The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-08-15
APPEALING FOR AID.
A Plea for the Manned and Disabled
Confederate Soldiers.

| 10 the FeOple OF 1eAaS'
Several years ago "The John B.
Hood Camp" of this city, inaugurated
a plan for establishing home for dis
abled, INDECENT ex-Confederate soldiers.
The philanthropic men who under
took the enterprise had many difficult
ties to encounter, but have accom-
plished a good work, and can point
with pride to beautiful home where
about thirty of the old heroes are
comfortably sheltered.
The present accommodations, how
ever, are not commensurate with the
demand, and hundreds of worthy APP
plcants, left in penury by the vicissi-
tudes of war and doomed to remain so
by physical disabilities, must be de-
MED admittance.
Travis county could easily care for
her own dependent soldiers, but the
object of this institution is to shield
from beggary and want all the brave
fellows whose prodigies of valor were
once the admiration of the world.
The state of Texas in 1861 called
her sons to arms, and without ques-
tioning the right or considering the
danger they promptly responded to the
call. For four years upon every con-
tested field her banners led the van of
battle, and her fve-pointed star was
always found among the dead and
wounded.
When the war was ended many of
these manned heroes returned to their
homes unable to care for themselves,
and have been buffetted from place to
place, whenever charity opened a door
or pity promised assistance.
No reasonable person would expect
one community to raise money suffi-
Gent to construct the necessary build
ings and furnish the necessary sup
plies for all the helpless ex-Confeder-
ates of our state, and it is but just and
fair that every town and county
should assume a pro-rata of expenses.
In presenting the claims of such an
enterprise, it requires neither logic nor
pathos to awaken sympathy in every
generous nature, and surely the "men
of gray" - "the knightliest throng
whereof the world holds record"-can-
not neglect the comrades who fell by
their sides as they marched through
that long night of sorrow and blood.
We who, when the morning
dawned, were lef4 unscarred by blade
or ball, will be unworthy the colors
we wore and the history we made if
now we fail to come up to the full
measure of soldiers highest duty.
Many posts of the Grand Army,
with a magnanimity unparalleled in
history, have made liberal contribu-
tions to this Confederate Home, and
words cannot express our gratitude to
those true and gallant soldiers, but
every impulse of manhood imposes
the sacred trust of caring for these I'M
fortunates upon the friends and COM
rades who shared their dangers and
know their worth.
The United States government dis
tributes millions of dollars annually
to those who enlisted in the north
ern army and who were injured by
the war.
The pension list numbers almost as
many men as ever followed the
standards of Grant and Sherman, and
we of the south, who contribute largely
to the fund, do not complain.
We Willingly provide for those who
swept with fire and sword the fairest
portions of our land and crushed with
iron hOofs our hopes of a nation; but
in mercy's name what have we done
for the men who barred their breasts
to the storm and went down before it?
Absolutely nothing.
Citizens of Texas reflect upon these
things and let the memories of COM
mon hopes and consecrated sorrows
that followed to the death the waning
fortunes of cause we loved--move
every gentle hearted woman, and every
chivalrOus man to join us in this
noble charity.
l.. S. Ross, Chairman,
Il. T. FILLMORE, Secretary,
R. M. SwEARINGEN,
JOHN B. RECTOR,
w. IL. HANDY,
N. G. SHELLEY,
X. B. DEBRAY,
HENRY E. SHELLEY,
w. G. WALSH,
J. ]. ToBIN,
A. p. WOODBRIDGE,
F. 7. ROCHE.