The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1884-04-10
THE CONFEDERATE HOME.
TIE NEW YORK MoveMENE
""'n"s'as'ic Meeting nj Cooper Institute
Last NiRht-Patriotic Music and Speeches
Corporal Tanner Presides.

people gathered In the large hall OF Coope
Union Tonight TO take part In the inaugu
IA, pubic ceremonies relating 10 the estal
Ishinent OF nome for disabled ex-Confcd
crate sold ers at Richmond. The platform
was neatly draped In American and foreig,
nags and banners and shi fields. and III
Dand played patriotic music at appropriate
times during the meeting. The opening
strains OF "Dixie" called forth loud np
plause.
Colonel james r. O'Beirne called th,
asseinblagc TO order. and named the well
known veteran. Corporal Tanner, OF Brook
iyn, az chairman Sin the forced absence O
our great captain, General Grant" ZAP
plause.1
Corporal Tanner, who had both Leg
shot away in battle, and walks on two
wooden legs, came forward amid cheers
and began his opening address by saying
that he was with the movement with hi:
heart and soul and from the crown Of his
head as far down as he went" lie did
not forget General Grants word to Gene
raj Lee at AppomattoX, when he said
to the great Confederate General to
tell his men to take their horses
home, as they would need them for the
spring ploughing, and then distributed
100000 rations among the defeated
army. Grant in this epitomized the
feeling OF every man who is willing to
give credit to those who have stood the
hard knocks Of the battlefield in cause
they believed to be just. The Corporal
went on: 81 have thought this thing over.
and sec that those OF the other side have
not the same pictures to look back on that
we have. The great majority went out
to fight for what they thought was
right just as we went out TO fight for
what we knew to be right. | know that
the old bitterness is dying ont. II we are
men we will sec to it that the suffer-
ers who differed with us will find out
that humanity still lives. Applause
France gathers up in honor the re-
mains OF its great men, whether they
fought for kingdom, empire, or republic.
We are bound to take up this thing and
carry it to n successful end. [Applause.l
We can do it. and we will" [Great APP
plause.l The speaker told how 1t was fire.
quently his mission TO go TO Washing
ton TO procure pensions for our soldiers,
and how southern members OF Congress
without exception were always TO be re-
lied upon for the support of such relief
measures for their old enemies. He said
that the building OF this asylum would be
another bond between the North and the
South.
Tanner told an anecdote OF little son OF
his and the child-daughter Of an ex-Con-
federate who lived next door to him. One
summer evening he and his friend were
sitting on the front porch, when the little
ones had taken up a position on the
picket-fence" in front. Presently a kiss
passed between the two youngsters.
"John," said the Corporal to his neigh
Dor, u guess the Union will be all right
in the next generation" Loud laughter
and applause.l
Major Quincy, OF Maryland, read letters
Of regret from several distinguished per-
sons. General Grant wrote: ~ am in
hearty sympathy with the movement, and
you can rely upon me for doing all can
in carrying ont the purpose OF the meeting.
promise support financially and other
wise"
General Hancock wrote "You have the
assurance OF my best wishes and efforts for
YOUR success in the accomplishment OF this
long-deierred benevolent enterprise"
General Benjamin II. Bristow said in his
letter that it was appropriate to hold such
a meeting in the house founded by true
philanthropist. and promised his support.
Senator Hawley, Rev. T. Dewitt Tai
mage, General G. II. Christensen, General
Sam. w. Crawford, c. p. Huntington,
General Roger A. Pryor, Generals 5. Will
cox and Lilly, and others, also wrote let
ters OF regret.
Then the chairman introduced General
John B. Gordon, one Of the inaugurators
= trb al
coined when he took the platform, and was
many times interrupted by applause.
General Gordon spoke as follows: Mr.
Chairman. Ladies, and Gentemen,-As an
ex-Confederate soldier, who surrendered
his arms and forces to Your great captain at
AppomattoX Courthouse, Virginia, greet
you tonight with pleasure, sincere
and profound. Nearly twenty years have
passed since the war ended, and it is fitting
on an occasion like this to recall few facts
connected with that conflict, which in its
last analysis was in no sense a conflict OF
forms Of government, but conflict Of
constructions. On one side at the South
were long entertained and inherited
theories OF constitutional construction;
patriotic ard0r born Of a spirit OF SELF
defence; devotion to ones own fireside,
people, and kindred, which is one OF the
most exalted OF virtues, and which lifts
by its intrinsic power the humblest soul
into life Of unselflsh heroism, and which
stretched across the southern border
Gordon OF Us brave breasts as were ever
faced to tie storm Of battle. On the side
of The North was the purpose to maintain
this Union; high, manly, infleXibe re-
solve that America should be the abiding
place OF but one great free republic. Two
grand motives inspired the Union SOL
diers, nerying them to high thoughts
and great achievements. These two
grand motives which throbbed through
every fibre OF the Union soldiers being,
and whispered in thrilling accents in the
hour OF battle, were the Indissolu-
bility OF the American Union and
the universally OF American freedom.
Both armies were patriotic; both were
republican and devoted to the prin-
ciples Of republican government. Both
were marshalled under constitutions which
incorporated all the great cardinal prlncl-
pies Of the equality Of States-habeaS cor
piS, trial by jury, freedom OF the press.
religious liberty, and the supremacy OF
central consttution-and there was not
moment during the conflict when either
army would have hesitated to put down
any attempt TO found n monarchy,
or an order OF nobility or privileged
priesthood, in this fair land, consecrated
by their common ancestry to freedom and
equal rights. Devotion to liberty-to
constitutional liberty-was the fountain
from which both drank in the inspiration
for the mighty conflict, and every soldier
who fell in the strife on either side turned
his death-pale face to Heayen-a glori-
Gus martyr for right, as he understood
it. Though foes in fact, they were
comrades at heart in the ultimate
purpose, and now they mean TO be
comrades in fact. The cause which
brings us here is worthy OF the men whose
beroism in the late war thrilled the world