This historic decision was reached on South Carolina's first official celebration of Confederate Memorial Day.  The vote to remove the flag from the Capitol dome on July 1 and put up a similar flag on a Confederate soldier's memorial on the State house grounds, won by a narrow 63-56 margin shortly after 10pm. 

In demonstrations outside the statehouse, a handful of protesters burned a Confederate flag and a swastika during a midday recess, and someone spray-painted ``Take it down... don't put it here'' on the Confederate Soldiers' Monument where the flag would be moved. 

It was a contentious battle with people on both sides of the issue refusing to compromise.  Lawmakers argued over flying the flag for one day per year (Confederate Memorial Day), and even over how high the flag could fly at it's new home on the State house grounds (the Senate's version approved a 20ft flagpole and the House compromised on a 30ft flagpole).  Many people are unhappy with the compromise, and feel the debate is far from over.

It is a shame that the flag, originally intended to honor South Carolina's confederate veterans, has become such a rallying point.  "We are up here trying to bring people together," said Gov. Jim Hodges' spokesman, Morton Brilliant. "It's unfortunate that extremists on both sides of this issue are trying to drive people further apart."

"This monument perpetuates the memory of those who true to the instincts of their birth, faithful to the teachings of their fathers, constant in the love for the state, died in the performance of their duty...who have glorified a fallen cause by the simple manhood of their lives, the patient endurance of suffering, and the heroism of death...and who in the dark hours of imprisonment, in the hopelessness of the hospital, in the short sharp agony of the field, found support and consolation in the belief that at home they would not be forgotten."

--Inscription from the north side of the SC Confederate Soldier Monument, written by S.C. diplomat and historian, William Henry Trescot.

UPDATE: May 12, 2000 

• The White House is happy with the compromise reached by the SC legislature.  White House spokesman, Joe Lockhart, told reporters that "The people of South Carolina have come together and have found a way to work through this issue honorably.  It is a positive step and the political leaders of South Carolina who came together to find a way to do this should be applauded."
  
  

• The NAACP isn't satisfied with the compromise plan and will continue its tourism boycott of the State of SC.  The state president of the NAACP, James Galman, considers it only a "partial victory."  They feel that the flag's new location at the Confederate Memorial on the State House grounds is even more prominent than atop the Capitol building.  Senator Robert Ford, a lifelong member of the NAACP and a Charleston Democrat, disagrees with their dissatisfaction.   "They should be counting their blessings that their boycott helped us achieve this victory. Instead, they're pouting because they didn't get everything they wanted. It's childish, and it's not realistic. But after a while, I think they'll get over it."
  
  

• People from all over the nation are sending letters to the SC House of Representatives regarding the flag issue.  Over 24,000 were received the first weekend in May alone!  Men, women, children, grandparents...everyone appears to have an opinion
  Charleston Post & Courier