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matured, and that as soon as practicable he would arrange to select a site on which to erect it.
This was made known to R. E. Lee Camp, Confederate Veterans, of Jacksonville, by telegraph the next day. That organization at once held a meeting and formally invited Mr. and Mrs. Hemming to visit Jacksonville as the giu-sts of the Camp.
The invitation was accepted, and a reception in their honor was held at the Everett Hotel. Notwithstanding the limited time for preparation and notification to the public, it was attended by sev- eral hundred prominent citizens, accompanied by their wives and daughters.
Commander Boyleston and Mr. D. U. Fletcher made addresses of welcome, to which Mr. Hemming responded.
A committee from the Camp, with prominent citizens, with Mr. Hemming, viewed several sites for the location of the monument, but Mr. Hemming deferred the selection of the site until he had reached his Texas home, from whence he wrote, deciding in favor of the centre of St. James Park, where for a long time a fine fountain stood.
It should be remembered that the monument is the gift jointly ol Mr. Hemming and his wife, who has been a zealous helpmate in his every worthy effort and noble plan. She was formerly Miss Lucy Key, of Brenham, 'Texas, where they were married in 1868.
From the incipiency of his plan, Mr. Hemming sought (he counsel and co-operation of R. E. Lee Camp, requesting the appointment of a .committee to adjust matters of detail, etc. The committee appointed were ex-Governor Francis P. Fleming, ex- Commander Chas. D. Towers, and Adjutant J. A. Erlow, Jr., who have in all things most happily acquitted themselves of their trust.
