PDF VERSION
THE EARLY REPORT
The official Publication of the General Jubal A. Early Camp 556, Sons of Confederate Veterans
Vol. 1 November 2003 Issue 3
NOVEMBER MEETING
DONNIE KENNEDY Is Coming!!!!
We’re in for a treat at our November meeting. One of the purposes of the SCV is to vindicate the Cause for which our ancestors fought. We can only do this by making certain we know what Cause they fought for—to educate ourselves. This meeting is going to provide you a unique opportunity to do just that. The speaker at the November 20th meeting will be Donnie Kennedy, co-author of numerous insightful, pro-Confederate books. One book, The South Was Right was he product of over two decades of research and meticulous scholarship, and contains an extensive bibliography and footnotes section detailing the unimpeachable sources of information drawn upon by the authors.
Mr. Walter. D. (Donnie) Kennedy, of Simsboro, Louisiana, is the former Commander of the Louisiana Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans and he is a long-time Southern activist. He holds a Bachelor's Degree from Northeast Louisiana University and is a graduate of Charlotte (North Carolina) Memorial Medical Center School of Nurse Anesthesia. Mr. Kennedy and his twin brother James Ronald Kennedy are co-author's of The South Was Right!, Why Not Freedom!, Was Jefferson Davis Right?, Myths of American Slavery, and an edited and annotated reprint of Rawles View of the Constitution. Donnie Kennedy presently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of The League of the South.
Donnie is a dynamic speaker, so this will be a program you won’t want to miss. Join us at 6 p.m. if you’d like to eat and visit, otherwise, please join us at 7 p.m. for our fellowship meeting and Donnie’s program. Bring your copies of Donnie’s books and he will autograph them, and he will have copies on hand as well (great Christmas presents). See you on the 20th!
PADDLEWHEEL WITH DONNIE
Donnie is extending his stay through Saturday to allow for videography. It has been suggested that Donnie and his wife and the Camp members and wives might enjoy a more intimate evening discussing Confederate issues.
Plans have been made to take a riverboat paddlewheel dinner cruise on Friday night. The
Starlite Princess departs the dock at 7:00 SHART at Pasadena. Call 800-444-4814 to book your reservation and to get directions. Mention you are a member of the Camp to assure proper
seating. Hope to see you there.
OVER THERE
Editor’s Note: Following is a letter and pictures from Baghdad, Iraq. Our own Early Camp Compatriot Rev. James Taylor is serving as a Capt. In the US Air Force. His wife, Nancy, and children: Jayme (11), ClaraBeth (7), Victoria (2) await his return her in the Tampa Area, as he is stationed at MacDill AFB. “Jay” was born in Columbus, GA in 1963 and is an ordained Baptist preacher. He is a serving at Baghdad International Airport 447th Air Expeditionary Group. You’re certain to enjoy his message and picture.
Gentlemen,
I bring you greetings from Baghdad (where my real Georgia Flag proudly waves). The new website looks great and I can't wait to return to Tampa, hopefully in time for the November meeting. The ministry here at Baghdad International Airport is outstanding. Our chapel services are packed and our Bible studies are growing. As always our Southern people have contributed greatly to the war effort...as you walk through our camp you will see several state flags waving in front of tents...to date I have seen the Texas flag, Louisiana flag, Mississippi flag, Tennessee flag, Georgia flag, South Carolina flag, the Maryland flag, and the Florida Flag. The only yankee flag I've seen is Indiana. Thanks for your prayers, again I look forward coming home.
James Taylor
Chaplain, Captain USAF
447 AEG/HC APO AE 09321
THE BRAVE BEGET THE BRAVE
The Confederate Government never awarded medals to its brave defenders...many theories on why—metal was too scarce seems the best.
So after the war the United Daughters of the Confederacy began the practice of awarding the Southern Cross of Honour to living Confederate Veterans.
It seems fitting, then, that the UDC began the practice of recognizing the descendants of our gallant Southern defenders who serve in the defense of liberty today.
Today, the UDC awards several awards for military service for those who are a lineal descendant of a Confederate Soldier or Sailor who rendered
honorable military service and did not that Oath prior to April 9, 1865. Recipients should have received an honorable discharge or be on active duty.
The branches of military service recognized for these awards are the USAF; US Army, USMC, USN and the US Merchant Marines. The new Chapter of the UDC, the Augusta Jane Evans Wilson Chapter, is seeking men and women who are eligible to present these medals to. If you think you are eligible, (or know someone who might be) please contact Lunelle Siegel at (813) 837-1599.
BESTOWAL CEREMONY
DIXIE UDC
Your are cordially invited to attend a ceremony of bestowal of Crosses of Military Service to honour two members of the Stonewall Jackson Camp #1381.
Saturday, November 22, 2003
11 a.m. at Seminole Hills Villas Clubhouse.
12400 Park Blvd. Seminole Florida
A catered luncheon will follow the ceremony. Speaker: Frank Crawford, retired history teacher and recipient of the UDC Jefferson Davis Medal.
Reservations for luncheon must be received no later than Sat. Nov. 15th. Send $11 payable to: Ruth Malonee; 12400 Park Boulevard, #414; Seminole FL 33772.
CAMP BUSINESSES
COMMANDER’S MESSAGE
"UNDERWAY"
Given that we all understand the common heartfelt linkage that we share with the heritage and culture of the Old South and given that we are endowed with basic Christian philosophy and underpinnings-it follows that there is really but one issue upon which we need to focus. And that is the organization of the Early Camp. It's smooth functioning, as we fulfill our mission, based upon its creation as a democratic machine.
The Early Camp has two purposes - Fellowship among its members and the vindication of the Cause of our Southern forefathers. That is why our meetings are divided between Fellowship/Program meetings and Business Meetings.
In the Fellowship/Program meetings we get together to have a good time, to eat good food, to enjoy each other's company and to educate ourselves about our heritage. This is the social aspect of our nature and of this camp. Even though we (as Southerners) face constant adversity in our world today we must maintain our good nature and even our sense of humour. Therefore, we socialize, laugh, and fellowship with one another every other month.
At this month's meeting we will do all of the above along with educating ourselves and reviving our Southern passion with the help of Mr. Donnie Kennedy, author of "The South was Right", "Was Jefferson Davis Right", "Why Not Freedom" and, his latest book, "Myths of American Slavery." Certainly we will enjoy ourselves and have a great time at this meeting.
Even though we will never relinquish our ability to laugh, frolic and to just enjoy ourselves and each other there is the business end of our efforts. We are not an "eat, meet and retreat" group. What one would see at the Fellowship/Program meetings is only the tip of the iceberg in regard to what will be happening in this camp.
The impact that we have in and upon our community will be the result of how we conduct business. Our camp is set up democratically to be a working effort of its members with the basic unit for doing business being the committee.
As of now, we have formed the following committees (after each committee named is a description of its function):
Enlistment & Membership Committee-A standing committee charged with the review of new applications. This committee is also charged with basic recruiting and retention.
Special Projects Committee- A special committee dedicated to obtaining sites suitable for the placement of monument/flagpoles.
Heritage Committee- A special committee which can speak for the camp in heritage situations and is charged with maintaining the camp network or communication infrastructure to adequately and with effect respond to heritage violation situations.
Community Service Committee- A special committee whose interest is getting the camp set-up material out to sites where we as a camp will do raffle sales and recruiting.
Social Committee-A special committee whose purpose is to organize camp social events at least twice a year.
Memorial Committee- A special committee charged with the inventory of graveyards where Confederate veterans are buried, the inventory of Confederate graves within those cemeteries and their proper marking with flags and VA grave markers.
As you may see, each committee fulfills a need and responsibility. No one person or group is able to do all but through this committee system we, as individuals, are able to find where our own special interest fits into a need in the camp.
Therefore if you, as a camp member, have a special concern with making certain that Confederate graves are marked with a Confederate flags during April, Southern Heritage Month, then the Memorial Committee is for you. Or, if you have a special interest in seeing that a new flag goes up on a very visible location here in Hillsborough County then the Special Projects Committee is where you are needed.
But please, do not feel pressured to do what you are not prepared to do at this time. Some folks only have time to pay their dues and to come to a meeting now and then. That is fine. When you are ready to be more active the Early Camp is here for you.
SOCIAL COMMITTEE REPORT
Fellow camp members, Commander Lambert has charged Phil Walters, and myself, to be co-chairmen of the “Social Committee.” It is our objective to develop camp activities that will allow us to share fellowship, have fun, while at the same time celebrate Southern culture. We are seeking input for ideas. So far we are planning two barbeques that will follow in the same mode as our recent July 5th celebration. Thanks to the efforts of Compatriot Walters we enjoyed a meal of wild pig, cooked over coals, seasoned to please the Southern palate. Members also brought some of their favourite pot luck dishes. In addition, “The Early Boys” made their musical debut….breaking out their guitars, and banjos, and with the help of our silver throated chaplain, Calvin Martin, we had some great homegrown music.
Attendees’ families took to swimming in the pool, and fishing off the dock. We feel that this is an event worth repeating.
Other ideas that we are considering is a turkey shoot, an afternoon paddlewheel boat trip with Dixieland music, and a group trip to the Dixieland Stampede in Orlando. What we are asking for is ideas so that we can develop a calendar of events that will bring us together for fellowship, family fun, on a regular basis. So if you think of an idea, that is easy on the wallet, not too difficult to coordinate, and fits within the spirit of our Camp, please contact either Phil, or myself. Thank you!
-Bart H. Siegel
Social Committee Chairman
From the Adjutant’s Desk:
The Gen. Jubal A. Early Camp 556, SCV Muster Roll for November 2003 lists 69 Full Members and 9 Legionnaires.
The Camp would like to welcome 4 new Full Members:
Compatriot Ancestor
Daniel A. Davis Pvt. William E. Stephens 8th Florida Inf. Reg., Co. G
James N. Harrell Sgt. James D. Harrell 13th Mississippi Inf. Reg., Co. G
Cecil S. Harrell Sgt. James D. Harrell 13th Mississippi Inf. Reg., Co. G
John D. Harrell Sgt. James D. Harrell 13th Mississippi Inf. Reg., Co. G
And 1 new Legionnaire:
Compatriot
Philip Orrico
Please feel free to contact me concerning any membership or camp issues that may arise. I can be reached:
Phone: (813) 971-4541 before 10 PM or E-mail: [email protected]
Respectfully Submitted,
Adjutant Scott Rose
TRAITORS, SOME SAY....WELL, READ ON!!!
We all know that there is a need to respond to the bad press that is daily dished out to us Southerners. However, some of us may lack a little confidence or knowledge when dealing with Heritage issues. For instance, what do you say to someone who alleges our ancestors were traitors? Someone once made the comment to me that the sailors on board the C.S.S. Alabama and other Confederate commerce raiders were pirates and should have been executed. I responded that that could only be the case if secession was unconstitutional. And if secession was unconstitutional then indeed all soldiers that fought for the Confederacy and politicians that led the Confederacy and any civilians that supported the Confederacy were also traitors. Of course, this is exactly what this individual believed.
However, if the evidence proves that secession was constitutional then our Confederate ancestors were patriots and heroes and it was the soldiers on the other side which were the tra.., errrr, hmmm, ones misguided by their political leaders.
We can all debate whether or not secession was a good idea at the time. But, it is my belief that secession was and still is constitutional. Our nation was born out of secession when the thirteen colonies seceded from the British Empire. Our Declaration of Independence promulgates our belief in secession by saying it is the right of the people to "alter or abolish" government whenever it threatens the "life, liberty and pursuit of happiness" of the people, and to institute a new government. If we would have lost our revolution then we certainly could have expected the British to treat Washington and the rest of our founding fathers as traitors. Isn't it amazing how those same people who view our revolutionary leaders as heroes claim that the leaders of the Confederacy, our heroes, are traitors?
In addition, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia clearly state, in their Ratification documents of the Constitution, that they may resume all powers delegated to the federal government by the Constitution when the federal government becomes a threat to their liberty. And, the Constitution itself, in the form of the much ignored tenth amendment reserves those rights not specifically delegated to the United States to the "States respectively, or to the people." Now it seems to me the power to delegate comes from a superior position and not an inferior one. For instance, your boss may delegate some responsibility or power to you; reserving for himself whatever power he wants. But of course, your boss can take back whatever he gave you. This is exactly what the Southern States did when they seceded.
Many people who believe that secession is unconstitutional are keen to forget that it was the New England states that first threatened secession. They wanted to break away because of the Louisiana Purchase and again during
the War of 1812. Too bad nothing came of it. I doubt the Southern states would have wanted to wage war on the North to keep them in the Union and their secession would have certainly precluded the War for Southern Independence.
Finally, many of our founding fathers made comments which support the conclusion that our Union was voluntary such as Thomas Jefferson who said, "If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it." In short, before the war everybody agreed that nothing could be done to a State that seceded. Only after Lincoln became president did people reach the opposite conclusion.
For many of you, I'm sure I've been "preaching to the choir." But what I'm about to mention next might surprise a few. The Supreme Court actually ruled on secession. In the case of Texas v. White, 1869, the court declared, in a 5 to 3 decision that secession was unconstitutional. While the details of the case are unimportant for this discussion, what is important to remember is that Lincoln appointed five of the Justices, including the Chief Justice, Salmon P. Chase. How else do you suppose they would rule during the Reconstruction period of the U.S.? To rule in support of secession would have meant to repudiate their newly deified martyr's war and probably invite impeachment. Of course, there was not chance of that; it simply wasn't in the cards. Chase was Lincoln's Secretary of Treasury during the war. Despite this fact, Chase and Lincoln really didn't get along because even Lincoln wasn't radical enough for this extremist radical republican. For what it's worth, the justices that Lincoln appointed were from the states of Ohio, Iowa, Illinois, and California. Suffice it to say this case has no standing in my opinion.
I hope this gives you some food for thought and a little ammunition to use against our opponents.
Always remember, Deo Vindice,
Dean H. Leferink
