Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1902-01-25

university VI MlSSlSSlppi, anu Geu' Lee
was more recently president of the
A, & NJ. College. Gen. Stewart made a
strong appeal to the representatives Of
the people of Mississippi for the erec
tion of monuments at Chickamauga to
commemorate the deeds of valor of
the Mississippi soldiers who fell there
and at Chattanooga. The battlefield
is now being transformed into a ma
tlonal military park, and our State is
one of the few Southern States that
has not hOnored her heroic dead who
sleep the long sleep there. All of the
'Northern States have erected monu-
ments to their soldiers who fell on
those fields of battle; some of them
are splendid tributes in marble and
bronze. Gen. Lee was asked to speak
to the House and he complied in a
manner that captivated his hearers
so full was it of the fire of those old
war times of which he was so con-
spicuous and so admirable a figure
and, at the same time, breathing some
what of these gentler times of peace
and the good will that should prevail
The sight of these two Confederate he
roes standing together in the fast
crumbling Capitol of the State they
have loved and served so well-the
splendid bearing that was such a pride
to all who followed them through
days Of blood showing much Of mil
itary erectness, despite the burden of
almost fourscOre years; the noble
heads, wearing with kingly dignity the
'"hoary corwn" Of years-was a sight
that should live long in the memories
Of those who saw them. rerhaps no
one of all those present will ever look
upon the like again. At the close of
the war there We're twenty-one Con
federate generals living, Today there
are five, and two of these-Gen. Stew
art and Gen Lee-stood together last
Wednesday to plead with men Of this
glorious today to hold in veneration
The heroes Of a glorious yesterday.
Shall wl not do IT, And shall we not,
while The GIaat Commander spares
them to us. love and honor these gen.
erals who are left TO us and who are
OUR OwN!-p them our love by
honoring the men VINO followed them
through storm and stress and stood
with then on the tieroefought field
with the sword 0f the great enemy
Death-struck them low and left them
afar from kindred, home and friends,
until the resurrection morning?
Their State should now prove her.
self both friend and kindred and
carve in enduring marble the names
of all these heroes and set apart as
sacred the spot on which they fell.
All Mississippians who are interest
ed in the preservation of our valuable
and interesting State history will re.
joice to know that Gov. Longino has
assured Gen. Stephen d. Lee, presi-
dent of the Historical Society, that he
will recommend the establishment of
State Department of Archivese and
History. Members of the society in
conference, have drafted a bill which
will interest a majority of our read,
ers:
The preamble to the bill states that
this department is to be located in the
State Capitol, in apartments to be set
aside for its use by the Governor. The
objects and purposes are the care and
custody of official archives, the collect
ing of material bearing upon the his
tory Of the State and the territory in
cluded therein from the earliest times;
the editing of official records and other
historical materials, the diftusing of
knowledge in reference to the history
and resources of the State, and the
encouragement of historical research.
The bill further states that the depart
ment shall be under the control of
nine trustees, chosen from the mem
bership of the Mississippi Historical
Society, in addition to the Governor
who shall be eX-officio a member and
president. The present executive com
mttee of the society shall constitute
the first board of trustees. lmme.
diately after assembling, in response
to a call Of the president, the trustees
shall be equally divided by lot into
three classes, the term of service of
the first class to expire at the end of
two years. Of the second at the end Of
four years, of the third at the end of
six years. The board shall have power
to fill all vacancies occurring therein.
This board shall hold, at Inc State cap
ital, at least one regular meeting dur
ing the year, and as many special meet
ings as may be necessary, and five
members shall constitute a quorum.
The board shall adopt rules for its own
and for the government
of the department; shall elect a direct
or and provide for the appointment of
other officials authorized. The depart
ment shall be under the immediate
and control of director,
to be elected by the board of trustees,
whose term of office shall be six years.
He shall take an oath of office, as do
other public officials, and shall be com
missioned in like manner. He shall
devote his time to the work of the
using his best effort to de,
velop and build it up, and shall receive
as a salaAy for his services the sum
of 81 800 per annum.
The bill then further proceeds to
his duties relating to the
and preservation Of historic
al materials, the preparation of an
official and statistical register of the
State of Mississippi, etc. He shall also
cooperate with the secretary Of the
Historical Society in preparing for the
press and in contracting cor the so.
ciety's future annual publications. The
sum of $4,000 is appropriated to assist
in printing these publications for the
next two years. A contingent fund for
amounting to $500 per
annum, Is made.
One of the big things accomplished