Bisbee daily review., 1909-05-14
WE|z MONUMENT UNVEILED

ANDERSONNlLLE, Ga, May 13.- An everlasting memorial of Captain Henry wirz. commander of the An dersonville prison and who forfeited his life as a result of his devotion to duty and his unfiinching loyalty to the Confederate cause, was unveil- ed here today. The event marked the fruition of several years of pa. tient and loving effort on the part of the Georgia division of the United Daughters of the Confectionery
 Simple but impressive ceremonies attended the dedication of the mem oriai. Delegations of Confederate veterans, their wives. sons and daugh- ters, came from Savannah, Atlanta. Macon. Augusta and other cities throughout the state. Splendid enter tainment was furnished the visitors by the Andersonyille and Americus chapters of the Daughters of the Confederacy. The principal address of the day was delivered by Pleasant A. Stovail, editor of the Savannah Press.
 The completion and dedication oi the Wirz monument marks the end of a controversy that dated almost from the time that the project for its erection was first preached at con ventioH held in Macon in 1905. DIT ference of opinion arose among the Daughters as to the selection of a site for the memorial. Richmond, the capital Of the Confederate states was first selected The choice was not satisfactory, however, and the matter was reopened. Savannah, Au gusta and several other cities put in applications and it was finally decid cd that Andersonyille would be the most appropriate place for the mon ument. A controversy also arose in regard 10 the inscription to be put on the monument. The inscription at first chosen bore the statemnt that Captain Wirz had been murdered by the United States government. Ow ing to objections it was decided tC change the Inscription. The inscrip ton no the face of the monument as it now stands is as follows:
 In memory of Capt. Henry WirZ c. s. A.. born Zurich, Switzerland 1922. Sentenced to death and execut cd at Washington, D. C., November IS. 1865. To rescue his name from the stigma attached 10 it by embit tered prejudice this shaft is erected by the Georgia Division United Daughters of the Confederacy.
 ''Diseharging his duty with such humanity as the harsh circumstances of the times and the policy of the foe permitted. Capt Wirz became al last the victim Of misdirected pop uIar clamor. He was arrested in time of peace while under the pro lection of a parole, tried by mili tary commission of a service tc which he did not belong and con demned to ignominious death on charges Of excessive cruelty to fed eral prisoners. He indignantly spurned a pardon proffered on condi ton that he would incriminate Pres ident Davis and thus exonerate him self from charges of which both were innocent.
 "It is hard On our men held lr southern prisons not to exchange them. but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight our battles. Al this particular time to release all re bel prisoners north would insure Sherman's defeat and would compro mise our safety here.
 August IS. 1864.
 ULYSSES s. GRANT.
 When time shall have sottened passion and prejudice, when reason shall have stripped the mask of mis representation, then Justice. holding evenly her scales, will require much Of past censure and praise to change places.
 December, 1888.
 JEFFERSON DAVIS"