Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-29
GEN. LEES BIRTHDAY
STRONG OPPOSITION TO CHANGE
BY THE EARLY BILL.
LEI CAMP RECONSIDERS IT'S ACTION.
A Spirited Debate and Criticism at
the Meeting Last Night-strong
Reasons Urged AgnInst the En-
dorsement of the Measure.

tute for the annual celebration OF General
Lees Birthday on January 18th a legal
holiday on January 10Th, TO be known
as the Lee-Jackson Memorial-pay.
A week ago the veterans adopted a
resolution introduced by Rev. Dr. }. VIII
liam Jones endorsing this measure, and
they did so without debate. and with
unanimous voice, but different counsels
prevailed, and last night the vote was
reconsidered, and the resolution was rele-
gated to a long term pigeonhole, after
brief but spirited debate, in which the
measure was criticised in no uncertain
voice. The debate on this question took
place after the regular business or the
camp had been disposed of. The meet
ing was a very large one. and among the
visitors was Delegate Early, the patron
Of the bill.
MOTION TO RECONSIDER.
The subject was introduced by Past
Commander James T. Gray, who said the
resolution Of DR.. Jones had not been
maturely considered, and he moved to
reconsider the vote by which it was
adopted. The proposition, he said, was
a sandwich affair, which did not meet
with his approval, or, he thought. with
the approval of the majority of ConIede-
rates.
Mr. Boiling opposed Mr.. Gray's motion,
saving that he deemed 1t emnently ap-
propriate that the birthdays or Lee ana
Jackson, coming so close together, should
be jointly celebrated. He called attention
to the absence of DIR. Jones, and said
he did not think it courteous TO brlns
the matter up in his absence.
Captain Stratton spoke in favor OF Mr.
Gray's motion, but was interrupted by
Mr.. Dickerson, who rose TO point or
order that the matter could not be dis
cussed until the vote to reconsider had
been recorded.
Major Brander vehemently opposed this,
on the ground that it was not reasonable
to vote on a proposition until IL hau
been discussed.
PROTEST AGAINST PARLIAMEN-
TARY RULES.
Commander Laughton sustained the
point of order. Major Brander protested
against the ruling, and said he was unable
TO see why a lot of veterans could not
do as they wished, but had to be hlde-
bound by a lot of parliamentary rules.
Mr.. Redford suggested that the matter
should be postponed altogether unul Dr.
Jones could be present.
A lively discussion of the Commanders
ruling followed, which ended IN Major
Brander taking an appeal srom the de-
cision.
The question was put by Lieutenant
Commander Peay. but before the vote
could be taken Captain Spence rose ana
moved to lay the appeal on the table,
which was lost by an overwhelming ma
iority. and Major Brander's motion was
nut and his appeal sustained by a vote
Of % to %.
BEEN REPORTED ADVERSELY.
canaan Stratton then took the floor
and explained the present status OF the
bill which, he said, had passed the
House but had been reported from the
Senate committee with the recommends
ton that it do not pass. 1t is now on 'ne
calendar of the Senate, and its conslde-
ration had been postponed from time 10
time at the request of the patron, Mr..
Early. The possibility of the passage OF
the bill. he thought, was very remote.
The day il proposed to celebrate was
neither the birthday of Lee nor OF jack
son. If il were passed, he said, IL was
ouIte uossible that North Carolina would
want Lee-Vance memorial-day, georgia
a Beauregard memorial-day, ana SO
on through all the Southern States where
Lees Birthday is celebrated. 1t was d
fact he urged, that in all history the
representative of a great cause was
chosen for signal honor. and he cited
washington and Frederick the Great as
Instances. There was no one in Lee
Camp he said, who wished to witnhold
anv honor from General Jackson, Dut
Nav 10th was observed as Memorlal-Day'
and that was the day on which Jackson
died. and on which the memo
ries of all Confederate soldiers were
honored memorial-day, ne saiu,
was a day of gloom and sadness anu
the keynote of the celebration OF Genera
Lees Birthday was JOY that so great ana
noble a man had been given TO the
world.
SHOULD ACT WITH CARE.
Mp Dickerson said the matter had a
deeper thought even than the one empha-
sized by the last speaker. he mad peeh
anxious for the matter to be brought up,
as a warning 10 the camp. why Is IL
that this camp endorses matters that do
not originate in it2" he asked, Ihe
fact THAI you are asked to endorse state
and other legislation exists because you
are a power in the land. Now be care
ful how you endorse matters that are
brought before you, or your influence VIII
amount to nothing. It's not the hrst
time that Lee Camp has taken such
hasty action In such matters, but nope
II will be the last" 1t had been a great
mistake TO endorse DR.. Joness resolution
he said. and he hoped that hereafter
such matters would lay over for week
He was ready TO vote to reconsider, ne
said. but It appeared to be very childish,
and like a parcel of boys, who had jump
ed too hastily at conclusion. lie
thought. perhaps, the best thing would
be TO let the matter stand as II was.
This suggestion was greeted with ioua
cries of mo" from all parts OF the nan.
HAVE ONE OR THE OTHER.
Mr.. Redford said the more he thought
of the Early bill the less he liked 1t. The
only men who made no mistakes were
dead men. He hoped the camp would
consign DIR. Jones's resolution 10 oblivion.
He drew a humorous picture OF the in
conaruity of the kind of celebration the
camp had been used TO on Lees Birthday
on the proposed memorial-day. If we
want birthday celebration" he said,
lets have 1t, but il we want funeral.
let's have an 6ration. January Goth isn't
Lees Birthday, neither is it Jackson's,
and we don't want this middleman ar
rangement.
Mr.. Boiling said he had voted intelli-
gently a week ago, and would not vote
otherwise at this time, and he hoped he
would have some company.
There were loud cries OF question, and
Mr.. Gray's motion to reconsider was
adopted with only three dissentient votes.
Captain Spence then moved 10 lay DIR.
Jones's resolution on the table, Mr.. Free
man raised objection on the ground OF