Editorial Paragraphs.
the proposed meeting of the Southern Historical Society in
Nashville, during ‘drill week,’ in May, was formally postponed about a month before the appointed time, for the double reason that we were disappointed in securing expected papers and addresses, and were satisfied that we could not successfully wedge it into the crowded programme of the week.
We were, however, none the less grateful to
General John F. Wheless,
chairman, and his committee, for their kind purposes in the matter, and hope to call on them again when the Society can meet in
Nashville under more favorable auspices.
the appropriation of $5,000 by the Texas Legislature to purchase sets of the ten volumes of the
Southern Historical Society Papers, alluded to in our last number as probable, was consummated, the bill having passed both Houses, and been approved by
Governor Ireland.
We are now having the one hundred and sixty sets bound, and expect to deliver them at an early day, and pass to the credit of our ‘permanent Endowment Fund’ this generous and wise appropriation of the ‘Lone Star State.’
It is due to our efficient
General Agent,
General George D. Johnston, to say that our success in this matter is due largely to his wise management, untiring zeal, and judicious presentation of the claims of the Society; but we desire to return our especial thanks to
Governor Ireland, who always gave the scheme his influence, and to our friends in both the Senate and House, who (without distinction of party) had the enlightened wisdom to see that it would be money properly used to place these invaluable
Papers in all of the counties of the
State, and to aid at the same time a Society having such noble objects.
All honor to
Texas for being the first State to move in this matter.
We doubt not that other States will promptly follow her noble lead.
our ‘permanent endowment Fund’ must be kept steadily in view and vigorously prosecuted.
We are arranging plans for this end which will
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be duly announced and steadily pushed.
Meantime we are anxious to hear from friends who can help us, 1.
By a personal contribution, large or small.
2. By arranging for lectures, concerts, or entertainments for the benefit of the
Fund.
3. By sending us the names of those who can help us.
Remember we want, and by God's blessing
mean to have, an endowment of at least $100,000, and a fire-proof building for our archives.
What can you do in the premises?
General Fitz. Lee has consented to make the address at the meeting of the
Confederate Association of
Missouri, at
Jefferson City, August the 28th, and to repeat his lecture on
Chancellorsville, for the benefit of the Southern Historical Society, at such points in
Missouri as
General Marmaduke may arrange for. Friends in
Missouri, or
Kentucky, or
Arkansas, who desire to have
General Lee's lecture, would do well to correspond at once with this office, or with
General John S. Marmaduke,
St. Louis, Mo. We are hoping for another successful tour with our gallant and accomplished friend, ‘
General Fitz.’
in our Acknowledgement of courtesies in our last number, we inadvertently omitted the name of
J. F. Crosby,
Vice-President and
General Manager of the
Texas and New Orleans and
Louisiana Western Railways, whose cheerfully extended courtesy over his splendid ‘Crescent Route’ was warmly appreciated.
And we had purposed extending our very special thanks to our old friend
Colonel J. G. James,
President of the
Texas Military College, who rendered invaluable aid in arranging the programme of
General Lee's tour through
Texas, and conducted a very extensive correspondence to make it a success.
Recently we have been brought under obligations to
W. W. Peabody,
General Superintendent of the
Ohio and
Mississippi, and renewed obligations to
Colonel Hoxie, of the
Missouri Pacific, and all the lines of the great
Goul system;
M. H. Smith,
Vice President of the splendid Louisville and Nashville railway; and
Henry Fink,
Vice President and
General Manager of the superb line from
Memphis to
Norfolk, for highly appreciated courtesies over their lines.
And we desire gratefully to record that in travelling in February and March, from
Richmond to New Orleans,
Galveston,
Houston,
San Antonio,
Austin,
Waco,
Corsicana,
Dallas,
Little Rock,
Memphis,
Nashville,
Louisville and back to
Richmond by the Chesapeake and Ohio railroad, and recently to
Louisville,
St. Louis,
Waco,
Dallas,
Memphis and back home by the
Memphis and
Charleston,
East Tennessee and
Georgia,
Norfolk and Western, and
Richmond and
Danville railroads, we met with no accident, suffered no serious detention, encountered nothing but politeness on the part of railroad officials, and had all of the comforts attainable on such a journey.
‘crowded out’ explains the absence of several articles intended for this number.
Several of the articles left with the printer when the
Secretary
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started to
Texas the 1st of May, greatly exceeded anticipated length, and left no room for a number of others; but we expect to have out our July number by the 20th of June, and the omitted articles will have an early chance.
J. L. McCOWN,
Dallas, Texas; will receive our thanks for a very accurate and beautifully-executed photograph of
General Fitzhugh Lee, taken when we were there in March.
Mr. McCown is an old
Lexington (Va.) man, having learned his art with
Miley; and we prize his work all the more because he was a gallant Confederate soldier and executed it
con amore.
