Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-16
CONFEDERATE GRAVES,
President McHin|ey's Suggestion
Concerning Them,
FEDERAL CARE OF THEM.
Comment on the Subject by Eem-
berS Of Congress.
sEwELL WOULD NOT GO FARTHER.
Tie Would Not Agree to PepsiOning
of Confederate Vcterans-Cbair-
Return Flags.

WASHINGTON, December 15.-The sug-
gestion of the Presidents looking to the
| care Of Confederate cemeteries by the
Federal Government aroused 40 little in
terest among the senators and the MEM
| bers of the House. and was the subject
of much quiet comment in the congress
sional cloak-rooms to-day. There was
of course. a divergence OF opinion as TO
| the merits of the suggestion, and this
| divergence was especially noticeable
among Republican senators and members.
| There We're none who did not attribute
| the sentiment TO goodness Of heart on the
| part of the President. Some of the Re-
| publican senators, however, expressed
doubt of the wisdom Of the course, and
| while many of these stated their personal
conviction that there was no harm i'm
carrying the suggestion into legislation,
| still they refrained from any expression
of opinion. on the ground that such ex
pressions would be misunderstood by their
| constituents. The Democratic senators
generally excused themselves from any
expression of opinion on the subject. but
there were exceptions to this reticence.
sHOUP ENDORSES MKINLEY.
Senator Shoup, of Idaho was among the
Republican members of the Senate Mill
| tary Committee who spoke out, saying
that he endorsed all that the President
had suggested. Senator Sewell, Of New
! Jersey, a member OF the Military Commit
tee, said: 1.-The suggestion OF the Presi-
| dent is a beautiful sentiment and worthy
Of the man, as II is in keeping with his !
character. The suggestion is especially |
appropriate at this time. when good feel |
ing Is so strong between the sections |
and am in hearty accord with it. There |
is no reason why we should not care for |
the cemeteries of the southern dead, and |
no az. could go further toward cementing |
the union between the North and the |
South than would an act of this kind, |
which must necessarily appeal to the best |
sentiment of the generous people of the |
country.
DRAWS LINE AT PENSIONS.
"But while l should be entirely willing |
to have the country care for the graves |
of the Confederate dead, 1 should not |
consent to go any further / should not, |
for instance, agree TO pensionng Of the |
Confederate soldiers of the civil war. | |
would draw very distinct line between |
the two acts, and believe the country, as
a whole, would"
The suggestion was favorably com
mented on by members of the House OF |
Representatives. without respect to poll |
tics or sections. Captain Hull, chairman
Of the Military Committee, said: ANY |
steps toward obliteratlng sectionalism is |
desirable The suggestion is a good one I
and would not do violence TO any feeling .
in the North.
WOULD NOT RETURN FLAGS
Il would not favor the return Of Con- |
federate flags, as there IS no government |
TO which they could be returned and |
they represent a painful incident OF our /
history. But the Confederate cemeteries |
and their dead rest upon different con- |
sderations. Such cemeteries, North and |
South, are hallowed ground. / approve |
the Presidents suggestions
Representative Sayers. Governor-elect |
of Texas and a former Confederate sol |
der said II am greatly pleased with |
the Presidents proposition, and il should |
be carried out by the necessary legisla- |
ton. l am just about TO lay aside my |
work in Congress or 1 might give the
proposition form by incorporating it in
some of the appropriation bills This,
doubtless, will be done"
FEELING AMONG SOUTHERNERs.
Representative Terry. of Arkansas, an
other Confederate veteran. said the feel
ing among southern members was general
that the Presidents suggestion was a
happy step toward wiping out all remain
ing sectonalism.
GENERAL GORDON DELIGHTED.
RICHMOND. IND. December l5.-Gene-
raj John B. Gordon. of Georgia. who lee
tured here tonight said in an interview
concerning President McKinley's speech
at Atlanta:
Il have read the speech with much in
terest and was greatly delighted with il.
1t was probably a surprise TO some OF
our southern people. but it was not so
TO me. l have known President Mckinley
for a great many years. and have had
the profopndest respect for him 4 man
and patriot. This Atlanta speech is I'm
entire keeping with what | have known
to be his liberal impulses toward the
South for a number of years. lie is
very broad man, well as a capable
one"
GEORGIA LEGISLATIVE THANKS
ATLANTA, GA, December l5.-Presi-
dent McKinley's utterances in his ad-
dress to the Georgia Legislature were
highly commended by that body to-day.
Immediately after the reading OF the
journal In the House this morning Rep
resentative Calvin. of Richmond county,
secured the floor. aud introduced the fol-
lowing resolutions:
Resolved by the House 0he Senate
concurring), That as the chosen represen-
tatives OF the people Of Georgia. we desire
TO express our high appreciation of the
chaste, eloquent. and enthusiastic ad-
dress delivered In the presence of this
Assembly in the Hall OF the House OF
Representatives yesterday by his Excel
iency, Hon. William Mckinley, President
of the United States.
or SOUTHERN MEN.
"Resolved. further. That President Me-
Kinley. by his ready recognition Of south
ern ability and southern worth in military
appointments made AT the outset and du-
ring the recent Spanish-American war,
won warm place in the hearts Of all our
people and endeared himself to the coun
try at large.
',Resolved. further. That we desire espe- |
cially TO commend and applaud the gene
rous and soldierly suggestion made by his