Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-06-03
AccoMAc Court HOUSE, VA.
SATURDAY, JUNE ;, 1899.

oil the COullulluec, IL i'tA0 PiO
ton and more remarkable for the
venom emitted. by the writer OF the
article than by the facts plain and
unmistaken" submitted by him in his
vindication or that of his committee
1t purports to be reply to "a mallg-
nant and unwarranted article in the
ENrERpR1sR of May 18th, criticising
the action of the committee to select
a location for the Confederate Monu-
ment" but the writer in his wrath
and righteous indignation forgets to
tell in what way We offended, except
that we presumed to criticise the
Communicable and his committee,
it seems in his opinion, being hedged
about with an infallibility which
places them above criticism. Wheth
err we erred in saying, that the ac-
ton of the committee would not be
approved generally by the people OF
the Eastern Shore, or that score OF
towns on the Peninsula would accept
the monument on the same terms
which Parksley iSwilling TO accept 1t,
or that it was not the most suitable
place, or that the majority OF the
members of the Camp would not ap-
prove of the action OF the committee,
or in our objection to the secret man
ner in which the site was selected, is
not disclosed by the writer OF the
aforesaid article in the epithets APP
piled TO us for presuming TO crltlclSe
the action OF the committee. The in
ference, though, seems TO be, that the
sum OF our offending consisted IN
criticising their secret action and we
are told in language more curt than
polite, that simply it WAS none OF
our business Whether they had
the right TO make their votes public
or otherwise as they chose, as it is
claimed, we will not question, lest we
arouse Indignation, which q dis
claimer even, "of not meaning to be
PERSONAL" cannot soothe. OF course,
it is none Of our business though,
the writer has been condescending
enough to admit, that We have been
second to none outside the Camp in
our zeal for the raising OF monument
funds. OF course it is none of the
business" of the honored father OF
the gallant son whose name the
Camp bears, or OF the citizens who
have labored in season and out OF
season to raise the funds to erect a
suitable shaft to our gallant dead.
That we erred in asking them to face
the music like men we will not guess
ton either. A ''sheet" that has been
good enough to use III publishing the
calls of the committee and in eXtoll-
ing its members for their labors In
cause dear to all Of us, OF course, is
not fit to be used when it does not
approve all the acts Of the commit
tee and ought to be muzzled. We
had supposed, though, that it was our
privilege, as one of the Press, to dis
cuss public matters, but OF course we
were mistaken in this instance AS we
are informed by the writer of the
aforesaid article, that lit was public
or not as they chose to make IT In
this connection though it may be, we
will be permitted, to disclaim any in
tention of being malignant in the
article in the ENTERPRISE to which
reference has been made. Of course,
we were disappointed" in the action
of the committee, as the most OF
those were who had shown the great
est interest in the monument, but we
beg leave to say though, that in sor-
row rather than in anger we critlN
cised its action.
The facts in connection with the
action of the committee need not be
elaborated. The citizens Of Accomac
c.. H., as they understood it, were
asked to make good any deficiency
which might occur in raising the sum
of $3.50, at the laying Of the corner
stone and the unwilling OF the monu
ment. This score or more of the
most responsible citizens of Accomac
C. H., in writing pledged themselves
to do. That they would have been
willing to have pledged the add
tional sum that was found necessary
when the committee met ought not
to have been questioned by the COM
mittee, with the knowledge they had
of the character of the men showing
their interest in the matter by their
signatures-and with the additional
assurance of two gentlemen present
that there could be no question about
it-and the offer of General West to
contribute almost half Of the addi-
tional amount needed if the monu-
ment should be placed at the court
house. And the query is pertinent
in this connection, perhaps, could the
delay have been material to give
them the opportunity to say whether
or not they would assume the add
tional burden? Was it due TO the
people of the courthouse and vicinity,
we timidly inquire lest we offend the
committees to be thus consulted, mas
much as they had shown more in
terest in the monument and done
more, we believe, to raise the fund
for the erection of the same
than had been done by the people in
any other section of the county?
If the committee has erred in the
selection of a site, we respectfully
submit, that it is not the part OF
wisdom to persist in error,and that a
mistake has been made is suggested
Of Il Cd