New-York tribune., 1903-01-27
PRAISE FOR LINCOLN.
THE SOUTHS FRIEND.
Would Haze Prevented RecOnstruc-
tion EUiks, Says COL Patterson.

The annual dinner of the Confederate Veteran
Camp, of New-York City, was held last night
at the Waldorf-Astora. Toasts to the President
and the army and navy were drunk standing
The speakers were Charles Francis Adams, of
Massachusetts,. Robert E. Lee; Colonel Henry
Watterson, of Kentucky, Abraham Lincoln
and William Hepburn Russell, Jefferson Da-
vis.'
Mrs. Hongsworth- Watkins, formerly Of
Louisiana, in appropriate costumes sang songs
of ante -oellum days, and Reed Miller, formerly
of South Carolina. also furnished vocal enter
tainment. The last thing the programme
the sounding of taps
Four hundred members of the camp. with
their wives and guests. sat down to the dinner.
The spacious dining hall lavishly decorated
with potted plants and cut flowers. Immedi-
ately behind the guests table a great profusioH
of silken American flags were draped. the colors
of the Confederate Veterans Camp, big white
flag, with red and blue Maltese and thir-
teen stars in the centre occupying a conspcu-
Gus place in the foreground. Instead OF the
customary long white tables. small ta bles, seat
ing three men and corresponding number of
women, used.
At the guests table with the commander OF
the camp, Edward Owen, were the speakers and
Mayor Low, ex-Chief Justice d. L. SnCdgrass
of Tennessee; James l.. Parker, past com
bard, of the New England Society; Walter s.
Logan. Sons of the American Revolution; W.
w Fuller, North Carolina Society; the Rev. Dr.
j. hewitt Steele, Maryland Society; Roger ~
Pryor, Virginia Society; George H. Taylor
Alexander Hamilton Post; General A. s. Barnes
Lafayette Post; J. z. Graybill. Georgia Society;
the Rev. George S. Baker, chaplain of the Con
federate Veterans Camp OF New York; Colonel
Samuel B. Paul, lieuten1n commander, Confed-
Of Now V1r
gustus Van Wyck Southern society.
Other guests j. Hampden Robb John H.
Ingram Colonel Arthur Murray, T. s. A; Mr..
and Mrs. John c. CaIhc.ln. DR.. John A. Wyeth
Isaac N Seligman. William P. Clyde DR. Will
lam NJ. Polk DR.. Simon Baruch. General Fran
els V. Greene, Justice Charles NJ Truax O. w
Buckingham ex-Judge William +. OIcott Will
lam Preston HiX, Colonel Prentiss Ingraham,
General H. T. Douglas Mr.. and Mrs John s.
Wise Professor Thomas r. Price, Patrick Cal
houn, Mr.. and Mrs. Theodore C. Caskin, Mr.
and Mrs. a. 5. Gwathmey, DR.. and Mrs. w. B.
Pritchard. DIR. and Mrs. Russell B. Pemberton,
Captain Charles P. Eckols L. S. A; Colonel
Asa Bird Gardiner Mr.. and Mrs. T Daring
ton SempIe Dr. and Mrs. c. H Winkler, JUS
tice and Mrs. Henry Bischoff, Mr.. and Mrs.
Archibald Oracle and R. w. Gwathmey
Mr.. Adams was the first speaker. In advocat-
ing the erection of a statue for General Robert
E. Lee the speaker said he did not want Con-
gress to pay for it; that he had been misunder-
stood in that respect He would have Congress
give the site only and have the monument built
by subscription. He also said:
So ] am here this evening-as / have said
Massachusetts man as well member OF the
who chief among those once set in array
against us; US; might speak OF him asa as strategist;
haps been said might refer f;r to the respect the
under his command / might dilate his
in b ac his 6 orf6 an6 M en
dignity with which he, in the end, triumphed over
themes shall confne myself to that one attribute
Of his which recognized in soldier die by an op1
ioftest iite to enduring fame refer to bis
he mos R 6s @ for
Reckless of life to attain the legitimate ends Of
to him at Gettysburg l. here forty years later. do
from a commanding general than that formulated
and signed by Robert E. Lee as, at the close of
greater o diserace he then declared can bea the
perpetration Of barbarous outrases upon the innoe
cent and defenceless and and the wan5on destruction
disgrace the perpetrators and all connected with
eficiency of the army and destructive Of the ends
of cur movement. 1t must be remembered that we
And here, as soldier, Of the Army, of the Poto-
mac. let bear my testimony TO such Of the army
of Northern Virginia as may now be present. While
war at its best is bad. yet its necessary and un-
avoidable badness was not in that campaign en-
served, and doubt II a hostile force ever advanced
in an enemy's country. fell back from 1t In
treat leaving behind il less for hate and bit
terness than did the army of Northern Virginia in
that memorable campaign which eliminated at
Gettysburg.
gaze from his pedestal across the Potomac at the
Virginia shore and his once dearly loved home of
Arlington? He. too is OF the precious pos
sessions of what is essential factor In the ma
ton that now is and is to be
/ never supposed that Robert E Lees statue in
Washington would he provided for by appro-
priation from the national Treasury. l did not
wish it; / do not think il fitting. The effigy as
signed to its place merely by act Of Congress.
should bear some such inscription this
Robert Edward Lee Erected by Contribution of
Those Who Wearing the Blue Wearing the
Gray. Recognize Brilliant Military Achievements
and Lofty Character. Honor. Greatness and HUI
manity in War and Devotion and Dignity in De-
feat
He was followed by Colonel Watterson. who
said In part:
Jefferson Davis. thar whom there never lived. in
this land. nobler gentleman and a
knightlier soldier-Jefferson Davis, who whatever
NAV be thought of his opinions and actions, said
always what he meant and meant always what he
said-Jefferson Davis declared that next after the
surrender at Appomattoy the murder Of Abraham |
for the South and the people of the South. Why?
Because Mr. Davis had come to knowledge or
the maenanimty of Mr. Lhcons heart and the
generosity of his intentions.
If Lincoln had lived there would nave been
no era Of reconstruction with Its repressve
Continued fonrtb page.
A SCOTCH HIGH-BALI