The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-21
THE OLD MASONIC CEMETERY IN
FREDERICKSBURG

Business and sentiment are contend
ing in old Fredericksburg. The past
is battling against the future, with
the old Masonic Cemetery as the stake.
uallowed though II is with the mem
ory OF hundred great names, ana
sacred with the traditions of bysonc
figures. the little grass plot in the
violated The Masons plan to build
a temple they have chosen their Gem
etery site as the best spot for the
building: masons and stonecutters VIII
soon invade the revcred spot; all per-
sons Interested arc warned to remove
bodies and monuments before March /.
! No wonder the good people of the
| town are aroused and disturbed. The
forcfathcrs of many of them rest in
the silent graves Of the cemetery. Many
of their own sircs are buried there.
5 Many of the citizens as children played
; around the graves, spelled out the GU
$ rious old inscriptions. listened to the
, stories of the heroes buried there
l
/ the old spot in silence. tend the mon
uments OF their slres. care for their
graves and pay their wonted tribute
to departed worth. To tear down the
old tombstones and to uproot the
/ sunken graves would be dissertation
in the eyes of these people-an insult
to the last resting place of their fore
bears
| Nor is Fredericksburg alone inter-
! ested and incensed. The cemetery
has a historic interest to the whole
| State. Though the property of the
Masons, it is part of Nirginia's her
| itage. Among the names written in
I1quaint old characters on the moulder-
ing monuments are many that vir-
| ginia reveres. Heroes are there. Sol
| diers are there Fair women, learned
! divines, brilliant lawyers are there.
| There is buried, we recall, that strange
!! knight Grant, Lewis Littlepage, whose
| love of. adventure sent him across the
sea and led him to wander through the
courts of Europe. He came at last to
! the fading circle of Stanislaus Angus
tus, whose feeble sceptre was the last
ever raised in Warsaw. Within the
cemetery lies also Basil Gordon, mas
ter of thousand broad acres, lord
1 of Falmouth lover of hospitality and
4 Nirginia's richest SON. And there, too
\ lies Ann Carmichael, the beauty OF
the Rappahannock Valley, toast of {
thousand merry fcasts, the Whites
aud the fairest of all Virginia. Surely
these and the Grinnans. the Wollfords
/ the Chcws, the Carriers, the Minors, th'
: Muurys and the Heaths should not b,
@ taken from Gods acre.
T. Many years ago, when Louis Napo
s leon wished to remake Paris, the PEG
V pie suffered him to tear down the Tuil
e cries and overthrow many houses con
IS nected with the noblest events i
e French history. But they kept tn
scattered little graveyards untouched
a Let the boulevards so elsewhere, the
g said; let the new palaces rise in othe
q places. we will not disturb our dea'
e VIII Virginia do less? Will Fredel
. icksburg do less? The town. we thinl
can afford to spare the little cemetery
i There are many vacant lots. TIL
e Masons have means. They can bull
elsewhere. For the sake OF tho sen
e timont, foc the heritage OF tradition
d the towns pride should forbid the brick
layers trowel and the stonecutter'
chiSel within the sacred Enclosure.