Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1890-09-04
Ex-CONFEDERATE HOME.
"A Soldiers Plea for the Estab.
Hshment of the Proposed
Institution for Disabled
Ex-Confederates.

Institution for Disabled
Ex-Confederates.
The following is an impromptu
speech made by Hon. w. II. Ken
nan, OF this city at Lake Park,
during the Ex-Confederate Reun-
ion at Nevada, Mo-, on the Goth
day of August, 1890, which will
appear in the proceedings of the
Eighth Annual Reunion of the
Ex-Confederate Association of Mis-
sou,i, held at Nevada:
COMRADES: 1 scarcely know in
what terms to address you. l
came here without any anticipa-
ton or expectation of making a
speech in behalf of the Ex-Confed-
crate Home of Missouri. If l
should not know gracefully how to
make my acknowledgements to
you for this honor you have con-
ferred upon me by asking me to
address you on this most impor-
tant matter, l trust you will take
the assurance of a plain and unas-
Stunning native Mlssourian and ex-
Confederate soldier, that I thank
you from the bottom of my heart for
this manifestation Of your respect
for me.
1t gives Inc great pleasure to
look into this multitude of intelli-
gent upturned faces-the faces of
soldiers who, as soldiers, were as
brave and as enduring as the col
umns led by Napoleon into the
sunny, fowery land of Italy who
never there suffered defeat, and as
gallant and true as the army led by
the same invincible dashing spirit
over and across the bleak and bar
rem mountains of Russia into Mos
cow, where whom only fire
and the turbulent elements could
defeat.
Since your surrender you have,
in the civil pursuits of lite, exhib-
tied that same aggressive spirit
which, perceptlbly, characterized
you, and made you the acknowl.
edged best and truest soldiers OF
your age.
The God of nature, aided by
your indomitable energy, skill and
perseverance,, has blessed the
greater portion of you with a good
ly portion of this worlds goods
unfortunately there is a small por-
tion of our number who, by dis.
ease, accident and other causes, are
unable to care for themselves.
Our better natures call upon US in
tones to which we cannot turn q
deaf ear. It is our bouHden duty
as true ex-soidiers, citizens and
Christians, to give cheerfully and
uncomplainingly a moiety of this
worlds goods, with which God, in
his infinite mercy, has blessed US,
and use all of our best energies and
pursuasions to cause others to give
bountlfully, in order to establish
and maintain a Home for the un.
fortunate and disabled portion ol
our comrades. I make this appeal
to you as an ex-private Confederate
soldier; one who stood shoulder te
shoulder with you, and carried his
musket at Fright shoulder shift
and took the "route step" with yor
poorly clad and still poorer fed or
the long weary and fatiguine
march and paced on the sentine
beat with you beneath the ''keer
full moon" and the bright anc
shining stars of Heaven, wher
naught could be heard save ths
|quiet, deep-breathing sound of the
brave, tired soldier as he lay
dreaming of home and battles
fought, and the hourly outcry Of
"AIl is we'll" from neighborint
posts.
| The question is: Will you re
spond to this appeal2 Will you g
home and organize ex-Contederat'
County Associations in your variou
counties, and appeal to the goot
people of your several localities il
this populous, rich and fertil
IState, and ask them to aid you j,
this highly laudable and charlta
BILE cause? All who will agree t.
this will please hold up thei
hands. (Then the speaker pause
and a great number of hands wen
lup, signifying that they woul'
faithfully carry out the request @
the speaker.)
You, as tried and true soldiers
know that you never began to Wi
victories until you we're thorough
organized and officered; SO it Is il
, this very important matter to thes
poor unfortunates of our number il
! soliciting and collecting for tn
| Ex-Confederate Home. You cal
: accomplish practically nothing 70
: the Home until you organize-ol
, ganize with q president of you
county association and VICE
{ president in every township il
= your counties /; make permaner
, organizations and at the head {