Evening journal., 1914-02-19
THURSDAY, FEB. 10. 1914.
SENATOR DU PONT AND THE CONFEDERATE
DEAD.

oroNFr. HENRY A. DU PONT, senior United
L. States Senator from Delaware fought with dis
imguished valor the Union side In the CiVl war;
Since that war there has been no man ON either
side who has done generous work than he look
ine to the removal sectional bitterness and the clos
ing Of the breach between the North and the South
His nagnanimity of spirit and graciousness Of action
have served to endear him to host O. Americans and
particularly to those Who owing to the fortunes OF war;
suffered the humiliation OF defeat Time and again. IN
Congr and out of Congress, this Union soldier, who
won his way from the rank Of second lieutenant in
ne corps Of engineers to that Of Northumberland
and who is the possesso- of medal Of honor for gal
liant conduct at the Battle OF Cedar Creekin Virginia
has shown tat recognizes the yaor OF the Conied-
crate soldiers and Sailors that he respects the graves
OF those ho fell when serving und1r the Stars and
Bars and that he has due regard for the sensbites
of the Southern people. In short, he has been an
apostle OF reconciliation and national unity and what
he has said and done has aai beneficial and lasting
cRect ON both sides Of the Mason and Dixon line
American citizens in general, and souherners in
particular cannot fail appreciate the high-mnded-
ness which this week underlay his action n inducing
the United States Senate to adopt by unanimo vote
joint resolution providing for the marking at nation
al expense Of the unmarked graves Of Confederate
soldiers and sailors wherever they may be found in
the United states In 1906 an act passed by Con-
gress and approved by the President providing for the
marking the graves Of the soldiers and sailors of the
Confederate rmy and navy who died in Northern pris-
ons and were buried the prisons in which they
died It was provided that the act should remain in
until 1908. In that year il was discovered that
the work not done AID further extension was
granted unti December 3, 1910.
Senator DUPONT who learned that $4,000 still is
available for the marking Of Confederate graves, de-
cded the original not only sholld be extended
as to the time limit but that the scope Of the work
OF marking should be broadened In drawing his Joint
resolutions therefore. he not only provided that the
Of 1906 should be extended, for two years more
provisions should be made to apply to the
graves confederate soldiers and sailors in national
cemeteries and all other places throughout the United
States
Such a resolution cannot fail to evoke a generous
response from the Southland. It not conceived
by a maudlin sentimentalist but by Who in the
dark days OF the war, the Confederate soldiers
ace-to-iaco and hand-to-hand, smelled Confederate
powder, heard the shrielng and whistng of confed-
crate roiectles saw the flash Of Confederate sabres
and asslsto in the repuse of mpetuous Confederate
charges. I, from who hreyeted
major fc- gall services at the ba ties of Opequan
and Fishers HILL Va" and who month later,
ieutenant-colonelcy "for distinguished service at
the Battle of Cedar Creek. Va" and subsequently.
med.l of honor "for gallant conduct" in tn, Cedar
Creek battle while chief or artillery. army Of West
Virginia by his bravo bearing. most distinguished
gallantry anC voluntary the enemys guns
at critical moment when, the Union line had been
broken defeated he encouraged his men to stand
their guns checked the advance Of the enemy and
brought OF the most Of his guns" Coming such
source, the action lookin to the appropriate marking
the graves Of the Confederate dead
ever they may be, stands for something big in the
way of sentiment that cannot fail to he recognized
both in the North and in the South.