Editorial paragraphs.
Our Papers for 1880 will not only not show any diminution of interest, but we pledge ourselves to make them more readable and more valuable than ever before. On the one hand, we shall not lose sight of the fact that we are preparing “material for the future historian,” which shall vindicate the name and fame of the heroic men who made our great struggle for constitutional freedom; but on the other hand, we shall see to it that each number is of popular interest, so as to be acceptable to the general reader as well as to our comrades who wore the gray. We desire to give as much variety and interest as posible to the Papers, and to this end we ask that our friends will send us well authenticated anecdotes, incidents and reminiscences of the camp, the bivouac, the march, the battlefield, or the hospital — illustrating the patience, the heroism, the humor, the fortitude, or the general morale of our soldiers. Let these be brief, vivid and to the point, and always authenticated by some responsible name. And we once more call on our friends to help us extend our circulation, not only by subscribing themselves, and seeking to induce others to do so, but by recommending to us efficient canvassers, to whom we would pay liberal commissions.
We are under obligations to Mr. W. R. Jones, of the Richmond and Petersburg railroad; Captain N. M. Osborne, Secretary of the Atlantic, Mississippi and Ohio railroad; the authorities of the East Tennessee and Virginia railroad; and Governor J. E. Brown, President of the Western and Atlantic railroad, for kind courtesies by which we were enabled to make an exceedingly comfortable and pleasant trip from Richmond to Atlanta and return. We regretted that we were not able to avail ourselves of a similar courtesy extended us by Mr. J. W. Thomas, Superintendent of the Nashville, Chattanooga and Saint Louis railroad.
A recent trip to Georgia, although necessarily more hurried than we could have wished, was made exceedingly pleasant by meeting many old comrades, and by being made to feel that our Society has a warm place in the affections of the people, and that they mean to give practical proof of their appreciation of our work by subscribing to our Papers and sending us material for our archives. Where all were so kind, it might not seem proper to particularize; but we must mention especially Captain R. E. Park, Captain T. L. Massenburg, Mr. Charley Herbst, Rev. Dr. E. W. Warren, Rev. S. Boykin, and the editors of the Telegraph and Messenger of Macon. [47] Mr. Herbst is Librarian of the Macon Library Association, and his enthusiasm for everything pertaining to the Confederacy, together with his intelligent zeal, has enabled him to gather a very interesting and valuable collection of “war material,” while there is no danger that the young men of Macon who come in contact with him will ever forget “the boys in gray.” The library (Captain Park, the late President, has been succeeded by Major Chesney, formerly of General Elzey's and General Ewell's staffs) is one of the institutions of Macon, and is very justly the pride of the city. It is, of course, a subscriber to our Papers, as all libraries ought to be.
The army of Northern Virginia Memorial volume has been delayed by causes over which the compiler has had no control; but the printing is now all done, and it will be ready for delivery just as soon as it can be gotten from the binders — in a few days, we hope. Meantime, be sure to send on your subscription.
Ask your neighbor if he has renewed his subscription for 1880, and remind him that the terms are strictly $3 per annum in advance; and be sure that you send us at least one new subscriber.
