The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-15
G. A. R. AT LOUISVILLE.
CORDIAL MEETING BEfWEEH THE
Blue AND THE GRAF.
No Trouble With Runners and Negroes.
The Pecuniary Benefits Very
small-One Good Results

| this city, wrote 10 q personal ti1end OF
his in Louisville. who was not only a
distinguished Confederate officer. but
distinguished in civil life. a letter from
which we take the following:
Richmond, Va, August g. 1897.
THE LETTER OF INQUIRY.
"A scheme has been started here to in
| vite the Grand Army OF the Republic to
| visit Richmond in 1882 The promoters Of
| this plan are a young mems business
Organization, who say that II Will bring
very large sum or money, variously
estimated from one and half to two
millions OF dollars TO the city. and Louis
vile Is cited as a place which received
this benefit from the visitation or the
G. A. X. there.
ION the other hand, there is very strong
feeling against IL on the part OF the Con-
federates, who feel that Richmond will
be put In false position and that II VIII
be impossible for the people here TO give
the q. A. X. that reception TO Wnlch they
have been accustomed.
Moreover, IT Is said that the organiza-
ton carries with it large number OF
dsrepGtable bun mers. and negro SOL
diers, who would form very ooJecuon-
| able element to be in the city FOR even
| short time.
THE FACTS DESIRED.
II do not ask to involve you In tne
CoulToNeTSy, out w "A0H ~ H' 49,
facts OF the case:
"Our people are singularly divided,
some from whom / had expected no op-
position, but rather the contrary are
bitterly opposed, while others regard II
as a matter of duty to the city 10 get
all they can out of its historic renown.
please give me your views. fully, ana
as promptly as you conveniently can,
especially upon the negro and bummer
question, and the benefit TO be derlVed
from the grand ercampment.
THE REPLY.
To this the following reply was re-
feived; ., ara,
Louisville, KY, August II. 1897.
My Dear -:
have yours OF the sth;-The
movement to invite the G. a. H.
to Louisville was inaugurated by
few young men OF the Commercial CIuD;
Two or three OF them who were good
speakers would visit the State Encamp-
ments and get them committed TO vote
for Louisville and when the general con-
vention met they took Mr.. Henry WAITER
son, who was given an opportunity 10
address the executive body, with them'
and he carried the G.. A. R.'s by storm,
and the result was the organization voted
10 come to our city. The young men
who had inaugurated the movement soon
realized the magnitude or their under-
taking and were glad enough to turn
over 10 the business class the arrange
ments for their entertainment. The peo-
pie who really provided for the G. A. X.
during their visit TO Louisville were not
those who had invited them.
WENT TO WORK.
The fact IS that very few took any part
In having Louisville selected, but when
our people found that they were really
coming, they went to work in earnest TO
do the best they could to provide for
them. Several times the Executive Com
m.ttee that had charge of the arrange
ments became discouraged and discussed
the propriety OF requesting the command
CT Of the G. a. K. 10 select some other
place for the meeting. but 1t was finally
determined that this would not do since
the invitation had been extended ana ac-
cepted. The ex-Confederate element OF
our city came forward and offered 10
take an active part, and as the commit
tees were finally organized they were, in
fact, the controlling element In order
TO stir up a public interest in the coming
entertainment it was determined 10 hold
a public mass-meeting az one of our larg-
est halls and 10 invite the commander
in-chief Of the G.. a. r., with his stan,
TO be present.
This idea was carried out and proved
10 be q success. IL was participated in
by the people regardless OF politics. To
show you how true this was, the Confed-
crate Association Of this city selected me
TO make an address, as their representa-
tive, on that occasion, and they marched
in a body TO the meeting. In this way
the committees succeeded I'm stirring up
sufficient interest TO cary out their pro-
gramme.
THE AMOUNT EXPENDED.
I'VE raised about $4,000 in money, and
actually expended $4,000. do not think
there were over sixty or seventy thousand
ex-Federal soldiers who attended the re-
union, but II was estimated that during
the week there were not less than 21O,OOO
visitors TO the city. or course they were
not all present any one day, and by far
the greater portion Of them would come
I'm to Louisville on excursion trains In
the morning and go back in the yening.
OF the ex-Federals who paid their way
there were not more than enough 10
comfortably fiji the hotels and leading
boarding houses. The bulk OF the army
were provided free quarters and free ra-
lions IN our public school buildings. ware
houses, etc. OF course we naturally dis
cussed among ourselves the advantages
that the reunion had been to Louisville
Immediately after II was overland l
think that nine out OF every ten OF our
people would concur in the views l am
about TO express. ,.,,,,r,r,c, or,
NOT ANNOYED BY BUMMDRS OK
NEGROES
sIf You will leave out what was made
by the railroads and the leading hotels,
we do not think that there was enough
money spent in Louisville by the q. "A:
RS to repay the So, 900 which we spent
on their entertainment. But the city
was not annoyed either by bummers or
by negro soldiers. do not include among
bummers the needy ox-Federals that we
tooA care OF at the public expense. We
had been told beforehand that we might
EXPECT this, and we provided for them
accordingly, but they were well behaved
and we did what we could to make them
comfortable.
"It Is true that there were quite num-
Der OF negroes, but they were quartered
| In the negro settlements OF the city and
looked after by their own people, with
the pecuniary assistance rendered by the
committee. There was no insolence or
ANYTHING else from them TO cause any
one annoyance. on the contrary they
conducted themselves with propriety.
ONE GOOD RESULT.
Deo Tnsre expected pes Sl' his reunion in
louisville ana without which expectation
| / do not think the arrangement for the
| entertainment could have been carried
through, and that was to bring aDcut
p.tter feeling tween tho cN soldlirS
| OF the North and the South We think
our ECpes in this direction were fully real
a short time before the G. A. r. were
| TO come to Louisville the ex-Confederates
OF Chicago had unveiled monument 10
their dead. Quite a number OF the ex-
Confederates from Kentucky were pres
emit. The courtesies shown them on tnat
occasion BY the Columbia Post or the
G.. A. r. OF Chicago especially in which
some of the other ex-Federal orgablza-
tions participated, were so marked that
our people, upon their return, determined
10 show their appreciation OF II by for-
warding the arrangements for the q. A,
LII. h. lrllIIrlnhla ItnQf