Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-10-19

hospitality Of Mrs. r. 7. Meade ana ne.
delightful assistants, members oil u.
Petersburg Chapter, and vote oil thahk-
from the corresponding secretary WI"
be sent TO the chapter.
The business meeting was adjourned
and Mrs. Mccullough was introduced 10
all individual members Of the chapter
a formal introduction having been given
at the beginning of the meeting. Mrs.
Mccullough is a woman of charming per
sonality and bears the honors Of being
president most gracefully. she Is
daughter OF Major Jed Hotchkiss. Of
Staunton.
1t was a most pleasant gathering, the
only regret was, that the lnclement
weather kept many members at nome
Refreshments were served by MISS Bett4e
Ellyson, who had for her assistants the
little daughters Of the Confederacy, Clei-
land. Meta, and Nora Randolph, and
Louisa Purcell.
MRS. RANDOLPH'S EXPLANATION.
During the meeting Mrs Randolph read
the following statement:
Daughters of the Confederacy,-Three
weeks ago / presented at our meeting d
letter for your approval or dlsapproVa'.
written by me, thanking Sedgwick Grand
Army Of the Republic Post for the gene
rous act extended TO woman VINO had
no favors to confer, the broken-neafted
mother Of the Daughter of the Contede-
racy.' ] read the letter three times, ask
ing for criticism. Miss Bently SISTER OF
Mrs. Brooke, president of the Harrison
burg Chapter desired the change OF me
word generous for that Of courteous,
IaI nv
chapter not TO do. There was not one who
protested on the incorrect statement l
made about General Grant not accepting
the sword of General Lee. That night,
after the matter had gone to press, Miss
Bentley discovered our mistake, too late
10 be remeded. For three weeks have
been living as over a powder magazine,
expecting an explosion from some quar-
ter. but must say i did not expect TO be
wounded in the house of my friends.
So YOU can imagine l was astonished at
Mrs. Meade, president of the Petersburg
Chapter, receiving a letter from Mrs.
Brooke, president of the Harrisonburg
Chapter which she desired Mrs. Meade
TO read at the convention of the Grand
Division of Virginia, denouncing the state
ment made by the Richmond Chapter.
Fortunately ! was present, and am SIN
cerely glad that the hundred or more
Confederate women who were there VIII
have the fact impressed upon them that
the little story so often told, which snow
ed the generosity of General Grant ana
the bravery Of General Lee. for could
there have been a Drawer thing chad 1t
been necessary than that the man who
had worn that sword so bravely should
have in defeat rendered it TO his enemy
as token that hope was gone? Gould
there have been more generous act than
that the man who for years had tried 10
accomplish this surrender should nave
declined 10 receive this token? j have
thought Of it many times; pictured Gene
raj Lee bearing himself so proudly and
feeling his cause so glorious even In de-
feat. that it was no humiliation to give
up his sword but, as history says, there
was no necessity. therefore It was not
DONE My beautiful little story and the
scene / had painted is a thing OF the
past, and, Daughters Of the ConIederacy'
/ stand before you corrected. But before
! cease / must say one word for the Phlla-
delphia Chapter, upon whom the same
condemnation had fallen. rms chapter
was organized by Mrs. Sue Maury Halsey.
daughter of General Dabney Maury. She
surely ought to have known better, but
present. did not, and has by some been
even more criticised for eulogising the
flag but is not that flag (Which we should
never have given up, for virginia put
more stars I'm il than the whole North)
borne by the sons Of the veterans VINO LOT
four long years fought against 1t? Is II
not the flag that our own wheeler saved
at Santiago? Then the Philadelphia chap
ter must be pardoned for the eulogy'
Think Of H. This little band of Coniede-
rate women. while honoring the nag or
the country, have been brave enough 10
stand I'D for the flag we OF the south
love so well and can never forget. and
they wear it always; and on Memorial
Day they placed on the long-forgotten
graves of our prison dead in Philadelphia
the first token Of love that has ever been
nut there . wreath Of laurel tied with
the red. white, and red, and the colors OF
the Douehters of the Confederacy."