The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-07
WILL NOT GIVE THEIR ASSENT.
WOMAN's SACRED TRUST TO CARE
ron CONFEDERATE DEAD.

/ Charter Chapter of Daughters of the
COnfederacy Unanimously Protests
Against the Suggestion to Extend
the Care of National Cemeteries TO
the Graves of Confederate Soldiers.
The Sacred Duty of Women of the
south TO Place Memorials Above
the Last Resting Places of Their
Martyred Dead.
The Daughters of the Confederacy held
their quarterly meeting yesterday after
noon In Veterans hall. Mrs. Margaret
Branch-Sexton. president of the chapter,
presided. The meeting was one of unusual
interest
Touching upon the suggestion of PresI-
dent Mckinley that the government
extend the care of the national cemeteries
to the graves of Confederate soldiers, the
ladies of the chapter entered their protest
against what they regard as a suggested
Interference with the sacred duty entrusted
to them, of caring for the last resting
places of the Souths soldier dead.
The following resolution, offered by Mrs.
Sexton, was unanimously adopted by ris-
ing vote
Whereas, the President of the United
States has suggested that theN national
government protecting the graves Of the
soldiers of the union shall in like man
ner care for the resting places Of the Con-
federate dead:
Be 1t resolved by the Savannah Chapter,
Daughters of the Confederacy, That, with
full appreciation of the impulse expressed
in that sentiment, we shrink instnctively,
with hushed and holy sorrow, from Yield
ing the slightest assent The graves of
the Confederate dead are our pilgrim
shrines. From their hallowed hearts
eternally ascend mute protests against all
assaults upon constitutional liberty, and
the rights Of men, the inspiration of the
martyred dead of a stainless cause The
records those incompatible heroes made.
furnish the brightest pages in American
annals, wrought out by men of loftiest
mold. Only reverent hands should Law
memorials over their consecrated dust
While loyal, loving hearts preserve and
transmit the splendid lesson of their sub
lime faith and virtue. To the Women of the
South this sacred trust must be reserved
through all generations.
In this connection. the nrosrap ,roo Coz.
Memorial day was discussed and the vari-
Gus committees for the decoration Of the
confederate monument in the Park ex-
tension, the graves in the Gettysburg lot
IN Laurel Grove, and the soldiers graves
in Bonaventure and the Cathedral cene
teries, and special committee to decorate
the grave of Gen. Barlow, were appointed.
Inc general observance of Memorial day
VIII be the same as in former years.
The roll of honor of Confederate soldiers
to be preserved in the Confederate mu-
scum at Richmond was brought to the at
tention of the chapter, and the president
was authorized to send for 100 application
blanks. These blanks will be filled In
with the names and war records of those
who served the Confederacy, husbands.
fathers, brothers and sons of the mem
bers of the chapter, and will be forwarded
to Richmond to become a part of the
records of the museum.
An interesting feature of the meeting
was the presentation to the president by
Miss Annie L. White, of a gavel made
from a piece of the timbers of the
Confederate iron clad Savannah, built
here in 1862, and destroyed at the evacua-
ton of the city, by Commodore Tattnall.
The handle of the gavel was made from
part of section of the wheel of a cannon
lost overheard from the pontoon bridge
across the river opposite the city by Har-
dee's army during the evacuation, on the
night of Dec. "a, 1854. The bridge was made
of large rice plantation flats and extended
from the wharf west of the Barnard street
Slip to Hutchinson Island, where a road
way, made by widening a ditch bank on
the island, connected il with a similar
bridge across Back river, and thence to
the South Carolina shore. The horses at
tached to piece of artillery of a light
battery became frightened while crossing
the bridge, and the whole equipment went
into the river. About three years ago. Capt.
Joe White, while hauling up the anchor of
his boat in front of Kinseys old saw mill
brought up the rim and tire of the can
non from about where it went overheard
thirty-two years before. 1t is from sec
ton of this wheel that The handle of the
gavel, which Capt. Whites daughter pre-
| scented to the chapter, was made The gift
was gracefully acknowledged by the presi-
dent.
Ii was announced that fourteen High
| School pupils have so far entered the con-
| test for the Daughters of the Confederacv
medal to be awarded on Davis birthday
TO the author of the best essay on either
of the five subjects Gen. Stone wall Jack
son and the Valley Campaign" THE Pen
! insular Campaign" THE Naval Engage
ments of the Civil War" Jefferson Davis
! President of the Confederate States" or
The War From Sumter Through the
| FIRST Battle OF Manassas AS stated in
| the Morning News the contestants after
| having read the authorities quoted in
| the prospectus for the contest, will as
semble at the Chatham Academy. Satur-
| day. May 10, when one of the five subjects
| named will be assigned and, in the pres
| ence of a committee of teachers, they viii
write the essays, four hours being allotted
for the contest No contestants have vet
been announced from any of the private
| schools