The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-12-18
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. is. 1900
Weather forecast for Fred
erickSburg and Vicinity.
Warmer TueSdGq aoiM prob
able SROao.
BATTLEFIELDs PARKS BILL.
able SnOaC

The writer took occasion while in
Washington q few days ago to con.
suit with some of the Virginia dele
CATION in reference to the Battlefelds
Parks bill, which the people of this
section are DESTROYS of seeing
passed at an early day. Some facts
were CLEANED by US which were not
hitherto known to the public. Con-
gresham Jenkins, Westerner, we
believe, has fathered the bill at the
urgent request of some Of the Virgin
ians as we'll as of those Grand Army
men who have interested themselves
in the matter. This was done be-
cause considered the better policy,
and for the same reason it is to be
deprecated that it has gotten into
some Of the Virginia papers that g
Representative from this State (Mr.
jones' would be requested to call the
bill up in the House. Such is not
the intention of the friends of the
bill, and it will be equivalent to
desth-blow for any Virginian to push
it into prominence.At g conference Of
the ex-Union advocates and the Vir-
ginia members a few days since the
suggestion that the Virginia delega.
ton 60 in body to Speaker Hender-
son and urge that the matter be given
recognition was decided unwise, and
it was concluded to let the subject be
presented to the Speaker from North
ern advocates. II this is adhered to
and it will be unless some unto
ward and independent steps be taken
to Illustrate 1.-THE bill stands good
show Of recognition and success. The
Virginia Senators and Representa-
'tives are unceasing in interest over
the subject ard are lsboring Jealous.
ly to enlist sympathy and aid from
Northern and Western Representa-
tives. The hope of many Virginians,
as we'll as Of hosts Of people without
the State, are centred on this piece
Of legislation. The merits Of the
movement are too widely known to
warrant the use Of space here for a
discussion Of them.
An event has lately transpired in
this city which touches the matter of
Fredericksburg and adjacent battle
fields in nature which may have es-
capped the notice of some. We refer
to the burial last week of Col. Edward
Hill, a member of the 18th Michigan
Infantry, Fifth Army Corps, during
the war between the States. In this
choice, by the deceased and his wife,
Of this last resting place for the NOR
tai remains Of the distinguished
Northern soldier an unconscious
tribute was paid the once battle
SCARED hills Of old fredericksburg,
and at the same time a demonstra-
ton was given of how near to the
hearts Of even the Northern veterans
are the fields upon which the blood
Of both blue and gray mingled in
honorable communion from seditious
strife. The incident has had prece-
dents, and will in all likelihood have
others to follow it. Reunions and
visitations on these plains follow
each other faster than the calendar
can toll out the years, but the acme
Of laudation is reached when the
funeral bier of 3 one-time foe is
borne to the tomb on sacred South
ern soil by the hands of men whose
fathers met the now stricken clay in
mortal combat. With these scenes
30 fresh before our gaze we can
hardly reckon the strength OF the
ties that bind the heart of true son
OF the North to the fields which he lost
and won at the hazard of his life
These spots should be perpetusted,
and we doubt not that enough pa
triotism will be found across the line
to see that it is done.