The Washington herald., 1909-06-07

e-i~s oAiAi.-i4oAAiA5 5D41t ItApp4ue TIE 0lsLe--k
Virginia Blue Ridge at the close Of a
perfect day, amid a silence that bespoke
the reverence or the Southern patriots
assembled around the grave Of Gen. Soc
Wheeler, taps" from a bugle pathetic
ally sounded the close Of the exercises.
The afternoon was an ideal one for tie
occasion The lawns and flowers OF tho
city Of the dead never looked brighter
and the prOfuslon OF trees near the
Confederate section offered inviting shade
10 the crowds Near the center Of the
section q grand stand had been eTecued
for the speakers. invited guests. and off,
GERS having in charge the ceremonies OF
The day.
Tents for Elderly.
To the right Of the stand a large tent
had been erected for the Fort Myer post
hand. On the left another large tent
with comfortable seats had been pro-
vided for elderly men and women. Ear
up the section nearest the Lee mansion
a large canopy had been erected under
which were pdled great quantities o.
flowers. wreaths. sheafs. and other foral
offerings from patriotic hearts IL syn
pathy with the lost cause"
Early In the afternoon the people be-
gan 70 assemble They came from al
directions, on the trolley cars, in private
conveyanees, IN automobiles, and on foot.
There were many old men ana women N
the gathering. who had lived through the
period Of the civil war, the Een having
seen service In the Confederate armies,
and the women. their wives. had
suffered the privations OF that period.
When the ceremonies began. promptly
al o'clock. by the sounding OF as
sembly," there we're on the grounds sur
sounding the speakers stand probzbly
1000 men. women. and children
The great gathering Joined in the sing
ing OF America, under the leadership
OF the Fifteenth United States Cavalry
Band This was followed by tbs invoca-
LOn by the Rev. Roland Cotton Smith,
rector Of ST Johns EpiscopaI Church
The Southern quartet. composed OF hrs.
Annie Grant FugiJJ. Mrs Armand Gum
precht. Melville D. Hensey. and A "
Porter, sang ABIDE With Ne"
Col Robert Z. Lee. f.. a grandson o.
Gen Robert Z. Lee, commander OF the
Confederate armies. was the orator OF
the day he opened hts address by say
Ing:
we have met here upon THIS holy.
Sunday afternoon 70 lay flowers ia loving
tribute upon the sacred graves OF the
Confederate soldiers buried in this con-
secrated plot, where heroes and patriots
rest their long and last rest. buried here
n this National soldiers Cemetery by
authority OF a President OF the United
States and a Secretary OF War Surviving
the South who i've here. have joined
hands IN an effort 10 erect in the center
OF this Confederate section a monument
10 the memory Of the Confederate soldiers
who gave their lives for the cause they
loved so well.
The efforts OF those men and women
Is well IN hand. and they have the en-
couragement and assurance that their
worthy Efforts win De rewarded az no
distant day. when another shaft viii be
erected IN these sacred precincts. forming
another milestone along the roadway OF
history that bespeaks the fond apprecia-
tion Of the surviving patriots OF the
cause they died for.
Honor Is Deserved.
The Southern soldier deserves Il, the
Southern soldiers VIII erect II, Southern
women will honor Il and watch over It IN
years to come, and a great nation VIII
protect II. There Is no more fitting place
FOR such memorial 20 be erected than
here in Arlington.
The great unwritten law of the South
thar WAS held IN such high respect at the
time the civil conflict opened permitted
not the mention OF the name OF q woman
in public pIRos, and her name was only
permitted 20 be printed al the time OF
her marriage OF at her death. Under the
chivairy that formed a cardinal pTinoIple
OF the social and domestic life OF thu
South the fair womanhood OF tho land
grew and was fostered, producing the
finest specimen OF cultured womanhood
the world has ever seen. She was sent on
earth 20 mark the pathway 10 heaven.
''HsF domestic ana social life shone
brilliantly through the slavery % The
South az the kind. oonsiderate, End ten
derest OF naissTesses OF those IN bondage.
not q bondage % yassalage or sertdoU,
nor IKE that of the slaves of Rome. The
Southern woman was the presiding
genlua, the soul Of the home IN land
that Wns the realm OF the white woman
whom the colored people gladly did hom-
age % and performed service foF With
love and VeneTation never before OF since
equaled Ia any country,
''Whsa the war between the North and
South brelke in all its fury L revealed the
most unique figure ever known n history
lit produced in the soldier Of the south
the greatest fighting machine ever kRown
u military authorities or ever put On
field OF battle, He never aElted the nu-
merioal strength OF his enemies, but asked
where they were, 'StonewaiF Jackson,
that marvel OF neral and physical force
and military genius, was a type Of that
soldier. Had not ChanoelloTsville's trag-
edy. removed him from the leadership OF
his fearless body OF trained soldiers, ne
would have been the nest prominent
figure at the battle OF Gettysburg,
Had he been there the tide Of the
C0nfederaoy would not have ebbed as It
did, but victory instead OF defeat would
have crowned the arms OF the Southern
patriots. In the record OF the soldiers
who followed the Southern cause through
victory and defeat, We have a priceless
heritage that any nation should be proud
OF, and We are Though defeated we
were not whipped, and, while We all
stand for a united country and the pro-
lection Of our national flag, in that great
civil conflict we believed we were right
in the principles FOR which we fought
south OF To-day.
''The South OF to-day stands With one
hand reared 20 heaven bearing the noble
record OF her sons in the civil war; IN
the other shs raises fias that bespeaks
her great future, and as the smoke OF
battle has been blown away by the no
biilty Of laber, we see the future one
great rich industrial section
Referring 70 the setting aside ef the
ground in Arlington far tRs Confederate
sgfnzzs hz ESesfsezSL LRFs4TIaIex naE Zee