The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-21
Caring for Confederate Dead.

WAsiINGTON, Dee. l5.-rhc suyrcs
tion of the President looking To The
care of the Confederate cemeteries by
the Federal Government aroused no
little interest on the part Of Senators
and members Of the House and was The
subject OF much quiet comment in th,
Congressional cloak rooms. There
WAS. of course. IL divergence of opinion
as to the merits of the suggestion. and
this divergence was especially notice
able among Republican Senators and
members. There were none who did
not attribute the sentiment to goodness
al heart on the part of the President.
Some of { he Republican Senators. how
cNcf.tAprc>srd doubt of the wisdom of
the course. and while many Of these
stated their personal conviction that
there was n" harm in carrying the S,g-
Sesilnn int" execution. still they re-
framed from amy expression Of opinion
! on the ground that such expression
w"nld bc misunderstood by their en-
soldier constituents. The Democratic
Senators generally excused themselves
from amy expression Of opinion on the
subject. There were exceptions To the
rciiccncr. Senator Shump was among
the Republican members of the senate
military committee who spoke ont,
saying that he endorsed all that the
President had suggested. Senator
Scwell. member OF the military com
mittce. said: The suggestion of the
President is Il beautiful sentiment and
worthy of the man. as il is IN kccpin.
with his character. The suggestion is
especially appropriate III this time,
When good feeling is SD strong between
the sections, and am in hearty :.s.c.,r.l
with il. There is no reason why wo
should not care for the cemeteries of
the Southern dead and no act would
go further toward ce,nonting the union
between the North and the South than
could an act of this kind, which must
necessarily appeal to tn, best scnti-
mcnt of the generous people of the
South. But while should he entirely
willing to have the country care for the
graves of the Confederate dead,
should not consent to go any further.
| should not, for instance. agree to Inc
pcnsiOning Of the Confederate OK sol :
dicrs Of the civil war. would draw 1,
very distinct line between the two acts,
and believe the country ns n whole
would
The suggestion was favOrably com
mented OH by members of the House of
Representatives. without respect to
politics or section. Capt. Hull, chair
man Of the military committee. said
ANY step to obliterate scctionalism il,
of course, desirable, and the President
seems to have suggested II most accept
able means in that direction and one
which will not do violence to any feel
ing in the North. would not favor
the return Of Confederate flags, MS
there is no government to which they
could be returned, and they represent
n painful incident of our history. But
the Confederate cemeteries and their
dead rest upon different considerations.
Such cemeteries, North and South, are
hallowed ground. Iapprovc tho Pres
idents suggestions"
Representative Saycrs, Governor
ciect of Texas, ant II former COnfe.:e-
rate soldier, said: 81 am greatly pleased
with the Presidents proposition, and
it should be carried out by the neccs-
snry legislation. am just about to
lay aside my work in Congress, OF l
might give the proposition form by in
cooperating it in some Of tho approprl-
alton bills. This doubtless will be
DONE"
Representative Terry, Of Arkansas,
another Confederate veteran, said tho
feeling among Southern members was
genera! that the Presidents suggestion
wns happy step toward wiping out
all remaining sectiOnalism.