Warner refuses to honor fete for Civil War

RICHMOND ? Civil War heritage groups are criticizing Gov. Mark Warner for refusing to officially recognize their commemorative events since taking office two years ago.

As Virginians celebrate Lee-Jackson Day today with Mr. Warner’s blessing, the groups are urging the Democratic governor to issue a proclamation for a Civil War History Month, a Confederate History Month or a Union Soldier Month.

Groups on both sides of the Confederate-Union split said Mr. Warner should try to be less politically correct and pay more attention to the historical significance of the war.

However, Warner spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said yesterday the governor has no intention of issuing such proclamations — a decision that is fueling a decades-old debate surrounding Civil War holidays in Virginia, where most of the battles were fought.

“He won’t be doing that,” Miss Qualls said. “It causes too much uproar.”

Miss Qualls said Mr. Warner has commemorated Lee-Jackson Day because of its historical meaning. However, the governor will not issue any proclamations because people start picking apart anything they deem unfavorable to their side, she said.

Still, Mr. Warner’s decision not to issue proclamations has caused an uproar among the heritage groups.

“By trying to appease people and walk an in-between course, he ended up making everyone mad,” said Brag Bowling, commander of the Virginia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.

Mr. Bowling wants Mr. Warner to proclaim April as Confederate History Month. He said the governor’s support of Lee-Jackson Day only highlights the need to take the honor further.

“He thinks he is being safe and responsible but he’s angering a lot of people,” Mr. Bowling said.

Ralph R. Miller Jr., commander of the Maryland and Virginia Sons of Union Veterans, said Mr. Warner should issue a proclamation for a Civil War Month or to honor Union soldiers.

“Warner is following the lead of the politically correct people, who don’t want to expose the Civil War,” Mr. Miller said. “To take that education away from the people is wrong. We want the people to think more about it.”

The practice of issuing gubernatorial decrees about the Civil War or the Confederacy dates back at least to former Gov. L. Douglas Wilder’s term.

In 1990, Mr. Wilder, a Democrat, proclaimed April 7 to 15 the “Final Chapter of the Civil War Days,” recalling “those who sacrificed in this great struggle.” His document praised Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee, but it also lauded President Lincoln and Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant.

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