Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1900-05-30
MEMORIAL DAY EXERCISES.
THE ADDRESS OF DIR. H. A. WHITE AN
ELOQUENT TRIBUTE TO THE GLORIOUS
DEAD AND THEIR SAC I'D CAUSE.

patriotic people. 1t is always signi-
cant and hallowed occasion, this turn
ing aside from our busy lives Of pelf to
pay holy tribute to a holy cause. To
many the day is one tingei with deep
and lasting sorrow, but surely, now a
sorrow softened by the passing years
and ccnsecrated by many a blessed
hope and memory, Let us never cease
to celebrate the day, for in doing so
we hon r ourselves far more than we
do those noble silent sleepers who have
passed through The fade'ess glory OF
sacrifice to the deathless glory o. i'm
mortality.
If the heroes sleeping under the
beautiful carpet of green in our ceme-
terry could have been awakened from
their death sleep by the thunderous
salu es fired over them Saturday after
noon, they would have seen that though
they died for q cause that was lost,
they are still revered and cherished in
the memory of their people.
The sentiment attached to Confed-
crate Memorial Day is as much alive
today as ever; but this is not saying
that the paying Of tribute to the Goa
fedelate dead is altogether sentiment.
The trait CT human nature that has led
it at all times to strive for the perpetual
ton of the memory of brave men who
have died in cause to which they were
welded in al honesty and sincerity,
is conspicuously manifest in the Con-
federate memorial exercises. 1t was
so Saturday, when several thousand
people Of Lexington and vicinity gave
up their other duties for an afternoon
in order that they might help to cele-
brate the day.
The decorations were very elaborate.
Mary Gusts Lee Chapter, Daughters
of the Confederacy, had charge Of the
decorations at the Jackson monument,
the Lee recumbent statue and the Lee
mausoleum, while the Daughters OF
Rebelab, Odd Fellows, decorated the
soldiers square IN the cemetery.
The exercises, presided over by Cap
tain J, P. Moore, commander Use
Jackson Camp, were opened at $50
o'clock in the chapel at Washington
and Lee University by the song,
"Tenting on the Old Camp Ground, "
by select choir, Rev. DR.. R. J. Nc.
Bryde, chaplain of the camp, led in
prayer. The memorial address was
delivered by Rev. DR.. Henry Alexander
White, of Washington AMI Lee Uni
versity, whose subject WAS "Wnat Was
the Cause for Which the Confederate
Fought ?" The keynote of the address
was the description OF people rising
up to defend their good name. We
wish W had space to print DR.. White S
address in full. 1t was most eloquent
and appropriate tribute.
Following the address a procession
was formed which marched to the
cemetery in the following order :
Mounted policemen, CLiet Marshal 7.
>. White and aids, V. NJ. I. Bind and
officers and full corps of cadets of the
Institute, Fire Department Band, the
Lexington Fire Department, Confel-
crate Veterans, Mrs. Hill, wld W Of
General ID. II. Hill, III carriage, and
citizens.
A minute gun, a cannon belonging
TO the old Letcher Blttery, was fred at
intervals by Veterans Jack Withrow
and Sandy Waddell.
A salute was fired by tho corps oil
cadets, which closed the exercises.
The line OF veterans was much short
or til IN on former occasions. AS the
years go by fewer and fewer OF the
battle-scarred heroes will respond tC
tho annual roll-call. Many q then
this year from their enfeebled condi'
ton showed the weight OF years. Ii
act one aged veteran who did not joir
in he march said that he was not ABLE
to stanl the tramp from the chapel t.
the cemetery. Why not provide car
riages for those loo feeble to walk, ant
thus give them the pleasure OF goini
with their comrades?
From tie expressions Of mary OF III
We Grams, spectators and business me-
relative to the observance OF Memoria
Day in Lexington, it SCENE that tn
, time is ripe for making the occasion
county day-a day on which the com