Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-01-20
TIE BANQUET last night of R. E.


of that organization-interesting, IN
structiye and entertaining-and ami
mated as they ever are by mirth, good
feeling and fraternity unfeigned. Since
the organization of Lee Camp, July Z,
1884. it has been one of Alexandria's
most cherished institutions, audit should
be, composed as it is of Alexandrians
who left home and friends and remained
faithful to their State until the end,
when might triumphed over right and
;hey were forced to lay down their arms
but not the principles for which they
contended. All those who emerged
with their lives from the clash OF war,
prolonged for four years, did not gather
around the camp fire last night. Many
bivouac amid more lasting scenes, and as
the years come and go the ranks Oh
those who survive are ever and anon
closed up as one by one drops out of line.
But their memories are sacred and will
ever be to all Alexandrians. Lee Camp
banquet is now an annual event which
is destined to be perpetuated. In Its
conception it was unpretentious and bu'
few apart from those who wore the gray
mingled in the reunions. The members
gathered around the festive board PAID
homage to their great leader, uttered
fitting tributes to the different depart
ments of the army and navy of the
late Confederacy and spoke fervently oil
the heroism of the women of the South.
As time goes on, however, the camp, as
it we're, keeps open house, recognizing
the fact that the children and grandchild-
rem of Confederate soldiers, who are to
render their names immortal, should he
present and hear the southern side OF
the great issues which brought on the
civil war. Apart from these all Alex
andrians, whether they wore the blue or
the gray, or whether their sympathleS
were with the Confederate or fedora
cause, find themselves equally at ease
at this camp fire. Last night there was
commingling ofex-COnfederate and ex-
federal officers and soldiers and the
Protestant. Catholic and Israelite sat
side by side. They were all Alexan-
drians, each proud Of her chiyairy, ana
while all were not ex-Coniederate
soldiers each was proud of the fact that
he belonged to community which sent
forth soldiers the equal ofany in history.
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AS HERETOFORE stated in the Gazette
Senator Sears has offered in the State
Senate an amendment to the new con-
stitution, which if pressed will reopen
one of the contests which engaged the
constitutional convention for long
time. The amendment provides that
the present plan of holdover Senators
shall be perpetuated instead of being
superseded in 1907 by the election
simultaneously of the entire member
ship of the body, as the constitution
provides. Under the plan provided by
the constitutional convention, the Sen
ators from the even number districts are
to I've elected in November, 1903, for
terms of four years from January l,
1904. This will extend their terms
until January /, 1908. The Senators
from the odd number districts are to be
elected in November, 1905, for terms oil
two wears from January l, 1906. Then
in November, 1907, the entire member
ship of the State Senate is to be elected,
and every four years thereafter. If the
Sears amendment to the schedule passes
this General Assembly it will come up
again in the General Assembly which
convenes in January, 1904, and u 1t
masses that session also, the amendment
must then be submitted to popular vote
for ratification or rejection. In the
event of passage by two successive Cen
eral Assemblies and ratification by vote
of the people the schedule will be so
changed as to provide that the Senators
to be elected in November, 1905, are to
be chosen for four year terms as hereto
fore, thus preserving the old hold-oyer
feature, whereby the terms OF half the
members of the Senate expire every two
years. 1t is hoped that the amend
ment may be adopted and the hold-over
Senator feature retained. This was
one of the safest provisions in all the
old constitutions and but few people,
outside of the bare majority in the last
convention, could see any good reason
for the change. The reason was, how
ever, the hope OF defeating one of the
present u. S. Senators from the State,
and to accomplish this object a bare
majority in the convention changed a
provision in the constitution which had
been there and worked admirably since
the organization of the State. The
ouicker this work is undone the better.
AS HERETOFORE stated in the Gazette
the anti-Addicks republicans in the
Delaware legislature have received from