed exclusively ofex-U2ioG
! soldiers, and 10th declined tue Invitation
I: An invitations 10 camp OF cons OF veterans
was accepted, and subsequently, revoked,
| |, also, SO Ia preit' well knogn By this time,
extended invitations to Lse Camp, @. ",
and the Alexandria Light Iaiantry. which.
! were cneerfully responded to, they turning
out in force, ard the gray haired veterans oil
Lee marched to the station, and 10 the
hest Of the day, with uncovered heads, re-
oelved the delegation that had come to hon.
or their dead OF Grant, marched With
| them to the cemetery and there with their
own hands strsWed HlWers upon the green
urf of our fellow. comrades. Ga. shame,
shame, where ia Ihy blnsh Thanks 10
Lee Camp, thanks to the Alexandria Light
Iafentrg for their gracious act, AL ionor
to them. Instead cf hsinS condemned they
shl I'D have received plaudits from those
who W ore the biue am a member OF the
G. & Il also of the U. V. u. aud II | stand
alone, | now say In the name OF tbs 500
poor, p5or dumb mouths, which are hushed
under .he mGybie slabs 10 this cemetery,
thank Lee Camp ard the Alexandria Light
Inisntry for the donors shown nv fellow
cOmrsdss A ole article in the Post stated
that only four members CT .. S. Grant PosI
took part in the services, and that they did
not represent the Post, 1t goes wi.nont say
lag that to those four men, LeeCamp and The
Alexandria Light Infantry are due the suc-
cess OF the exercises that seemed 80 en-
tirely satisfactory to every one present
Bui / sm sorry not for the sore beads. but
for the sore bearts this matter has made.
One word In Justice TO my comrades, the
ex-U niou soldiers who reside in Alexandria
Every one of them heartily seconded my In
vlation to Lee Camp and the Light Infant
~ and did all that men could do to honor
! their fallen comrades. Az to war records, /
simply desire to state that l never Jed eny
forlorn hopes-pever volunteered for any
dangerous enterprises. / have two honor
able dlscharges-one for expiration Of term
of service and one which reads for gunaho
wound received in battle. resulting In tota
disability OF left arm" have no favors t.
ask neither have surpns stock OF gush
on hand. am intensely American. Hove
ny country, know DO sections snd am prouo
of her achievements; and We are second to
no nation in the Christian world. Aud
while am not eeotional, yet love the very
cobble stones in the streets OF dear cid A.
exandris. pray that the day may soon
dawn when sll bitter prej1dices and SEQ
tionsl hate will be buried deeper than the
sea, when Memorial Day ebsii become MS
,ionsl 10 Its character and observance, anc
when those who stir up sectional STIFF, and
animositiss snall be considered the enemies
OF our country.
LET Us have peace" J. V. DAVIS.