Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1914-01-16
SHOULD EVER KEEP
ITS MEMORY GREEN
Major Jas. P. Whitman Makes Strong
Reply to Criticisms Of Anti-Con-
federate Veteran Articles.
Horsepen, Jan. ID.


societies and chapters.
In your issue of January End,
you refer to an article written
by Mr.. Tyler, of Duane, Va. !,
to the Richmond Dispatch thai
publishes column daily of what
was news fifty years ago, the
news being incidents of the war
as came under the personal OBJ
servation of the Southern soldier
And from suc!: writings the
true history uf the war, in a
large measure, was obtained
truth and facts that might never
have been obtained had it not
been for the enterprising editor
the Dispatch. And where truth
and facts were adhered to,
should not be seriously objected
to by any one of the present
day. Mr.. Tyler says, "These
"reminiscences saddens him deep
ly every day; that the Govern
ment is now in control of tn e
former Confederate States; that
it is better to forget these in
cidents than revive them" He
also states he writes from the
standpoint of a Northern man,
yet never in the army-that he
came to Virginia two years after
Appomatox, bought a home and
married here, and all his in
terests are intertwined with Vir-
ginia and her welfare. Now,
1T Mr.. Tyler was old enough to
come into Virginia, purchase a
home and marry here, he was
old enough to have been in the
army in person or by substitute.
How he avoided service he does
not say, and he is not compelled
to read the news columns of the
dispatch, that have given the
Confederate veteran so much
pleasure in reading. Now, it is
a matter of history that many
of the Northern people came to
Virginia about this time, having
sold their property at unheard
of prices, and came to the war
stricken State of Virginia and
purchased the homes of her
people that had been virtually
ruined by the operation of both
armies, on her sacred soil for
four years, the owners of such
homes having their slaves freed,
homes burned, many carrying
anti-war mortgages and liens
on their home, and were absolu-
tely destitute of means to again
build up their impoverished
homes, were forced to sell them
to the Northern speculator for
what they could get, and the
Northern man was quick to take
advantage of these money max
ing investments, and today are
fully protected, and enjoying the
progress, in large measure, by
the courage, energy and loyalty
of the Confederate soldier, who
survived the war. If Mr.. Tyler
is one of the persons recited,
whose sympathy does he de-
serve? Certainly not that of the
Northern or Southern soldier,
much less that of the editor of
the C. V. News, who was fortu-
nate in not being old enough to
serve in the war, and one who
should hold sacred the traditions
of his people and country. Now,
we are asked to forget the war.
Can we forget our brave COM
rades who went down in battle
by our side? Can we forget the
suffering of the wounded and
dying? Can we forget, after
the battle, with grieved hearts,
we gathered the mangled re-
mains of the dG ad and solemnly
and hastily buried them in shall
low graves, with military hon
ors, and above all, can we forget
the devotion, the sacrifice, the
suffering, and the true moral
courage of the noble women of
the South? God forbid. MAY
my right hand forget its cunn-
ing, and my tongue cleave to
the roof Of my mouth" if l ev-
er forget! We can forgive, and
have forgiven, and hold no ill
feeling toward our once over
powering foe, for we are thor
oughly reconstructed, and ready
TO extend the hand of friend
ship, and thank God, we are
again reunited, prosperous
and happy people.
No, we cannot disband our
societies and chapters through
our efforts oil laws passed by the
Virginia legislature looking to
the betterment of the Confeder-