The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-02-13
Gm Wlessrnger.
FOR SEPARATE. MEMORIAL Eek.
ERCISES..

ally took a position against joint me-
mortal exercises between the veterans
of the confederate and of the federal
armies. Our reason for such position
is that seldom any good ONE from
such joint exercises and often a great
deal OF harm.
The two extracts we publish below,
we think, bear us out in our conten-
ton. One is from the New York
Times giving an account of bitter anti
southern speeches, made at a dinner
attended by Grand Army veterans in
Brooklyn, in reference to the funeral
ceremonies over the remains Of Cen
eral Joseph Wheeler. The Times SAYS:
Some comment was caused among
Grand Army men in Brooklyn yester-
day by bitter a~nti-southern speeches
which were made at a dinner in the
Wflloughby Mansion on Friday night
at the celebration Of the twenty-ffth
anniversary of the organization of VIM
chester post. Mayor Mcclellan was
scored for speaking recent to an as
semblage of confederate veterans un-
der a battle SCARED confederate flag,
and the honors paid the late General
Joseph Wheeler, here were also de-
plored.
Past Commander Charles w. Cowlan
Of the post was the speaker who de-
plored the honors paid General
Wheeler.
Il do not believe" said he, 'in glori-
flying treason, nor in hOnoring those
who proved false to their country and
their flag"
Nnathar cnooIxo coi1 - f[o,-L -
was out of place for Mayor Mcclellan.
the son of a distinguished union gem
eral, to stand under an old rebel fog
and address confederate veterans.
There was more talk IF this kind. and
it was ~applauded by the diners.
The other incident occurred in At
lanta and was the action Of confederate
veterans of a Joe Wheeler camp, mem
bers Of which had attended the funeral
of their former commander. From the
Charlotte Chronicle we take the follow
resolution was introduced to make
President Roosevelt an honorary men,
Der of the camp:
The Joe Wheeler Camp. Confederate
Veterans, of Atlanta attended General
Wheeler's funeral in Washington, and
called at the White house, where the
members were cordially received by
President Roosevelt. AT a meeting Of
the camp, Saturday, d member intro
duced a resolution to elect President
Roosevelt to honorary membership be-
cause of his f~oundness for General
Wheeler. The resolution at once pro-
Voked warn words. Four-fifths Of the
members were or their feet at once.
opposing the resolution ard attacking
the president. An account says that
the veterans were caustic in their COM
mentS on the invitation given to Book
err Washington to lunch at the White
house by President Roosevelt. ana
deep resentment was shown on account
of Roosevelt's references in his book
on Jefferson Davis. Many veterans de-
cIared that if the resolution was passed
they would withdraw from the camp.
1t is not necessary to add tfat the res
olution was voted down. but the visit
of the camn to the White house and
the denunciation of the president in
their meeting hall. do not square.
Considering the fact that General
Wheeler at the time of his death was a
brigadier general in the army of the
United States and had done valiant SER
vice for his country in Cuba and in the
Philippines, the speeches made at the
Grand Army camp dinner were ex-
tremely out of taste from veterans of
that army. They would not have been
so bad had General Wheeler not enter
ed the military service of his country
during the war with Spain.
AS to the Atlanta affair, we agree
with The Chronicle in its declaration
that the visit of the camp members to
the White house and acceptance of the
presidents hospitality md the denun-
citation of the president in the camp
meeting do not square. These men
called on the president in their char
acters as old soldiers of Wheeler in the
service Of the COnfederacy. They
greeted him and We're greeted by him
in friendly and cordial manner. Either
they should not have gone to the
White house in their representative ca
pacity as followers Of Wheeler or after
doing so they should not have become
so angered at the proposition to make
MI. Roosevelt an honorary member of
their camp. The resolution shrould
never have been introduced. There IS
always danger of JUST such an eXplo-
sion where attempts of this kind are
made and they do more to keeS III old
animosities than any thing else. Why
should this Georgia camp of confeder-
ate veterans al Mr.. Roosevelt as q
member? No body should belong TO it
but old Wheeler men. There was no
sense in proposing to elect as member
a man who had lived all his life at the
north and had never done duty in any
branch of the confederate, service. Of