The Washington herald., 1907-06-10


..The Lost Cause"-Southern Cross
Formed by Young Women.
Arlington Cemetery. particularly that
part which Congress has set aside as a
last resting place for the dead heroes Of
the Confederacy. yesterday afternoon re-
sounded with the praises OF the brave
deeds Of the gallant Southrons who sac
rifced their lives on the altar OF every
sentiment and effort represented by the
stars and bars Of the Confederate gov
ernment.
Yesterday was Memorial Day Of the
fallen boys in gray" and the flag Of
their cause and the gray uniform Of the
veteran Of the land below the line OF
Mason and Dixon were in evidence every
where. A glorious afternoon brought
thousands Of the prettiest women Of the
sunny Southland 10 the historic city Of
the dead. and the grizzled veterans prior
to the sounding Of the assembly call,
formed in groups. narrating incidents ol
their experiences Of forty years ago.
The exercises were conducted under
the auspices Of the Confederate Veterans
Association the United Sons Of Confed-
crate Veterans. United Daughters Of the
Confederacy. and the Southern Relief
Society of the District. the officers Of
which occupied seats on the platform.
Promptly at 4 o'clock the principal mu-
sician Of the Thirteenth United states
Cavalry Band sounded the assembly call.
followed by the band, under the direction
Of Ferdinand Anglesburg, rendering
America" The Rev. DIT. Randolph II.
McKim. chaplain of Camp III, L. c. V.
delivered the invocation. and a quartet
composed of Miss Beatrice Goodwin, Mrs. /
Armand GumprechJ Melville d. Hen |
sey. and J. C. Murray sang Abide with /
Ne"
Hon. ). G. Capers Speaks.
The grafton Of the Hon John G. Capers, |
Of South Carolina, the keynote Of which |
was honor and reverence TO the flag Of
the Confederacy and mistaken loyalty /
and fidelity TO the Stars and Stripes. was /
the feature Of the exercises. The speaker /
said. in part.
The four acres Of sacred soil here set
apart to hold the remains Of eX-Confed- /
crate soldiers. who only a few years ago
were buried in scattered places in the
District Of Columbia became so desig-
mated by an act of Congress in response
to message from the lamented and be-
loved William Mckinley, when President
Of the United States. His gentle heart
and noble nature suggested that here
this sacred ground should embrace all
that was left of those who had been
brave and devoted TO their duty as they
NvTfv Irar1afarg-
should no longer be the shrine of a sec
tional memory and idea, or the maui
soIeum for one-half Of the republic.
Congress Appropriated Money.
"A generous Congress appropriated an
amount sufficient 10 defray the expenses
incident to disinterring and reburying
the remains Of the ex-Confederate sol
diers who died from wounds and disease,
and who were buried as l have stated
The War Department has. since that first
generous act, spent several thousand dol
lars in beautifying and maintaining this
spot
When the present accomplished Sec
retary of State was Secretary of War. he
gave his consent that a section in the
center Of the ground here set apart
was to be preserved as spot
upon which there could be erected
Confederate monument the present
great Secretary Of War has confirmed
his predecessors order. and there is to
be erected here at this loved spot
marble shaft which will bear testimony
as could no words of mine or yours to
the courage and the fidelity of those who
had fought and fallen i'm the defense Of
convictions which they held dear
Vanquished NobIy Treated.
Never i'm the history Of the world has
there been a war-a war among the peo-
pie Of the same coUntry-where, after
the war was over. the conquerOrs paid
so prompt and so sincere tribute to the
valor, the example. and the character Of
the conquered as was the case after the
surrender at Appomattox. Never have a
conquered people stood so erect and 50
completely maintained their manhood as
did the Confederates after APRIL 1865.
You old soldiers. and your constant
and always inspiring wives and mothers.
were bound 20 have maintained your
characters. it was in the blood Of your
veins. The spirit that dominated at Lex
ingtOn and Bunker Hill at COWpeus and
Kings Mountain, at Camden and Charles
ton and at Eutaw Springs and Fort
Moultrie, the spirit Of Andrew Jackson.
at New Orleans; and Perry, on Lake
Erie, and the spirit of St0newaH Jackson.
at Chapultepec. in Mexico-that was the
spirit which has kept bright and spotless
the characteristics and unchallenged pa
triOtism of your Southern people.
auenched All bitterness.
when our great nation was preparing
fer the Spanish-American war, a gallant
ex-Confederats soldier. now a soldier Of
the cross. whose body bears the marks
Of three severe wounds, wrote these
words.
When Horace Greeley signed Jeffer-
son Davis bond. when Grant refused 10
fire a salute of iubiation at the surrender
and told Gen. Lee to keep his sword and
tell his men to keep their horses. the
first notes of manly peace were struck.
And now. when our President calls our
ex-Confederate soldiers TO lead the battal-
ions Of the reunited republic to battle, he
quenched the last spark Of bitterness and
makes his country once more a union Of
brethren under the Stars and Stripes.
Next TO the gallant soldiers of the
Federal army now lie the sons and the
brothers Of the peerless Confederate vet
erans who crossed swords with them in
years gone by. So that the spirit Of our
departed chieftain, Robert Z. Lee. can
feel now that in the soil OF his own estate
lie not only the bodies Of the brave men
who opposed his gallant hosts, but that
his old homestead is also the last sweet
resting place Of his own brothers and his
own Children-the children Of the South,
whom ne so gladly offered his life"
Mr. Capers closed his Grafton by recit-
inc ss-THo Olive RrauCh q"