The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1896-05-21
Collecting Co nfederatG Relics.


n Letter to General Hampton and
His Kcply--Vetcrans and People
Generally Asked to Co-operatc--
The Plan Starts Or With Good
Prospects.
Columbia Register.
Wadc Hampton Chapter, ID. A. r.,
has determined tC form Il museum of
Confederate relics in this city at tho
South Carolina College. Tho follow
ing correspondence will explain itself ::
COLUMBIA, S. c., April Il, 1906.
General Wade Hampton, Columbia,
S. G.
Dear Sir: The Wade Hampton
Chapter OF the United Daughters of
tho Confcdcracy recently adopted
measures for the collection and per-
manent preservation, in our own State.
OF Confederate relics, believing that
an enduring State depository and
museum OF such precious relics will
be valuable in nuturing proper scnti-
mcnts and maintaining the truth
among our own people.
We naturally preserve with caro- tho
treasured dust Of our sacred dead, and
these cherished relics of our hOnorcd
heroes and guarded mcmcntoes of our
and symbol OF our loyalty to the Con
federatc soldiers and to the truth for
which they fought.
1t is the duty Of the generation that
waged war for States rights to
provide for the proper education Of
coming generations concerning tho
principles which our people held and
the struggle they made to maintain
them. The associations linked with
the relics gathered in our proposed
museum will scrvc as Il nucleus OF
historic knowledge, " promoter Of
loyal interest, and an incentive to
historic research among our young
people.
Thc members of our chapter arc
glad to know Of the movement now in
progress over the South, and prose-
cutcd through another organization in
Columbia, TO gather relies for u gen
eral Confederate museum. AS indi-
viduals they will aid in making tho
proposed national collection worthy Of
The cause it represents, and Of the
noble men aud women whose laburs to
mako it q success deserve applause.
We cannot have ~ great national
museum OF Confederate relics without
the aid and stimulus OF good State col
lections. The two will hclpfully react
vi WIZ tuoptlCl. liOCtl CollcCb'OHS Will
foster STATIC pride, awaken the his
toric spirit, arouse universal interest
in tho State for such treasures, teach
the Importance Of u national museum
as common bond and source Of unity
ing knowledge and inspiration and
opcn the cycs OF our people to tho i'm
pOrt;tncc OF preserving and massins
together for historic uses souvenirs o
untold value in moulding the view
and sentiments Of our youth. Tho ma
tional collection for Battle Abbey Il
Richmond, or wherever it shall b
located, will be improved in size ant
quality, and enhanced in value in The
minds OF our people as u priceless
treasury by the parallel creation ant
maintenance OF State collections.
We fought rs Confederate States
and we should have q Confederation ol
museums, representing our statehood
and our Confederation.
The materials gathered in the pa-
tional and State collections will prove
Il rich mine to tho historians OF the
States and Of the Confcdcracy. For u
brief, clear account Of the leading
facts and associations connected with
the rclic--writtcn by tho donor or len
der thcrcof-would make each one an
illustration OF principles, Il stimulus to
CATION.
Tho people Of each State would natu-
rally prize, preserve and classify ac-
cordlng to subjects, persons, places,
dates and events their relics, and thus
multiply in value the collection. If all
our relics were collected in one State,
that State would en- Joy a degree OF
Confederate knowledge and interest
not possessed by other States and the
result would be that the State owning
the historic records and relics would
be made unduly prominent in the pages
of history.
Every State should have in the na-
tiOnal museum some relic or relics of
each command and noted commander,
representing her sons, and also Of tho
important events that occurred in her
borders. The Same sort OF collection
should be made for each State mu-
scum, which would be fuller i'm details
Of persons and events OF mainly local
interest.
TO carry Out the purpose OF our
chapter tho board OF directors ap-
pointed Il committee consisting of the
undersigned, and charged with the
duty OF collecting, preserving ana cx-
hibiting at stated times in the large
room in the South Carolina college
iiDfaiS, given ny inc COllcBC authOrl-
tics as depository for such relics
until permanent place can be suita-
bly, provided. This room is devoted
solely to this purpose and is under the
charge OF our chapter, and there all
relics contributed will be sacrcdly
kept and exhibited under proper rcgu-
lation by u committee from our chap
ter.
a South Carolina collection would
be incomplete without tho gift or loan
OF sword, or some other mcmcnto,
from Carolina's most illustrious Con-
fcdcratc son and hero, General Wade
Hampton Hampton's sword on the
battlefield, Hampton's voice and guild
ing hand in the days Of South Caro-
lina's trial and gloom after the war.
| uamptOn's wisdom nnd statcsmanshi y
in the council hutls OF the republic
these arc among the chief glorie5 in
the history OF our State.
Therefore, we hope that you will
contribute to our State collection as
| gift or loan, some war momento that
will aid in kindling our youth tC
emulate your heroism, and stand fas,