Upon the return of Mrs. Behan from the Richmond Convention of the C. S. M. A. to New Orleans, she had a personal interview with the Hon. Adolph Meyer, member of Congress from Louisiana, relative to the restoration of the name of Mr. Davis, and at this conference he accepted the position of official representative from the C. S. M. A. to the United States Government. As soon as Mr. Meyer went to Washington he brought the matter at once to the attention of the Hon. W. H. Taft, Secretary of War.
1907. Extract from the Minutes of the Convention of the
Confederated Southern Memorial Association,
Held in Richmond, Va., June, 1907.
After the adoption of the resolution, Mrs. Behan spoke of the "History of the Memorial Associations of the South," which, she said, she would like to recommend, saying that "it was the only compendium of the work of the Women of the Confederacy, 1861-65, and that every library should contain a copy." Mrs. Behan stated that the copies on hand would be sold for the benefit of the Jefferson Davis Monument, to be erected in New Orleans, and that the corner-stone of said monument would be laid on June 3, 1908. She also said that there was another subject which she would like to bring to the attention of the Convention, that it might be discussed and acted upon if agreeable to the members, and said:
Ladies, it is this: As you are aware there is, in Washington, D C, or just outside of the city, the Washington Aqueduct, known as 'Cabin John Bridge.' It is a wonderful piece of engineering skill, and was constructed under the supervision of Mr. Davis while he was Secretary of War—1853-1857—and his name was inscribed on the keystone of the bridge. In 1862, his name was ordered cut off by Hon. Caleb B. Smith, Secretary of the Interior, under the administration of Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States. The people of the South look upon this as an act of great injustice to Mr. Davis, and think the name should be restored.
"It seems to me that this is the time for us to take some action on this matter, with the hope that we may succeed in having the name restored on or before June 3, 1908."
