The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-05-16
DECORATION DAY.
How 1t was Observed in the Capital
City of Arkansas.

NOllCu VI JuC ldulCS hCluOlldl Alu
Association with loving hands had
been gathering flowers from every
nook and garden for the day-the
occasion of the Decoration of the
graves of the ex-Confederates dead
The Omer R. Weaver Camp, U. c..
", No, 354, had with cOmmendable
zeal arranged every detail for the
most imposing ceremonies of the
kind ever held in the city BY noon
the streets along the line of march
were lined with humanity, and in
front of the State House Grand
Marshal Gen. F, P. Gray and his
Aides, on prancing steeds, were at
1:30 marshaling the forces into
line.
The ceremonies are described as
having been most appropriate and
beautiful, the entire city, civic and
military, turning out en- masse to
participate therein In the midst
of the exercises, the following letter
from Senator James H. Berry, who,
owing to important duties at Wash
ington, was unable to be present,
was produced and read:
UNITED STATES SENATE,
Washington, D. G. May 10 1894. !
Miss J. G. Woodruff Secretary La
dies Memorial Aid Association,
Little Rock, Ark;
It is with sincere and unfeigned
regret that l write you that I can
not be in Little Rock on the 10Th
instant, The conditions of the pub
lie business in the Senate are such
as to make it the imperative duty
of every Democratic Senator to be
in constant attendance, and glad as
l would be to come l must remain
here.
The purpose for which your asso-
citation was organized appeal to the
highest, best and noblest nature of
man, and Illustrate in. a marked de
gree the self-sacrifce and unselfsh
devotion of woman. Your labor of
love has proven to the world that
the women of the South have not
forgotten the long and patient en-
durance, the brave and the heroic
deeds and the great sacrifices of
those who battled for our Southern
homes, There can be no higher
purpose than to smooth and make
less rugged the pathway of the
wayworn and weary Confederate
soldier, no nobler sentiment than
to protect and beautify the last
resting place of those who fell in
battle. The soldiers of the South,
obeying the call of duty, went forth
to battle for their native land, to
fight and die upon the soil Of every
Southern State, and while they
met defeat and disaster they made
for themselves a name and fame
that commands the respect and APP
miration of the civilized world. The
soldiers of the North have with
them the prestige of success, they
enjoy all the rewards a graceful
Government can give, but the glory
of the conflict remains with the
South, No falsifying of his
tory can disguise it, no epithet
of traitor or charge Of treason
can obscure it; it stands as an
acknowledged fact and the
Union soldier himself knows that
his Confederate antagonist made a
record for reckless daring and un-
complaining devotion to duty that
is without a parallel, and while this
is all we have, we would not barter
o1 exchange it for all the rewards
or honors the Government can
give,
1t is a great and lasting honor to
the ladies of Little Rock that they
are willing to devote their entire
time and labor and make great sac
ri6ces to aid and comfort the living
and to honor and perpetuate the
memory of the dead; and it is to
me a source Of great pride to be-
lieve and know that on the 18th of
this beautiful month Of May there
will be gathered together at the
capital Of the state hundreds Of
southern soldiers, hundreds Of de
voted wives and daughters Of the
South, who will scatter flowers up
on the graves of our fallen COM
rades, and that each wayworn and
battie-scarred veteran will count it
as the proudest act and greatest
honor which has come to him in life
to have borne arms in defense Of
his native land; and | trust that
such a. meeting, such coming to-
gether almost thirty years after
the close of the strife, will impress