Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-17
REPLY TO COMMANDER WATERMAN.
The Memorial Committee Answers Him In
Plain Language.

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The Memorial Committee Of Phil Kear-
ney Post. Grand Army Of the Republic,
Of which Edgar Allen. Esq. Is chair
man and Mr.. Patrick Keenan, secretary,
have addressed an open letter to J. a.
Waterman, department commander OF
Wisconsin. answering In very plain terms
the charges recently made by him that
funds sent to the Richmond post for use
In decorating the graves OF Federal sol
diers had been Systematically mlsappled.
The letter Is printed In circular form for
general distribution. and is quite long.
The letter deals with the charges in de-
tall, and each one is fully answered ana
denied After the charges have all been
categoricaly set forth. the letter says:
THE foregoing is sweeping enough. IL
the charges were true we would be COM
PEELED to hang our heads in shame, dis
band our post, and carry with us. indi-
vidually and collectively. a scorching
brand of nfamy for the balance of our
lives. Thank God, and We say 1t rever-
entity and thoughtfully, they are not true.
They are false, all false, and we leave
IL for you to bear the unenviable respon"
sbility OF being their author.
After numerous other denials or the
charges are made, the letter continues
further down:
"Experience has taught US that Memo
rial-Day here would be a sorry affair IL
we had nothing but flags! We have pro-
claimed our inability 10 do justice 10 the
occasion by ourselves. Our case mas
been made fully known 10 our northern
friends. They have been asked Tor heip.
They have freely given 1t. sympathiZihS
with us and trusting to our honor. IhahN
God we know, and declare boldly, that
trust has not been abused, even III the
slightest Nor, Is there danger that IL
will be, and you may say what you piease
TO the contrary. The charge or accusa-
ton that we have been paying ourselves
salaries out OF the funds Is most nla-
mously base because II is so OutraSeousiy
false. All our work from first to last
has been gratuitous on the part or every
member of the committee and post. In
fact. there is no possible ground Tor any
Of YOUR charges, and thus We disinis~
them.'
Then follow extracts from the annual
ci,culars and reports of the post intro
duced as follows: Permit us now III CLOS
ing TO refer you to the following extracts
from our annual circulars ana reports
They ought TO open your e!'9,
into your conscience df we don't mis-
apply the world. and convince YOU as
they must everybody else, that the shame
of ;his slanderous scandal does not rest
WITH u.s.
The reports show the work accom-,
pllshed by the post, and account Tor an
moneys received by the organization III
closing the letter says:
Your investigator did not seem 10 p'
around that day. nor was he at seven
Pines. Cold Harbor, Glendale. nor the
Richmond cemetery. They also had their
supply Of flowers, while all the cemeteries
had each full supply OF flags.
and now we have done for the present
az least In closing, let us press upon
YOU the idea Of accepting our general
invitation to visit US Memorial-Day. Come
and 20 with us To Seven Pines, ana heip
us decorate the 1877 graves OF our com
rades there The G.. a. Il. and W. X. T.
of Wisconsin will spare you for Few
days. and it will do you good. IT you
do not go back home sorry and SICK Tor
what you have said and done, then there
Is no virtue.
"In +. c. and L.