The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1900-06-06

ipgton o complete surrender of the
Confederacy as q whole, with ali its
arms and general assets, on terms that
should be agreed upon. 1t @as be-
lieved 60 be the only way to save the
south from ruin, Davis was approaeh-
ed in regard TO this proposition, but op-
posed it. So did the men from ex-
treme points Of the south, and especi-
ally opposed TO it was Wigfall. I was
not present az this consultation, but
Senator Vest was, and had this been
accomplished, guided by the diplomacy
of Breckenridge, all the evils Of re-.
construction would have been avoided.
It would have been the beat thing for
| the south, and saved great deal Of
bloodshed:
"The first floral decoration that oc-
curred was in Memphis. The ladies
decided TO raise funds to erect monu-
ment to the Confederate dead and
adorn their graves with flowers. That
was in May, 1866. They selected me-
to deliver an Grafton in Elmwood
cemetery. Some time before the event
the mayor Of the city called on me
and informed me that the military au-
thorities, who then occupied Mem
| phis. had come to him, ordering him
70 forbid the assemblage and the ad-
dress, but as the cemetery was outside
the city, he had declined to take any
part in the matter. A few days later
an orderly brought me letter from.
the commander, telling me that it was
announced / was going to speak in
memory Of the enemies Of the country,
and forbidding me to do it. I sent
word back that had not been SOL
dier; that / was denizen, if not o.
citizen, under Tennessee laws, and
that I was asked by the ladies to de-.
liver what would really. be semi-esT-
mon in:memory OF the dead, and that.
I would certainly do it, unless prevent
ed By force, in which case the respon-
sibility Of what might occur would not
rest with me. The matter vas pub
lished iu the Memphis papers, and
created great excitement. The COM
mander telegraphed my answer to Gen.,
Thomas at Nashville, and he sent it
on to President johnson at Washing.
ton.
At N. .lnight, preceding the day
appointed for the memorial (the mid
die Of. May)tan officer knocked at my
door. I looked out of the window
We were rather cautious those days
to see vino it was. The officer inform
ed me that liberty had been granted
BY the military authorities DC Wash
ington for me 10 make the address. I
asked him If he had communicated it
70 the papers, and he said ne had.
.:Is'hhe nszE morning OF about 10
o'clock the whole city turned out;
More than 10000 people repaired to
Elmwood cemetery. The ladies' were
seated on the grass around the plat
form amid the graves Of she Confeder-
iFatesdead. Many Federal officers in
:alaa aseas 81 ssofms were in the throng.
I:IIopshed my address to that hushed
fithrong by saying:
hen the beansy Eof Israel was
slain on aomes high places, David took
mp the amentationS ia inimitable
strains that have drifted down TO us
with e peculiar pathos Let there be
40 dsWa on G ilbaa, nor rain, nor fields
.of 6herirg, anu sos on desss Go the
conclusion Of thesohant.
s'ssIf David could have taken up
these strains Of sadness and enlogy,'
I Ioontinued, overtho death Of his life
long foe, Saul, why hall we not utter
the same words o. esghaas over cur
own ed friends who sIssp around us,
ia silica marked graves? Os thsm
I dan say: ). s.i
No battle hammer 0,er them waves,
No battle trnnnpets sounded;
They've reached the citadel OF graves,
And here their arms are gropnded!'
It Was my own oomposition and ok
pressed with tears. And then !. ex-
claimed somewhere in the addrsss: IS
Mistaken they may have BEEN
but traitors, nevefi' A thousand wo-;;
men, with sears streaming down from.
tender eyes, responded: NeverlS
lsNeveri' s.3E
This speech was published oil over
1.-The Unitsd States. IL was the first.
Decoration. Day speech and inaugu-
rated the solemn GU stom We observe,
| Fac the present day ID mem morys of the.
/ Blue and the Gray !, s.