The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-05-28
MEMORIAL DAY.
Department Commander Sholes on its Observance
in the South.

Comrale II. S. Stevens. Washington, D. C.,
has received the following reply to his article
on "Plea for a Better Observance Of Memo
rial Day in the South" which appeared in
recent issue:
Ny attention has been called to your com
muncatiOn To THE NATIOSAL TRIBUNE Of
May H. relative TO the observance Of Memorial
Day ut our National Cemeteries i'm the South
and. as a deeply. interested party | am led TO
express my thanks 10 you, and to join hands
with you in the effort 10 carry out the ideas Of
the resolution introduced upon this subject at
the last National Enctmpmcut. The comrades
and friends throughout the North have little
idea Of the burden Of responsibility which
presses upon rs here in the South, aud how
weak We feel TO assume it.
How shall we properly observe the day
specially set apart by the Grand Army for
Observance? How shall we, $50 strong, prop
eriy decorate the graves Of the 5000 comrades
who sleep within the boundaries Of this De-
partment? How shall We, with Posts-smaIl
ones TOGO and 80 miles from these National
Cemeteries. give suitable recognition to the
memory Of these comrades? How shall We
" furnish eminent speakers" 10 impart, from
" recital Of the virtues Of these heroic dead,
lessons in that spirit Of loyalty which shall
recognize but one country and one flag" -?
we aEt al q itill nero ttCidi ububt ID lstltA
10 the memory Of the Confederate dead where
the glOrie5 Of their deeds arc recited where
the beauties Of the might have BEEN" If only
the cause Of the Coufederacy had succeeded
instead Of failed, are depicted by hundreds
upon hundreds Of orators every Confederate
Memorial Day; where children are taught IN
the public schools that the war was not a war
Of rebellion, but an attempt az secession; that
the cause for which the South fought was
right, and should have prevailed" but that
they were overwhelmed aud crushed to sab
mission by hOT!es Of foreign merCenarie5 i'm
ported By the North for the special purpose Of
furnishing food for Southern powder.
DO not say that al! this is written in the
hooks Of the schools, nor 90 / say that every
Southern child Is so taught; but / do know
that i'm many OF the schools, teachers express
al Of this, aud much more Of like tenor, while
the speeches OF Memorial Day orators are filed
with the glory Of the South, and the justice
Of her cause"
In view Of the condition Of our surroundings
some portions OF the Commander in Chiefs
Memorial Day Order read very strangely to US
in the South. For instance, We are instructed
TO invite some minister OF tine Gospel to de-
liver a suitable sermon upon this occasion"
Aside from Gen. Clement A. Evans late Of
the Confederate AMY, and now a Methodist
preacher, who once preached q Memorial Day
sermon for Augusta Post, / don't know q
preacher in all this Department. comprising
Georgia and South CarOlua-uu,ess it be
Father O'Brien. Of the Catholic Church here
himself an ex- Union soldier-WhO would do
this and | doubt i; he would.
Again, il 10 recommended that comrades be
detailed 10 visit each school and request the
children 10 join in the exercises, patriotic
teachings 10 be emphasized" By the presence
Of this comrade This is beautiful for the
North, but to one living down here, and ia
miliar with the general sentiment Of the peO-
pie, the very idea OF attempting such thing
is amusing. / can almost picture the very
warm reception which would be given the de-
tailed comrade at some Of the schools of which
/ know.
As read the Services at the cemetery"
| which have been prepared Tor the use of the
| Grand Army, ! can realize that the committee
which prepared them had specially in mind
| the idea of caring forever for the graves OF
the comrades who had died in the conflict and
| who rested in the National Cemeteries Of the
| South. l can comprehend, also that the i'm
| mortal Logan, when ne conceived the idea of
| Memorial Day, intended that the lessons taught
| upon that day should be most clearly and
earnestly expouuled where they were most
/ needed.
Believing this. we of the SOUTH speak
| specially Of the Department OF Georgia, but
am familiar with mech that has been done in
other Southern Departments used our
| utmost endeavoTs b properly observe Memorial
| Day, aud acting as the representatives of the
| entire Grand Army, 10 decorate every grave OF
| every cOmrade within our limits. Yet, when
| repeat again that we in this Department are
| $50 strong. aud have four National Cemeteries,
| with a., 900 dead, can yOu comprehend the mag
nitude Of our work? Even tia simple placing
of flower upon each grave provided they
were easily obtained for the purpose, Is quite .
| task of itself.
The obtaining of the flowers is q still greater
one The transportation TO and from the
| cemeteries, 60 and so miles from nearest Post,
forms another problem. The eminent speak
| ers," the audiences TO whom they shall impart
| lessons in loyalty" the methods by which
| those audiences shall be obtained-these are
| questions which, with feeble numbers and
empty treasury, are exceedingly difficult Of
| solution.
am prepared to join heart and hand, and
| believe every Commander and Delegate to the
| National Encampment from q Southern De-
| partment will be. to urge that body 10 take up
| this matter earnestly, and to decide upon such
action az shall for all time TO come provide for
such Observance of Memorial Day at every Ma
| tionRl Cemetery in the South as shall impress
upon oil the people of the South, as well as the
| North, that we honor the memory of our dead,
honor the cause for which they died, and be-
| lieye with one heart and one mind, that the
cause of the Union was eyerlastingly and eter-
nally right, and the cause Of secession and re-
| bellion was eYerlastingly and eternally wrong.
With sincere respect, am yours in F., Q. and
L-ALBERT Z. SHoLEs, Department Com
cf