The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-10-03
Homes for Ex-Confederates.
From the New York Telegram.1

49," ''ih iNifS uHi'
y Telegram representative called up
On Gen j. Madison Drake, the COM
mander Of the Veteran Zouaves, Of
Elizabeth, n. j., at his Office in that
city today, in order to learn why the
organization which he commands had
decided to petition Congress to provide
n nome Tor in1igent ex.confederate sol
dicr"' n answer to the reporters in
curry, Gen. Drake said:
he Veteran Iouaves adopted the res.
o!uiion because their hearts have long
gone out to the brave and distressed ex-
soldiers OF the confederate service, many
of whom We know to be in INDECENT cir
.cun.tances. Several zouaves who re-
Gently returned from an extended visit
through the South found numbers of
cX.conlcdcrates without home or shelter,
and they determined to do what in their
power lay to ameiorate the condition of
those who once confronted them in bat
tie array. We have seen men who held
rlgh rank IN the confederate service, ap.
pointed by the government to various
positions, even called to the cabinet to
advise with the President, but we have
failed 10 see the more unfortunate ones
recognized or cared for in any way.
The Veteran Zouaves we're the first
Union soldiers to invite their confedc
rate brethren to the family table, and
tie welcome which we gave to Gen
Roger a. Pryor, Col. f S. Edwards
and other chictlains will never be for
gotten by those who participated in the
pleasures Of that beautiful October day. |
Since Appomatox, the men who did the
lighting during the war have been de-
sirous Of letting bygones be bygonos
The generous terms given to the magnif. |
iccnt Lee and his warriors of hundred
battles by the greatest generals of mod.
ern times caused 100000 of us to 90 to
Chicago in June, 1868, and nominate
our noble leader for the highest office
within the gift Of the nation, and we did
this because we had unLounded faith
that he would never allow the ex-con-
fedcrates to be imposed upon. But be-
tween the carpet-baggers who overran
the South, and ring of disreputablc
politicians at the South, the people of
that section were plundered and a debt
hcapcd upon them which it will take
long years to relieve themselves from.
Meanwhile many of the unfortunate
soldiers Of the South, very few Of whom
had any influence in organizing the
wicked war, are now in need, and the
Veteran Znuavcs, all of whom arc vet
Grams in the strictest sense of the word
feel it to be their duty to urge Congress
to do something to relieve their nccessi-
ties We believe that these men have
suffered enough through the folly of de-
signing men and that it is simply an act
Of justice for our government to pro-
vide a home for such of them as may
stand in need thcrcof-a place where all |
who wish to avail themselves of its
privileges may gather together in peace
and find the comforts OF which they
have so long been deprived. The brave
men thus provided for will then be ena.
bled to pass their few remaining days
in comparative comfort, and by it those
who are to follow will honor and Justify
the boneticcncc of n government which
is at all times prepared to punish its
enemies or care with iathcrly love for
It's penitent, hayward children. The
Veteran Zouaves confidently appeal to
their comrades Of the union army,
whose ranks arc fast thinning, to assist
in this laudable effort for when we
shall be summoned for roll call in that
great cncampment across the silent rv-
er, those we leave behind will remember
How ono wore the gray and the other the
blue;
How we passed away from the sight.
To 90 to the land where the gray and the
blue
Are merged in colors OF light