Daily Arizona silver belt., 1909-05-13
WIRE MONUMENT UNVEILED TODAY


 ANDERSONyILLE, Ga, May 12.-- An everlasting memorial of Captain Henry Wirz, commander of the Ander- sonville prison, and who forfeited his life as result of his devotion to duty and his unhinching loyalty to the Con federate cause, was unveiled here today The event marked the fruition of sev- eral years of patient and loving effort on the part of the Georgia division of the United Daughters of the Confed eracy.
 Simple but impressive ceremonies at tended the dedication of the memorial. Delegations of Confederate veterans, their wives, sons and daughters, came from Savannah, Atlanta, Macon, Angus ta and other cities throughout the state. Splendid entertainment was fur nished the visitors by the Anderson vile and Amerieus chapters of the Daughters of the Confectionery. The principal address of the day was de. livered by Pleasant A. Stovall, editor of the Savannah Press.
 The completion and dedication of the Wirz monument marks the end of a controversy that dated almost from the time that the project for it's erection was first preached at a convention held in Macon in 1905. Difference of opin- ion arose among the Daughters as co i the selection of site for the memorial. l Richmond the capital of the Confeder- ate states, was first selected. The choice was not satisfactory, however, and the matter was reopened. Savan- nah, Augusta and several other cities put ip applications and it was finally decided that Andersonville would be the most appropriate place for the mon ument.
 A controversy also arose in regard to the inscription to be put on the monu, ment. The inscription at first chosen bore the statement that Captain Wirz had been murdered by the United States government. Owing to objse. tions it was decided to change the in script. on. The inscription on the face ! of the monument as it now stands, is as follows:
 ''In memory of Captain Henry Wirz l c. S. A., born Zurich, Switzerland, 1922 Sentenced to death and executed ai Washington, D. C., November l5, 1865 To rescue his name from the stigma attached to it by embittered prejudice this shaft is erected by the Georgia d vision United Daughters of the Con federaey.
 "Discharging his duty with such hu manity as tine harsh circumstances oi the times and the policy of the foe per mitted, Captain Wirz became at last the victim of misdirected popular clamor ] He was arrested in time of peace while under the protection of parole, tried by military commission of service to which he did not belong and con demned to ignominious death on charg es of excessive cruelty to Federal pris oners/ He indignantly spurned par don on condition that he would merlin mate President Davis and thus exon crate himself from charges of which both were innocent.
 "'It is hard on our men held in southern prisons not to exchange them but it is humanity to those left in the ranks to fight our battles. At this par | ticular time to release all rebel prison CTS north would insure Sherman's de. feat and would compromise our safety i here. ULYSSES s. GRANT.
 August IS, 1884.
 {" When time shall have softened passion and prejudice, when reason shal have stripped the mask from misrep renestation, then Justice, holding even | ly her scales, will require much of past censure and praise to change places.
 JEFFERSON DAVIS
 [" December, 1888.