The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-13
Question of Confederate Graves
ArOuses Strong Feeling.
WHO IS TO CARE FOR THEM
DEBATED AT MEETING OF VET
ERANS YESTERDAY.
Decided That Federal Government
May Look to Those Buried In the
North, While Graves In the South
viii Be Kept Green By Their Own
Women's Hands.

| spirited ana at times stormy SESSION.
! the ninth annual reunion of the United
Confederate Veterans was today
| brought to a close. General John R.
/ Gordon, commander-in-chief, and all
the old officers were reelected; Louis
ville Ky, was chosen as the next place
I of meeting, and the question Of federal
care of confederate graves was disposed
of by the adoption of a substitute reso-
! luton, which declines the presidents
suggestion, except as to those graves
I located in the north. and reserving to
the women of the south the duty of car
ing for those in the seeding states and
Maryland.
The adoption of this resolution and
the report which accompanied il pre-
cipitated a debate which verged on
the sensational, and at times much
confusion and disorder prevailed.
General Stephen D. Lee presented the
report of the committee on history,
which was unanimously adopted. This
was one of the most important matters
before the convention, and the reading
of the report was listened to with close
attention. The report alluded to the
war with Spain as a factor in eradi
eating the shadows of the war between
the states. and refers to the prompt
! response of the southern states TO the
call for troops as showing to the whole
country the depth and fervOr of south
ern patriotism. Continuing, thu report
says:
Consent of the Governed.
I'VE are not likely in the future TO
hear so much about the right of men
who have not yet learned to govern
themselves, to govern others by their
votes. The doctrine of the declaration
of independence that governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent
of the governed, had something OF a
shock in the war between the states
and the island subjects of the United
States will find little comfort in read
ing that celebrated instrument by the
light of subsequent history. The diff
ficulties of the race problem abroad
ought to bring a charitable judgment
of the same thing here at home, and
we may reasonably expect our northern
brethren TO meet US hereafter rather in
a spirit OF inquiry than of rbuke.'
Abiding TO the question of confeder-
ate graves, the report says:
THE recent generous words of Pres
ident Mckinley, commencing the con-
federate dead to the nations care, are
the expressions of a sentiment grow
ing everywhere, that the deeds of the
confederate soldier are the glory of the
whole country, and that his memory
is worthy to be cherished wherever
self-sacrifice commands sympathy or
brave actions strike a responsive chord
in noble hearts"
Care of Confederate Graves.
The committee on resolutions reported
the substitute for the resolution on fed
eral care of the confederate graves,
recommending that the United Con-
federate Veterans record their sincere
appreciation of the utterance of the
president Of the United States in At
lanta in December last concerning the
assumption of the care Of the graves
of our confederate dead by the nation
al government; that I'VE shall well
come any legislation which shall re-
suit in the care of the graves of our
comrades in the northern states by our
government"
In regard TO the confederate dead. it
recommends the care of their final
resting places as a sacred trust, dear
to the hearts Of southern women, and
we believe we can safely let it remain
there.
Rev Taylor Martin of Pulaski. Va,
spoke against the adoption of the re-
port. He said the veterans had moth
ing to do with any suggestion from the
president, and they would never be
placed in the attitude of being under
obligations to the government that slew
southern men. He said the dead he
roes had rather lie in unmarked graves,
kept green by loyal southern women,
than sleep beneath the cOsJiiesu monu-
ment the federal government could
erect.
Theodore H. Busby of North Caro-
lima declared in a spirited speech that
it would be a discourtesy TO the chief
of the nation and a disgrace To the con-
federacy if the report was not adopted
as received from the committee. The
discussion then grew very bitter, and
great confusion followed.
There's too much McKinleyism in
it," shouted a veteran in the audience
Various expressions followed this, many
OF them bitter and sensational The
report was finally adopted with cheers.