Resolutions

Eisenhower Proclamation

By The President of The United States of America:

The years 1961-1965 will mark the one hundredth anniversary of the American Civil War.

The war was America's most tragic experience. But like all truly great tragedies, it carries with it an enduring lesson and a profound inspiration. It was a demonstration of heroism and sacrifice by men and women of both sides, who valued principles above life itself and whose devotion to duty is a proud part of our national inheritance.

Both sections of our magnificently reunited country sent into their armies men who become soldiers as good as any who ever fought under any flag. Military history records nothing finer than the courage and spirit displayed at such battles as Chickamauga, Antietam, Kennesaw Mountain and Gettysburg. That America could produce men so valiant and so enduring is a matter for deep and abiding pride.

The same spirit on the part of the people back home supported those soldiers through four years of great trail. That a Nation which contained hardly more than 30 million people, North and South together, could sustain 600,000 deaths without faltering is a lasting testimonial to something unconquerable in the American spirit. And that a transcending sense of unity and larger common purpose could, in the end, cause the men and women who had suffered so greatly to close ranks once the contest ended and to go on together to build a greater, freer and happier America must be a source of inspiration as long as our country may last.

By a joint resolution approved on September 7, 1957, the Congress established the Civil War Centennial Commission to coordinate the nationwide observances of the one hundredth anniversary of the Civil War. This resolution authorized and requested the President to issue proclamations inviting the people of the United States to participate in those observances.

NOW THEREFORE, I , DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, President of the United States of America, do hereby invite all of the people of our country to take direct and active part in the Centennial of the Civil War.

I request all units and agencies of government, Federal, State and local, and their officials, to encourage, foster and participate in Centennial observances. And I especially urge our Nations schools and colleges, it's libraries and museums, its churches and religious bodies, its civic, service and patriotic organizations, its learned and professional societies, its arts, sciences and industries, and its informational media, to plan and carry out their own appropriate Centennial observances during the years 1961 to 1965; all to the end of enriching our knowledge and appreciation of this great chapter in our Nation's history and of making this memorial period truly a Centennial for all Americans.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington this 6th day of December, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and sixty, and of the Independence of the Untied States of America the one hundred and eighty-fourth.

By the President

This Presidential Proclamation resulted from a Congressional resolution authorizing and requesting President Eisenhower to issue proclamations inviting the people of the United States to participate in the observances outlined by him.

General Orders No. 14

The following resolution represents the position by the National Organization of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War as adopted on August 19, 2000 at the 119th National Encampment held in Lansing, Michigan.

RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT

DISPLAY OF BATTLE FLAGS OF THE CONFEDERACY

119TH NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT OF THE

SONS OF UNION VETERANS OF THE CIVIL WAR

LANSING, MICHIGAN AUGUST 19, 2000

A resolution in support of the display of the Confederate Battle Flag.

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War,

condemn the use of the confederate battle flag, as well as the flag of

the United States, by any and all hate groups, and

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

support the flying of the confederate battle flag as a historical piece

of this nation's history, and

WHEREAS, we the members of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

oppose the removal of any Confederate monuments or markers to those

gallant soldiers in the former Confederate States, and strongly oppose

the removal of ANY reminders of this nation's bloodiest war on the

grounds of it being "politically correct," and

WHEREAS, we, as the descendants of Union soldiers and sailors who, as

members of the Grand Army of the Republic, met in joint reunions with

the confederate veterans under both flags in those bonds of Fraternal

Friendship, pledge our support and admiration for those gallant soldiers

and of their respective flags;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that we the members of the Sons of Union

Veterans of the Civil War in 119th Annual National Encampment hereby

adopt this resolution. Dated in Lansing, Michigan, on this nineteenth

day of August, in the year of our Lord Two thousand.

By order of: Attest:

Danny L. Wheeler Todd A. Shillington

Commander-in-Chief National Secretary

"....within this decade we will have succeeded in removing every monument 
of every description dedicated to the Confederacy that adorns public 
property 
in the state of Texas. Our brothers and sisters all across the South will 
have succeeded in the same manner within their respective states..........."

---NAACP Conference, Houston, TX 03 JUL 98 

 The comment was made 
at the NAACP leadership conference.

Fellow compatriots,

Thank you for your support and for standing up for our heritage in Columbia, 
South Carolina. The job isn't over yet, and this political science episode 
has many twists. 

Since the rally at the statehouse, I have sent a letter to Kwesi Mfume asking 
him to support the SCV initiative calling for a referendum to let the people 
of SC decide whether the Confederate battle flag is a racist symbol or one of 
honor and pride.

I have sent a letter to each SC legislator in the house and senate requesting 
them to initiate a referendum and let the people of SC speak to the issue. 
Yes, I'm aware that a referendum in SC is non-binding but, the legislature 
has never failed to uphold the will of the people in previous referendums.

Copies of the aforementioned letters have been made available to the media.

Advertisements are being placed in five SC weekly newspapers and should 
appear on Friday, 14 January. Other ads are contemplated for some of the 
daily newspapers pending acceptance and cost.

You should know that The State newspaper in Columbia, SC accepted an SCV ad, 
charged my account, and then rejected the ad Wednesday past, just a few hours 
before deadlines expired for Friday publishing in the SC daily newspapers. We 
were able to get immediate approval from Charleston's Post & Courier, 
e-mailed the "pdf" file to the paper and the ad was published on Friday and 
was in the 'racks' in Columbia as well as elsewhere in the state. Stay tuned 
on this one, it ain't over.

Below, is a copy of the remarks I delivered at the statehouse that some of 
you have requested. It is a pleasure to serve and to have your support.

Rick Griffin,
SCV CiC

8 January 2000
Statehouse, Columbia, South Carolina
Patrick J. Griffin, III, Commander in Chief
Sons of Confederate Veterans

GOOD AFTERNOON LADIES OF THE UNTIED DAUGHTERS OF THE 

CONFEDERACY, MEMBERS OF THE CHILDREN OF THE CONFEDERACY,

COMPATRIOTS IN THE SONS OF CONFEDERATE VETERANS AND THE

MILITARY ORDER OF STARS AND BARS, FRIENDS IN THE SOUTHERN

HERITAGE ASSOCIATIONS AND ORDER OF THE CONFEDERATE ROSE, 

INTERESTED SPECTATORS, AND YES, EVEN MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA, 

WHO SOMEHOW NEVER SEEM TO GET THE RIGHT MESSAGE…WELL, 

AFTER TODAY, MAYBE WE CAN CONGRATULATE SOME YOU FOR 

ACCURATE REPORTING AND HONEST JOURNALISM. 

IT’S NICE TO SEE SO MANY SUPPORTERS OF SOUTHERN

HERITAGE IN ONE PLACE, AT ONE POINT IN TIME, WITH THE 

CHERISHED SYMBOLS OF OUR HONORABLE ANCESTORS, AND ONE

UNTIED MESSAGE - WE ARE PROUD OF OUR HERITAGE AND WE ARE 

GOING TO KEEP OUR BATTLE FLAG FLYING FROM ONE GENERATION 

TO THE NEXT. NO COMPROMISE, NO RETREAT, NO CONCESSIONS.

THERE’S A LOT OF SOUTH CAROLINA IN MY VEINS AND THOSE 

OF MY WIFE. OUR FAMILIES CAME FROM PIONEER STOCK, AND THEY 

HELPED SETTLE THIS REGION.

THEY KNEW ABOUT THE REVOLUTION OF 1719, THE

OVERTHROW OF THE PROPRIETORS, AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF

SOUTH CAROLINA AS A ROYAL COLONY. THEY WERE DEVOTED TO 

THE CAUSE OF AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE AND THEY RISKED

EVERYTHING THEY HAD IN THE PURSUIT OF CREATING AN

INDEPENDENT NATION, AND THE SOVEREIGN STATE OF SOUTH

CAROLINA.

AND JUST LIKE MANY OF YOUR FAMILIES, THEY CALLED IT

LIKE IT WAS IN 1860. THEY WERE PROUD OF THEIR ELECTED

OFFICIALS WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO MAKE SOUTH CAROLINA

THE FIRST STATE TO SECEDE BECAUSE OF YANKEE TINKERING

WITH STATE’S RIGHTS, HIGH TARIFFS, AND ONE WAY TAXES TO

WASHINGTON CITY.

ONE HUNDRED FORTY YEARS AND NINETEEN DAYS AGO,

SOUTH CAROLINA POLITICIANS ACTED WITH SPINE, AND THE SUPPORT

OF THE ELECTORATE, TO PRESERVE THEIR RIGHTS UNDER THE 

CONSTITUTION AND TO BE FREE TO MAKE THEIR OWN DECISIONS.

TODAY, YOU SHOULD DEMAND NO LESS FROM YOUR ELECTED

REPRESENTATIVES. DEMAND THAT YOUR LEGISLATORS RESPECT THE

WILL OF THE MAJORITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA VOTERS AND KEEP THE 

FLAG FLYING.

DEMAND THAT YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TELL THE NAACP

LEADERSHIP TO GET PACKING BACK TO BALTIMORE AND PRACTICE

THEIR DIVISIVE AGENDA ELSEWHERE, BECAUSE THOSE TACTICS 

DON’T WORK HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA.

DEMAND THAT YOUR LEGISLATORS UNITE, AND STAND UP TO

THE NAACP OR ANY GROUP THAT ESPOUSES TO: STIFLE SOUTH 

CAROLINA’S PROSPERITY; ATTEMPTS TO DIVIDE PEOPLE OVER 

ETHNICITY AND CONTRIVED ISSUES; ADVOCATES BOYCOTTS; OR 

RIDICULES THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THIS STATE, OR ANYONE ELSE WHO 

DARES TO CHALLENGE THEIR VIEWS.

THINK ABOUT IT: IF YOU ALLOW YOUR POLITICIANS TO CAVE-

IN TO THE DEMANDS OF A GROUP THAT THREATENS THE ECONOMY

OF SOUTH CAROLINA OVER ONE MISREPRESENTED ISSUE - 

THEN, YOU NOT ONLY LOSE YOUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE, BUT YOU

SURRENDER YOURSELVES TO CONTINUED BOYCOTTS AND THREATS

OVER ANY ISSUE THAT DOES NOT PASS THE NAACP LITMUS TEST.

WHY WOULD NAACP LEADERS SPEND SO MUCH TIME AND 

"OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY" TO CHALLENGE THE FLYING OF A 

CONFEDERATE FLAG HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA? IT’S BECAUSE THEY 

THINK SOUTH CAROLINA IS A WEAK LINK, AND THAT THEY CAN CUT 

A DEAL WITH YOUR POLITICIANS.

OF COURSE, THE REAL QUESTIONS SHOULD BE ASKED BY THE

CAPTAIN’S OF INDUSTRY AND OTHER NAACP DONORS. "KWESI, WHAT

IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING WITH OUR MONEY? WHAT HAPPENED

TO ISSUES DEALING WITH REDUCING TEEN PREGNANCY, IMPROVING

EDUCATION, LOWERING THE RATES OF CRIME AND RECIDIVISM, AND

INCREASING JOB OPPORTUNITIES? DO ALL OF THESE SERIOUS SOCIAL 

ISSUES PLAY SECOND FIDDLE TO THE PUBLICITY YOU ENJOY BY

ATTACKING AMERICAN HERITAGE, CONFEDERATE SYMBOLS, AND

LABELING MANY DECENT HARD-WORKING AMERICANS AS RACISTIS

AND BIGOTS? I WONDER WHAT HIS ANSWER WOULD BE?

REST ASSURED THAT OUR DETRACTORS AREN’T INTERESTED IN 

WHO WE ARE, AND THEY CONVENIENTLY OVERLOOK THAT WE MAKE

MANY CONTRIBUTIONS TO SOCIETY, SEEK PROSPERITY, AND HAVE 

DEVELOPED A SENSE OF EQUITY AND FAIR PLAY THAT IMPROVES THE

QUALITY OF LIFE FOR ALL AMERICANS.

WE HAVE LEARNED LIFE’S LESSONS WELL, WE VOTE, WE ACT 

APPROPRIATELY, WE ARE FAMILY ORIENTED, AND WE RESPECT OUR 

FELLOW MAN. YET, THEY CONTINUALLY TRY TO DEMONIZE US FOR 

OUR HERITAGE, DENIGRATE OUR ANCESTORS, AND COMPROMISE OUR

INTEGRITY BY DELIBERATELY AND CONVENIENTLY LUMPING ALL OF

US IN WITH HATE GROUPS. THEY DO THIS BECAUSE THEY GET AWAY 

WITH IT AND BECAUSE IT SUITS THEIR PURPOSES OF MISLEADING THE 

PUBLIC, CONTRIVING ISSUES, AND CREATING FALSE IMPRESSIONS - 

JUST LIKE THE COMPOSITE PHOTOGRAPH THAT WAS A RECENT NEWS 

STORY IN THE STATE NEWSPAPER. IT REPRESENTS A LIE. HOW CAN 

YOU TRUST PEOPLE WHO ARE GIVEN TO DECEPTION? HOW CAN YOU 

TRUST THE STATE NEWSPAPER? IT APPEARS TO BE AN INSTRUMENT OF 

THE NAACP, AND THEY WANT YOUR MINDS AND YOUR MONEY.

TAKE A LOOK AT OUR DETRACTORS DEEDS AND RECORD. THEY

HAVE CALLED FOR THE REMOVAL OF CONFEDERATE MONUMENTS IN

MARYLAND AND TENNESSEE. THEY HAVE CHANGED THE NAMES OF 

EXISTING SCHOOLS NAMED AFTER CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS. THEY

PROTESTED NAMING A SCHOOL AFTER ADMIRAL RAPHAEL SEMMES. 

THEY PROTESTED AND MARCHED AGAINST A CONFEDERATE

MONUMENT RE-DEDICATION. THEY CONTINUALLY EXHIBIT 

VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION BY CHALLENGING OUR 

CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO DISPLAY LOGO LICENSE PLATES IN

MARYLAND, NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, AND TENNESSEE. THEY

TRIED TO CHANGE THE NAME OF ROBERT E. LEE PARK TO HARRIET

TUBMAN - JOHN BROWN PARK. AND THEY CONSTANTLY TRY TO 

REMOVE CONFEDERATE NAMES FROM BUILDINGS AND STREETS.

YOU HAVE TO ADMIT THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE GOOD AT

STIRRING THINGS UP - THEY WALK IN AND CREATE CONTROVERSY

WHERE NONE PREVIOUSLY EXISTED, AND THEN, THEY CLAIM TO BE

THE VICTIMS. MAKE NO MISTAkE, THEY ARE OPPORTUNISTS WHO 

CONSTANTLY PROWL IN SEARCH OF NEW CONFEDERATE TARGETS.

WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE WANT? THEY WANT POWER TO 

EXERCISE CONTROL OVER AMERICAN CULTURE AT THE EX-

PENSE OF OUR CONFEDERATE HERITAGE AND SYMBOLS. WHERE’S

THE PROOF? IT BECOMES CRYSTAL CLEAR IF YOU TURN TO THE 1991 

NAACP NATIONAL RESOLUTION THAT STATES, IN PART, THAT THE

"TYRANNICAL EVIL…CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG IS…AN ODIOUS

BLIGHT ON THE UNIVERSE AND…(AN) UGLY SYMBOL OF IDIOTIC

WHITE SUPREMACY (AND) RACISM." 

WELL, SINCE THAT IS THE NAACP’S STATED POSITION, IN THEIR 

OWN WORDS, IT SHOULD BE ABUNDANTLY CLEAR THAT ANY 

SUGGESTION BY THEM ABOUT MOVING THE BATTLE FLAG FROM 

ATOP THE STATEHOUSE TO, A PLACE OF "HONOR," ON THE CAPITOL 

GROUNDS IS MERELY A DISINGENUOUS PLOY DESIGNED TO SUCKER

PUNCH YOUR LEGISLATURE INTO A COMPROMISE WITH NO LASTING

MEANING.

FOLKS, CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ON THE TELEPHONE. 

SEND THEM E-MAIL. BUT, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WRITE THEM A 

LETTER TODAY..  AND TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE OUTRAGED BY ANY 

ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG FROM THE 

STATEHOUSE DOME OR FROM THE SENATE AND HOUSE CHAMBERS.

TELL THEM THAT YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE THE NAACP TO

A PUBLIC REFERENDUM AND LET THE PEOPLE OF SOUTH CAROLINA

DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT THE CONFEDERATE BATTLE FLAG IS A

RACIST SYMBOL, OR A SYMBOL OF PRIDE AND HONOR?

REMIND YOUR LEGISLATORS THAT SOUTH CAROLINA HAS 

ENDURED FOR CENTURIES - FREE TO SEEK HER OWN WAY, AND THAT 

THE TRUE MEANING OF THE BATTLE FLAG WAS PURCHASED WITH 

THE BLOOD AND SACRIFICE OF YOUR CONFEDERATE ANCESTOR AND 

HIS FAMILY.

DON’T SELL OUT YOUR HERITAGE AND YOUR HONOR. KEEP IT 

FLYING!

DEO VINDICI!

The 1991 NAACP
Confederate Flag Resolution

VII. INTERNAL AFFAIRS

1. Resolution Abhorring the Confederate Battle Flag on State Flags

Approved

WHEREAS, the tyrannical evil symbolized in the Confederate Battle Flag is an abhorrence to all Americans and decent people of this country, and indeed, the world and is an odious blight upon the universe; and,

WHEREAS, African-Americans, had no voice, no consultation, no concurrence, no commonality, not in fact nor in philosophy, in the vile conception of the Confederate Battle Flag or State Flags containing the ugly symbol of idiotic white supremacy, racism and denigration; and,

WHEREAS, we adamantly reject the notion that African-Americans should accept this flag for any stretch of imagination or approve its presence on the State Flags;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the national Office of the NAACP and all units commit their legal resources to the removal of the Confederate Flag from all public properties.

*** The flag of the KKK was the U.S. flag. We members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans have passed a resolution denouncing the KKK and hate groups, as they have no right to use the honorable flag of our Confederate soldiers which included about 93,000 Blacks. Here's the SCV's resolution:

SCV General Convention, Oklahoma City ,Ok , Saturday August 19 , 1989
Unanimously Adopted
WHEREAS, the use of the Confederate Battle Flag by extremist political groups 
and individuals who seek to clothe themselves in respectability by 
misappropriating the
banner under which our southern ancestors fought for a cause which was noble 
as much latter day use is ignoble , and
WHEREAS , The Sons Of Confederate Veterans are the true inheritors of legacy 
and symbols for which the Confederate Veterans fought and died , and
WHEREAS ,The Sons of Confederate Veterans does denounce the use of the 
Confederate Battle Flag and any other Confederate symbol by the Klu Klux Klan 
as
the desecration of a symbol to which the Klu Klux Klan has no claim , and 
WHEREAS ,the misuse of the Confederate Battle Flag by any extremist group 
or
individual espousing political  extremism and/or racial superiority 
degrades the Confederate Battle Flag and maligns the noble purpose of our 
ancestors who fought against extreme odds for what they believed was just , 
right , and constitutional , and
WHEREAS ,the misuse of other flags and symbols of the Confederate States of 
America and the Confederate States Army , Navy , and Marines is similarly 
degrading ,
NOW, THEREFORE , BE IT RESOLVED , that the Sons of Confederate Veterans
in General Convention assembled in Oklahoma City ,Oklahoma, does hereby 
condemn in the strongest terms possible the use of the Confederate Battle 
Flag or any other flag ,symbol ,seal ,title , or name bearing any 
relationship whatsoever to the Confederate States of America or the armed 
forces of that government by any such extremist group or individual , of 
whatever name or designation by which known ,and 
LET IT BE FURTHER RESOLVED , that the Sons of Confederate Veterans , in 
General Convention assembled , does hereby condemn in the strongest terms 
possible the inappropriate uses of the Confederate Battle Flag or any other 
flag ,seal,
title to name bearing any relationship whatsoever to the Confederate States 
of America or to the armed forces of the Government of the Confederate States 
of
America by individuals or groups of individuals, organized or unorganized , 
who espouse political extremism or racial superiority.
UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED AT THE GENERAL CONVENTION,
OKLAHOMA CITY , OKLAHOMA SATURDAY AUGUST 19 , 1989