The news & observer., 1897-11-21
REPORT TO CONFED-
ERATE VETERANS


aauested to publish the following report
TO the Conferedate Veterans Association
by Secretary benson:
Raleigh. n. c., Oct. 20, 1897.
To the President and members of the
Confederate Veteran Association of
North Carolina:
sGentlemen: In accordance with con-
stitutional requirement., the following re-
port is respectfully submitted:
During the year that has swiftly pass
ed. bearing us by another mile-post on
the journey to rejoin the vast army Of
our comrades that have ''passed over the
river" it is a subject of congratulation
that it has been marked by great mani
festation of interest in the glorious past,
80 dear to our hearts.
Camps Of Confederate veterans have
multiplied in North Carolina, and new
new brigades have been organized. Re-
unions have taken place, for the first
time OF some of the hon
ored regiments and battallons
once so formidable in battle,
now arrayed side by side in the advance
ment of their mother State. In other
localities, fresh life and spirit have
animated these gatherings, as brethren
of the old camp-fi es touched elbows once
more.
With the gen rous aid of the noble
women OF the Memorial and Monument
al associations, and the help Of our fell
iow-soIdier Charles B. Rouss, the dead
of North Carolina at Winchester have
had their resting places marked for all
time
The truth Of history has been jealous
~ guarded for the future, by the action
OF the bodies that have insisted upon the
recognition in our schools Of such text
books as reject the distorted views OF the
Federal constitution, and the popular
fables taught in some sections, for the
solemn veTt.es of history. Yet we ask
no favors Of sectional authors, upon
the Southern side. The veteran Of the
war between the States, who drew his
sword for the defence OF his home and
his rights, may rest calmly upon the
verdict of the simple truth:-for, the
eternal years Of God are hers"
But while we honor ourselves in hon.
oring our dead, we are not to forget our
duties to those of our brethren whose
illness and wounds have so burdened
them by the wayside, that there is no
refuge. but the help of their fellow
C1tiIeIS anu IcuON-SotuiSTs.
The North Carolina Soldiers Home
will ever remain a monument to its
patriotic founder, whose self-sacrifcing
devotion is still given to it's needs, and
whose heart and life are ever at its
command. Gradually improvements
have been introduced there--its grounds
beautifed-its gardens extended-its ad-
vantages increased. This year witness
ed the conservation to divine service Of a
beautiful and commodious chapel, erect
ed through the legacy of the late Mrs.
e. G. Reade, with the aid of Col. ]. S.
Carr and other friends. The number
now enrolled is 81; the average attend
ance 60 to 20. The appropriation is only
$500. Yet these are almost all sick
men, practically. To provide for four
times this number Of insane, $4,000 is
freely given.
Yet North Carolina, in special sense,
IL bound to the support of her wounded
and invalid soldier. She pledged her.
self, in this very building, in the days
of 1861, when she commanded them to
leave the plough and the workshop, and
20 to the battle front;-that she would
care for them and their loved ones-she
would let no man suffer in the years to
come, who barred his breast for her.
Now, men and brethren, has that
promise been fulfilled? Let the trump
Of fame answer for the plough boys
transformed to heroes;-has she done her
part in return? When shall the lath
and plaster summer houses of the Home
be replaced by brick cottages? How
long are we willing to see the death
rate there, twelve per annum;-one every
month out Of that scanty number, gath
cred to the clay?
What have our sister States OF the
South done? Your secretary has corre-
sponded with the several State authori-
ties, in order to present the facts to
the General Assembly, in the report of
the secretary to the Board Of Public
Charities. As perhaps few are familiar
with this information, it is repeated
here:
''The Soldiers Home Of Virginia was
bought, paid for, and equipped by r. e.
Lee Camp Confederate Veterans, Of
Richmond, Va, and for two years sup
ported by their private funds. In 1892,
. contract was made, whereby the State
of Virginia was to appropriate $4,000
annually for the support of two hundred
veterans for % years, and then the pro-
perty was to belong to the State. In
eight years, the State appropriated
S173,SO5, and Lee Camp and their
friends donated $149, 500. In addition to
$4,000 in 1S94-'95, the amount Of 81 ,216
was raised from private donations. As
the number has now run up to 235. the
sum of $4,000 annually has been asked
from the State. The cost per capita
for 1895 was $125.5O. This compares
with the per capita cost of National
Homes. In u. S. veterans as follows:
the lowest is Hampton, Va, largely for
eolored troops), $119.26, varying to
$137.46 at Milwaukee, Wis; the Massa-
ehusetts State Home at Chelsea reach
ing the sum Of $4,000 per capita. 1t
should be noted that the United States
institutions are for large bodies Of men,
ten times the number of ours, and the
per capita cost would be greatly larger,
IL for an equal number.
The State of Tennessee has 63C Dpn.