The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-03-25
THE BLUE AND THE GRAY.
A PLEASANT MEETING HELD IN
NEW YORK YESTERDAY
In the Interest OF the ex-Confederate
Soldiers Home To Be Erected at Aus
tin. Tex.-Gen. Joseph H. Stewart the
Principal Speaker.

New York, March 24.-There was a
meeting at the Academy Of Music tonight
under the auspices Of the New York Citi-
zens' Committee, in aid Of the National
Confederate Soldiers Home at Austin,
Tex. Gen. II. II. Barnum presided. Many
Grany Army men were in the audience.
including Gen. I. I. Chittenden and Gen.
Carl Schurz.
There were also numerous Confederate
veterans present. Maj. Joseph B. Stewart,
n OF the directors OF the home, was the
principal speaker. He said in part:
S~ectionalism is being fast obliterated
from the minds and hearts of men, and
the foemen Of twenty-five years ago now
march shoulder to shoulder in the strug-
giles OF civil conflict. The valor and
fortitude OF the Confederate dead is an
everything heritage, not OF the South,
but OF the entire Union. Both sides Of
the conflict were but fitting ex-
emplars Of the American soldier. We
rejoice that many thousands of Union
veterans are now upon the pension rolls
and about 5000 are maintained by the
Government in comfortable homes, and
at III annual aggregate expense Of about
500, 000, 900, and that they are honored
wards OF the nation. All honor to those
men and the Government that ~sustains
and upholds them with its bounty and
largely so by the votes OF Southern men
in the law-making power OF the country
1t is but fitting reward to them and q
...1,,Il. l.ea,,, 40 tha .sn,.Nh nf nt,H land
But what may be done for the hapless Con-
iederate soldier, who left an army and freely
shed his blood as q willing s~acrifice upon
the altar Of a country that had no sponsor
at its baptism among the nations OF the
earth, and which was destined TO sink like
some bright planet OF the heavens never
more to rise again? 1t might DO unwise-
and possibly n dangerous precedent-to
aid, at the public expense, those who
fought against the old flag, and tie
Southern men in both branches OF our
Congress have expressed disapproval OF
this policy. But may We not find sympa-
thetic hearts and generous hands TO aid us
with their bounty
TIE speaker went on TO say that for this
purpose the John b. Hood Camp OF Con-
federaie Veterans was chartered in the
State OF Texas. II was not their purpose
10 foster the anlmosities Of the past, but to
minister TO the wants OF their suffering
comrades. lie reviewed the establishment
Of the Confederate Soldiers Home at Aus
tin, Tex, and said it had been maintained
for more than two years by private charity.
After reviewing the great commercial pros
poets OF the South and its dependence upon
the North, the speaker referred 10 the negro
question. lie said: The freedom OF the
negro added untold blessings to their
former masters, though their Liberation at
first seemed TO be a cruel kind OF logic.
Yet, truly may II be said, that there was
never such a blessing in disguise TO the
white man as that which liberated the
negro race in the South. II freed the
master and the slave. The freeing OF
tho slave dignifed labor in the
South and taught the best lessons
Of reliance. From the first, sympa-
thy and welfare, the white man in the
South had become interested In education,
improvement and elevation OF the negro,
and imposed n tax upon himself TO edu-
ate and elevate his former slave. In the
problem before IL the States OF the South,
without interference by the General Gov
eminent, must be left TO solve the question
of local self-government. In the North,
the speaker said, the political conditions
Of the South were not understood-how
the giving OF the ballot 10 the negro
was regarded as a menace 10 property.
This was the cause Of party a%lignments,
and this had broken up the natural aililia-
tons Of the white voters.
Mai. Stewart concluded as follows: "And
while we would fight and die-yes, We
mean it-dio, II need be, 10 maintain tho
honor and integrity Of that grand old flag,
We will ovcr cherish the tendercst rccol-
~lections Of the Lost Cause and the flag
that was never destined 10 float among tho
embloms Of nations"