The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-06
ITS LAST CABINET MEETING.
THE FINAL SESSION OF THE CON-
FEDERACY's EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.

Read Before the Daughters or the
Confederncy by Mrs. VI. T.. Robert
son-TeIls the story of the Days
Preceding the Capture of Presi-
dent DavIx-TOO Little Interest in
History Meaa4-Chapter Wants
Frequent EssuyS-GeOrgia Division
Way Meet Here.
An interesting meeting of Charter Chap
ter of Daughters Of Confederacy was he'd
al Confederate Hail yesterday afternoon.
The attendance was more than usually
! large and a number OF interesting papers,
exciting discussion almost equally inter
esting, were read. The chapters vice pres
ident, Mrs. II. NJ. Branch, presided.
Mrs. NJ. f. Robertson read an account of
the last meeting Of the Confederate cabi-
net, THAI was he'd in Washington Ga,
and at the residence of Mrs Robertsons
husband. The paper was most interesting
and coming a a tine when there is some
discussion going on as 70 the place
where this metein5 was actual
ly held, most timely. The coming of the
President and members of the cabinet
their manner and characteristics, the
questions upon which they dei.herated and
almost the very words that they spoke
were described with the truth and fidelity
OF an eyewitness and with the loving APP
probation Of q Southern woman, whose
whole heart was wrapped up in the cause
that they represented.
1t was after he left the home of Mrs.
Robertson and while he was endeavoring
TO reach place Of safety that the Presi-
dent was captured. In her home the
plans for the escape were matured and it
was from her home, after the last meet
ing, that the members of the cabinet sep
arated. The paper of Mrs. Robertson
was greatly enjoyed by the chapter, a
vote of thanks was rendered her and ~he
was requested to furnish the historian
with copy TO file among the archives.
supplementary 70 Mrs. Robertsons pa
per Mrs. w. II. Elliott gave a talk descrip-
tive of the capture of President Davis,
pleaned from a personal narrative of one
of the party that effected his arrest This
man had himself described the events of
that day to Mrs. Elliott and the scene as
she pictured IT, arose fresh before the
mental vision of her hearers.
A poem dedicated to Charter Chapter by
its author, Mr.. Austin Rush of Washing
ton, D. c., was read by Miss Addie Bar
nard. Ii was a stirring and eloquently
poetlcal tribute TO the little band Of wo-
men who have done so much for the
graves Of the soldier dead in Savannah
and the South, and so much TO perpetuate
the memories of the Lost Cause and its
heroic defenders For the poem and the
compliment to the chapter conveyed in its
dedication, a vote of thanks was rendered
TO the author and to Miss Barnard
The medal committee of the chapter re-
ported TO the meeting that the present
plan OF awarding the history medal was
unsatisfactory in many ways, but princl-
pally in the fact that ii seemed not to
arouse sufficient interest and enthusiasm
among the school children of the city and
brought out too few contestants to JUS
tify the attendant trouble and expense.
The committee suggested that the Board
of Education be requested to have chap
ter of Southern history or the
story of some interesting his
torical events connected with the strug
gle for Southern independence read to the
pupils of the various grades in the public
schools at the end of every fortnight, and
that the children, or as many of them
as desired, be permitted to write essays
upon these subjects. 1t Is not thought
by the committee that the plan now pur-
sued secures a sufficient number of the
pupils in the contest for the medal, and it
is considered that some plan similar to
the one outlined in its report would over
| come this disadvantage. The essays that
are written each fortnight are to be con-
! sidered at the end of the year, and the
| best of these is to take the medal.
| The suggestion met with the approval Of
| the chapter and a committee was appoint
/ ed and directed to confer with the presi-
| dent Of the Board of Education on the sub
| iect. Ii is altogether probable that unless
some such plan can be arranged, with the
| Joint approval of The board and the chap
ter, that the medal wlll not be offered
| next year.
The chapter voted $40 to the fund for the
erection of an iron railing to enclose the
/ graves of the South's dead on the battle
/ field of Manassas. The contribution was
| induced by a letter asking it from Mrs.
O'Bren, who has the matter of raising the
fund in charge and who is very ardenuy
Interested in the work. Similar appeals
are being made to other chapters of the
Daughters of the Coufederacy throughout
the country and all of them are meeting
with glad and prompt response, each
chapter subscribing according to its means.
/ There are many graves of Savannah SOL
diers in the Manassas cemetery, and for
| this reason the local chapter fees an
especial interest in the project
The Georgia division of the confederation
WIFI be inNlted 10 meet IN savannah next
winter and the effort viii be made TO make
the invitation so graceful and cordial and
the description of the attractions of the
city so enticng that the members of the
| division WIN not find il possible to refuse.
| There was also some discussion of plan
to invite the United Order OF Daughters
Of the Confederaey TO hold It's next annual
convention In Savannah but in regard to
| this the chapter reached no definite con-
| clusion.
Miss Mary Lamar resigned the Office of
historian. and Mrs. Thomas F. Screven
was elected to fill the vacancy thus Gre
ated The chapter is now in a most
fiourishing condition, having on its men,
bership rolls 1877 names. OF these 81 have
been added since the March meeting. The
work that 1t has undertaken is going
smoothly on, ana constant and especial
attention Is being paid TO the graves of
the soldier dead in the cemeteries of Sa-
vannah The cemetery committee report
ed that in this department they were
making as good progress as could be ex-