The commonwealth., 1905-04-06
BOTH SIDES.

On the monument to the North Car
china Confederate troops soon to be IN
yelled at Appomattox the inscription
"Flrst at Bethel, forthest at GeHgsbarg
an ChschoRauda n2d lost at Apo
s3uttor," has given ofFense 20 Virgin
ions. The Norfolk Landmark looks at
both sides, and we give it for the ben
Ell Of those who may oe interested:
Of all undesirable discussions that
could be imagined, that of which
Southern State was represented by the
bravest soldiers in the Civil War is
about the most proGtless and csnsur-
able. Such unnecessary arguments
make friends and ne!ghbors hostile.
They stir up bitterness where no real
reason for bitterness exists, ard where
thousand reasons for arr1itv a.:i mutual
esteem sre obvious to evary!'@Gy.
Feeling thus. i.a i-ai dinaGk has
scrupulous!y avoided t;:sii.. part ID the
regrettabie controversy which has been
in desuitory pragre's during the past
few years as to the correctness of the
claim that North Carolina soldiers
were "first at Bethel, farthest at Get
tysburg. and last at Appomattox. J"
Virginia's s services to the COnfederacy
and the dauntless valor of her troops
are sufficiently fixed In history to be
unaffected by any phrase-maklng in
which the veterans OF sister States
may find satisfaction.
So much for the Virginia side Of the
discussion. AS to the North Carolina
sias, We heartily approve and appre-
cia5e the spirit saown by Auditor b.
F. Dixon ct that State, who is hlclsalf d
Confederate veteran. II ior Dixon says
tbs about the inscription [the Bethel,
Gettysburg. and AppoInattox aiTair)
whloh is TO be placed Oh the monu-
neat to North Carolina soldiers On the
An1omsttox battlefield
Il do not like the inscrl ption. While
I link it entirely proper to place upon
tie memorial everything done by North
Caroliniana at Appomattox, yet I
would not wish so far as I am in
dividuaily concerned, to do anything
which would hurt the feelings OF any
officer CT enlisted man WAC fought IN
de- General Lee. 40 matter from what
Sc he canae.''
Eow different that is from the spirit
shCFn ty some Of Cur North C.ruIn4
c.. smporar!es This from the Rale,ch
\! ming Post, f3r example, is The KIND
@; ming that is said in heat and re-
gG-; ed lii c-i|mer moments:
Judging from tila temper displayed
b some Virginia newspapers about
that inscription on the North Carolina
monuEsnt at ApDoEnattox there won't
ba :aany Vrginlans on the site OF the
surrender the day OF the unwilling.
Well, there weren't so many g them
thale forty years ago, ii the memory
OF some men serves them right and his
tory has been recorded straight"
Mistakes have been made IN both
States in the discussion Of this mat
tes. The people generally take little II
terast in it, and lis decision can be
safely LETT to the historians Of tie fa-
tnce. Bnt IS 10 the taste and gracious
ness Of setting up in Virginia bat
tie-iaid an Inscription 10 North Caro-
iIa troops that IS resented By the
Grand Camp oi Confederate Veterans
OF this State, We unhesltstincly en-
dor-e the view of Auditor Dixon. The
veterans Of the two States, and OF all
other Southern States, should be gen.
efoUs towards each other and con-
sldefate O. each others feelings.