The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-16
A STORMY SESSION
bCloses the Ninth Annual Reunion of the Con
federate Veterans.
THE CARE OF OUR CEMETERIES
Ahe Chlef Suyect OF Discussion The Committees Substitute fr the
Lee Resoluhon-Dr. Curry Defends the South's Position and De-.
nounces Mob Law"A Lengthy Report From the Commit.
e IN History-The South in the Spanish War.
A Grand Reception t. the Veterans Old
Officers Reelected.

WHICH y Wd5 dppOINItU, LNE COIILIILLGE
says that it's duty is now little more
h to keep watch upon the histories
or the day, and to stimulate historical
research and publication, and regards
the prospect for fairness and candor in
history as much improved by the Span
ish war.
The committee also alludes to the race
question and expresses the opinion that
the race problem is not apt in the
future TO be so binding to a true ap-
~prehension Of southern history and
avs THE recent movement to put
the supremacy of the more educated
and capabl race pom a constitutional
and legal basis, thus banishing the
spectre of the misrule from our borders,
Is steadily gaining progress"
Continuing the report says: The re-
ception given our benevolent intentions
in the Philippines is certainly of a
character likely to inspire a wholesome
respect for the matter of governing
people of another blood who have
started late in the race of civilization.
We 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
cultieS of the race problem abroad
ought to bring a charitable judgment
of the same thing here at home, and
we may kLsonably expect our northern
brethren to meet us hereafter rather in
a spirit of inquiry than of rebuke."
The committee recommends that an
effort be made to Danish from the
schools any books which eac false
lessons, either of fact or sentiment, and
to this end suggests the appointment
of a committee of three members in
each state whose duty it shall be to
examine school histories there in use.
DIR. CURRY DEFENDS THE SOUTH.
In discussing the report Dr.. J. L. M.
Curry, of Virginia, discussed the right
of secession and defended the course
Of the south as constitutional and then
~enounc mob rule and lynchings in
unmeaSured terms.
THE LEE RESOLUTION DISCUSSED
An effort was then made to proceed
with the election Of officers, but it gave
way to the committee on resolutions
n the exciting feature of the session
began. The substitute for General
Lees resolution was presented by len
Cl"l SoI WlICs olIo WHICH, IL hdo cCS1l
read, Rev. S. T. Martin, of Virginia,
got the floor, and although the con-
vention was in an uproar, he secured
recognition
Mr.. Martin said he regretted he could
not vote for the resolution. His first
objection was hat it had no business
| before the convention. W have" he
said, taken hold of an incidental re-
mark of Mr.. McKinley's looking to his
I COMING election (Ann1oI1Sal ThnrQ iC
TO proposition from the president of
the United States OF from the congress
of the United States that they are
| going to do anything for our confeder-
ate states and recognize the principles
for which we fought. There has been
nothing said by the United States gov
eminent that looks to the care of the
| graves of our soldiers in the northern
states. 1t puts is in the light of going
| before that government and asking for
| something from those who slew our
men,"
Here the speaker was interrupted by
cheers and applause from some Of the
members and cries of Amen" Con-
tinuing, Mr.. Martin said that the
south had no desire to commit the care
of it's graves to strangers. Could the
voices of the dead be heard they would
prefer to lie in an unmarked grave
rather than the most costly mausOleum
if we had to ask for it. Proceeding he
began a discussion of the right Of self
government and started to quote Pres
ident Mckinley when he was called to
order with cries of mo politics."
The confusion vas terrific and his
| remarks were unintelligible at times.
F. H. BUSBEE ADVOCATES THE
j SUBSTITUTE.
F. H. Busbee, of North Carolina, de-
Tended the committees report, saying
+ tina the United States was now our
government. They could not afford to
be discourteous and unappreciative. He
mentioned the graves of the confeder-
ates at Elmlra, N. Y, and other points
in the north. Where were the southern
women to take care Of those graves
What had his comrade, who preceded
him, done to care for those graves
The United States care of these graves
was something as people of a common
country they were entitled to. Though
he was an e~x-confederate, he was &
citizen of the United States and he was
loyal to her flag.
GENERAL LEES REMARKS.
General S. D. Lee spoke vigorously
n plainly. He thought the resolution:
had been misunderstood n said: II
simply commended the sentiment ex-
pressed by the president and did no
go one inch further. When the p%residen.
comes forward and says what he does
it taking hundreds of thousands o
dollars to care for the graves, / com
mend the sentiment" He wanted thu
: resolution r~ecommitteed; there wa:
nothing the matter that required
substitute.
THE RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
> Several other speeches were mad
: amid a tumult and calls for a vote
which was finally had. There was
storm of ayes n but few nays, am
the resolution was declared adopted
OTHER RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.
Among other resolutions reported an,
adopted was n urging the associa
ton to assist in marking the battle
: fields of the civil war with monument
to confederate dead; another appoint
ing a committee of three to conside
! the question of uniformity of pensio
legislation by the southern states; an
a resolution recognizing he Confeder
. ates' Association of the District of &C
Iumbia and according it all due RICH,
J and privileges.