The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1907-07-25
LETTER FROM JUDGE WALLACE
he faroTs Public School Building But Urges
That the Park Be Not Used for Site.

tfipAIlpu in public AFFAIR." shall "a
long a. live take "a lively interest la the
progress of our city and the good name
ui tin' people of my lii. lunx home. and
tins IL my apology fOr employing the
medium of your paI~.r for curnmunica-
u"n. ne the way ut conversation as n
werr. with some ui my personal friends.
Tor Whose Judgments hn., great respect
aud whu~'' idt.niiuns know 10 IL. he-
N"nd criticism, but in th. multiplicity ol
business matters that absorb their atten-
tiun they may not be- able 10 give the
consideration To every question of local
interest that "A man oi more lel-ure may
do.
The subject that derir, to cAlI atten-
;ion To u the erection oi "A large and suit
able school building ia the old city C-In-
etery. now used as Tn. Hurkamp PArk. "
Originally this lot of ground Nas d.di-
Gated To the burial of the d,nd and up To
lS43, when the present City Cemetery
wa- Incorporated. Was used a. the civ
Cemetery. the ~. Georg.- church ward.
the Masouic bury ing ground aud the old
Methodist hurNing ground. next to the
park, being used Tor Tia, burial oi persons
connected with thc manned organizations
In 1913 the Present CEN. terry company
was Incorporated and riuce that time the
Present ilty Cemetery has been lrrner-
ally used, lew iuteriueuts being made
el-''w here
some twenty years ago the city took
possession ui the old city Cemetery. which
being iull WAS abandoned a. IA bur, ing
ground. aud converted IL into a park "A
u-- " hich i- not Inconsistent with II h.-
ing the last resting place, ui the citizens
ol reder"kShurg ui a past grneratiun.
although 10y the removal oi th. head
81 IItiI ..Ys
has l--en made impossible by long al
verse possession the city has now a..
/ quired the legal title L. said lot of ground
| hut no length ui time can give th.. city "a
/ moral night tueNhume 10y the wagon load
the remains ot these numerous dead aA
| 10 " ould be- necessary and unavoidable,
/ 10 do IN digging the foundation for "A
large public building Some Years ago
/ the moral -en-,. of the entire country wns
shocked Toy the desecration al the grave
oi Mrs. Washington by certain real
estate agents Offering IL Tor sale without
authority. and Ieople held "a public In
dignatlon meeting and denounced the
act a. "A rejection on the good maine Of
our city, but II seems tu me this d,secra
tiuu Hoes not begin Ia cumpar,. in enor-
NIFTY with the digging upand hauling off
hN the cart load. to be thrown ON the
dunghl. the remains oi these old citi.
1-ns probably many of Mrs Washing
/ ton personal friends. which remains
cannot now Ice Identified and removed
/ 10y descendants. even II any exist.
The universal Catholic church call il hy
! whatever denomination you may, be-
lieVes in the "ReSurrection OF the bead
~ Ia cardinal principle of faith and an mn
| tiuns from time immemorial have pre-
-, -, - ~ "u' is'' p'A'rs "' ihelr
,,'..,'r,' ". -; '1'' ''''S'" !. "e,Aul"
/ -. Dl ""ie t"s hndles nave
- ....,.,,I ~ n'u en- n'erieu- \
ia,'l.' - ,-' 80 W s'v'' mas occurred
80 az ''i' .''l''Na al "' 'he body oi I'D
- ,,,,i,., Sr'',.. WI" ia" pevm Durleu
-, '',, - I'm aI''.iie 10 illiai''H-
-. ,ts s"e paths OF eA-
- -. 81 "istoiS I" iur-
81 N''li'l seventy
in "a ,,hl, ,r -, l.,''i,s "' ,ns ueau
terv La,., - A., - ,'''u ,''iie
tn,s.tL.r a,a ,I,.ie7P - ~ . ''ue 'i'"e'eu 10
80 ,,.'.,,,.,. -, ~ au a. Hu' ~ the cart
a fnnn1atinn a. = -. '','i'A''e Il
,.,,,.,,aI l.. ~. - ""',,iis "a
- S,,r iS;',, ~ 'u'S Jug Hrouhu. h
! hul,varts nf ,,r r,i;e,;''r' T.. ,s S' cD 'ue
~. - :, - - %" o'iu Ven
tion have taken the first step. at least.
! in erasng the immortal destin.tion ha
tween Tin, man and tn. hrut. ,,,,,'.,.
think that my friends could have given
thoughtful consideration IN MS S;.,,
While commercialism when nrnr,.rIv ii
rected. is all right. vet il il our dnty In
preserve and hand down sacred ideals.
which nave been handed down to us, and
Il We set this example to the coming
generations, how can We expect that
they VIII notiollow our teaching ~ to our
present cemetery within the period of one
or TWO generations
The next consideration To which call
your attention In. Does the necessity eX-
ist Tor such action!
walked last Friday night by the park
ana stopped 10 listen To the sweet music,
ana To look at nearly thousand as
seinhled men and women whose counte-
nances We're Illuminated by brilliant
hShts ana sniliihg la'+s. The music
ceased ana It's dS ing notes mingled with
.ie merry iaunh- There was happiness
many Oh 'heih had not the means to take
'"'"'i'h 10 ihe mountains or sea
sho'e. tn"uxhtiul common Council
iau Pr"Niuen tnis recreation ana gwen
naPplness, "hle,' a'er all Is the end ot
So'er"ihe"u' anu
Beneath those rugged elms that yew
trees shade,
Where once heaved the turf in many "A
moulderin9 heap,
Each ih his narrow cell forever laid.
The rude forefathers of the hamlet
seep.'
And stood i'm meditation and asl.a
myself Why is IL necessarv 70 81" 49, 90,
change herr ''''
since that nioht a loading voune, man.
of Fredericksbnrv and "a r..rsnnai fr,and