The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-15
RHODE ISLAND is WILLING.
VIII Yield to Wishes of Gen.
Greene's Descendants.

Greene's Descendants.
A copy of the resolution relative to
the remains of Gen. Nathaniel Greene
adopted by the General Assembly of
the state of Rhode Island and Provi-
dence Plantations was received yes
terday by Mr.. r. T. Waller, with the
request that he express his preference
for the place of burial of the remains.
The following is the resolution, which
shows that Rhode Island is willing to
yield to the wishes of the descendants
and have the funeral wherever they
may wish:
Whereas, The people of Rhode ISL
annd have learned with profound sat
isfaction that the remains of Maj.
Gen. Nathaniel Greene. who died at
his plantation at Mulberry Grove, in
the state of Georgia, on the 18th of
June 1856, have recently been discov-
cred in a vault in Colonial Park, for
merly one of the ancient cemeteries in
the city of Savannah, Ga.
And Whereas. The people of Rhode
Island, recognizing the eminent serv-
ices which Nathaniel Greene gave to
the cause of liberty during the strug-
gle for American independence, desire
to show it's appreciation of his great
genius as a military commander and
his sterling worth as a citizen, and
to pay its tribute to the memory of so
distinguished a son of Rhode Island
when those remains are finally COM
mitted to earth.
Be it Therefore Resolved, That the
joint special committee of the general
assembly of the state of Rhode Island
appointed to take into consideration
the permanent location of the remains
of Gen. Nathaniel Greene within the
state be and is hereby authorized to
take such action as may be necessary
to ascertain the wishes of the descend
ants of Gen. Greene as to the place of
final interment of those honored re-
mains, and in the event that the de-
scendants of Gen. Greene desire to
have his remains buried within this
state, said committee is hereby di-
rected to report the fact to the gen.
eral assembly forthwith in order that
suitable provision may be made for
the ceremonies therefor, and for an
appropriate memorial to mark the
place of such interment; but in the
event that the descendants of Gen.
Greene desire to have his remains fin
ally buried elsewhere than within this
state, then said committee is hereby
authorized to make such arrange
ments as may be suitable and proper
in order that the state of Rhode ISL
and may be represented at such in
torment, and may do full honor to the
memory of it's distinguished son.
Resolved That the sum of two
thousand dollars be and the same
hereby is appropriated to defray the
expenses of said committee, including
the making of the said inquiries of the
descendants of Gen. Greene, and pro-
visions for the representation of the
state at his burial, in case such burial
shall be without the state; and The
state auditor is hereby directed to
draw his orders from time to time
upon the general treasurer for so much
of said sum as may be necessary, out
of any money in the treasury not 9TH
erwise appropriated, upon the receipt
of proper vouchers approved by the
Governor
The following is an extract from the
letter with which the resolution was
inclosed:
Your attention is respectfully called
to the enclosed copy of the resolution
of the General Assembly of the state
of Rhode Island, passed at the Janu-
airy session. A. D., 1902.
Pursuant to the directions therein
the committee would be pleased to
have you express your preference for
Tic place VI DLlidi VI the REMAINS Ol
your distinguished ancestor, Maj. Gen.
Nathaniel Greene, that this state may
be able to take action towards paying
its tribute Of respect to his memory.
In asking you to thus signify your
preference for the spot which shall be
his final resting place, the committee
feels that it would fail to do its full
duty if reference was not made to the
fact that the people of Rhode Island
hold in sacred memory the name and
fame of him, who, during the event
full days of the struggle for American
independence, for interchangeable indus
try, for strength and breadth of in
telligence, and for unselfsh devotion
to the public service. was second only
to Washington, and would esteem it
a high honor to accept from his de-
scendants those honored remains for
interment in the soil of the state where
rest the ashes of his ancestors"
Not the slightest doubt remains that
the bones will be eventually reinterred
in Savannah, and the general opinion
is that the most appropriate spot is
the Greene monument, in Johnson
Square, beneath which the interment
will be made.