San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-02-25
SALVATION ARMY ROW.
CIRCULAR LETTER OF COL. NIO0LL
TO THE ARMY.
BallingtOn Booth Retains the Support Of
the American Division and May
Lead Revolt Movement.

New YORK, Feb. 25.-Following
is the appeal issued by Col. Nicoll,
of the Salvation army, now being
sent through the country by mail
and wire to officers and members
Of the army:
at is with great anguish and a
deep sense Of the consequences in
volved that / have to confirm the
telegram concerning the lamenta-
BILE and deplorable resignation Of
your commanders. Their resigna-
ton was conveyed to the general
in a letter dated as far back as
January 81.
1.-THE reasons given for their
designations are alleged personal
differences of some months stand
ing with our beloved general, and
what will, l believe, cause your
intense surprise, lack of conf
dence in our national system of
administration.
GAS you will readily imagine,
this letter of resignation came
upon our leaders as a bolt from a
blue sky, The chief of the staff,
Mr.. Bramwell Booth, to whom the
letter had to be sent owing to the
generals absence in India, was
amazed beyond measure and the
other members of the generals
family within reach were crushed
with indescribable sorrow. That
such a step should be taken by any
territorial commander must be a
great grief, but the sorrow in this
case is intensified a hundred fold
by the fact that your commander
is one of the generals own children
and an officer whose long devotion
to the war and pledges of undying
and unflinching fidelity to our
glorious flag had given him more
than a warm place in the hearts of
his brother officers in all parts
of the world. Whatever may be
the final outcome of this
terrible step, am glad to be In a
position in the midst of this dark
hour to inform you that interna-
tional headquarters acted on the
first indication of the commanders
intention with rare consideration
of love and interest.
81 was at once dispatched from
headquarters to New York to con.
fer with your commander upon
the situation and to prevail upon
him to at least see his father before
persisting in his course. His
brother, Commandant Herbert
Booth, was also urged and
ordered to bring the pressure OF
filial regard to bear upon the COM
manders, as we'll as endeavor to
throw light upon his difficulties.
His sister, Field Commissioners
Eva Booth, who was In the midst
of her London farewell and the ar
rangements for the generals re-
turn, was likewise ordered to New
York with the God speed and pray
ers OF the international headquart-
ers.
"For days and nights these three
mediators employed every possible
argument, appeal and entreaty to
beseech the commanders to visit
England. Their efforts were ably
supported by long cablegrams
from the general and correspon-
dence from international head
quarters. But to our great aud
irreparable sorrow they failed and
the commanders retired last Fri
day morning from the direction OF
affairs.
GAS neither the commander nor
the field commissioner nor myself
possessed the power to accept your
commanders resignation. We at
once disowned responsibility for
the commanders step.
at lie needless for me to tell you,
dear comrades, that the whole cir
cumstances will at one become the
subject of investigation on the part
of international headquarters. The
action of the commanders, as we'll
as our own, will be brought before
the general and am authorized to
state that his verdict upon the
circumstances will be communf-
Gated to you In due course.
"One more word to you, the
general-and indeed the whole
army-relies upon you in this hour
of trial and / am sure the future
will show that among all the
countries OF the globe there are no
more faithful, devoted, reliable or
loyal officers and soldiers than
those who have carried the stars
and stripes into the very van OF
the world. Yours in bonds of sor-