The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-05
COMMITTEE WAS TO BLAME.
OHIO WREATH INCIDENT EXPLAIN
ED BY A UNION VETERAN.

The Meeting Of the Confederate Vet
Grams Association Last Night At
tended by Adjutant j. f. Melting
cf the Union Veterans League.
Who Stated That the Rejection of
the Wreath Presented by COnfed-
crate Veterans of Kentucky on
Federal Memorial Day Was the
Work of the G. A. n. Floral Com
mittee, and Was Not Endorsed by
the Union Veternns-Wrenth Was
Used by the Union Veterans
League.
Mr.. J. Edward Melting, of Columbus, O.,
furnished the interest at the meeting of
the Confederate Veterans Association last
night. Mr.. Melting is a Grand Army man
and also a prominent official in the Union
Veterans League, having the rank of pass
ed assistant adjutant general
The object of Mr. Neling's call upon the
camp was TO correct any wrong impress
sion which the Savannah veterans might
have with regard TO the incident at Co
lumbus O., on the federal memorial day
when a handsome wreath presented by
the Confederate veterans of Kentucky was
refused by the G. A. r. committee. The
incident was the subject of considerable
comment throughout the country and, as
shown by Mr.. Nellng's statement was
the cause of considerable feeling among
the Grand Army men themselves.
The committee which declined the
wreath, Mr. Melting explained, was the
flower committee, composed of only three
members, and its action was taken with
out consulting the camps which they rep
resented. When the Grand Army men
learned that the committee had declined
to use this wreath there was much dissat-
isfaction and the committees action was
generally condemned. The wreath, which
was very handsome floral piece, was dis
played in a prominent window and attract
ed much attention.
When the Union Veterans League learn
ed of the action of the G.. A r. commit
tee. Mr.. Melting said, it secured posses
sion of The wreath and made use OF it
in its exercises. The general feeling among
the Union veterans and the people of Co
lumbus generally, he said, was that such
an evidence of fraternai feeling should
have been accepted with the heartiest
good Will He presented the camp with a
copy Of the Press-Post, of Columbus. pub
lished the day following, in which the in
cident is dwell upon at some length and
in which it is made to appear very plainly
that the action of the c. a. r. flower COM
miltee was generally disapproved.
The Union League, as Mr.. Melting eX-
planned, is composed of veterans, who eth
er served not less than two years in the
union armies or were shot out of the
ranks before the expiration of that time.
The remarks of Mr.. Melting were listened
TO with pleasure by the Confederate vet
Grams aud his expressions of friendly re-
gard from the veterans Of the North heart
lily reciprocated
The wreath, as described in the Press
Post, was a very handsome floral piece,
about five feet jn diameter, the design be-
ing the national colors, supported by two
life-sized hands in the center, one in the
gray coat sleeve of the Confederate and
the other in the blue sleeve of the Union.
Beneath the TWO hands was the word
United" and on a scroll at the bottom.
From the Gray 10 the Blue" Above the
flag We're the words, Enemies Once
Friends Eternal" The design was made
| in Columbus, its cost being betrayed by
funds subscribed by Confederate veterans
| in Kentucky al the instance of former
| Confederate, now a prominent business
man of Columbus.
Mir. Melting stated that the only reason
given by The committee for rejecting the
gift was that the arm in gray appeared
above that of the one in blue. Mr.. Ne.line
! called upon Gen. McGlashan. president OF
| rhe veterans association, and it was at thC
| l3ttcr's invitation that he visited the camp
There was only a small attendance of the
| members at the meeting and no business
! of SPECIAL interest WAS considered A reso-
luton was adopted expressing the thanks
of the association 10 Mrs Marie f. Branch
| for the gift of a cover for the association
! banner. Refreshments in the shape of ice
| cream and claret punch had been prepar-
ed and Were enjoyed by the veterans after
! the meeting.