The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-09-10
I0RRANCE'S LETTER
! And The RESPONSE
Generous Evidences Appreciation the Magnanmous Proposal That
Union Veterans Help to House Their but
Now Needy and Suffering F riends

The appeal of the commando in chief
OF the Grand Army of the Republic in be-
half of the Confederate veterans home at
Mountain Creek, Alabama, reached the
pubic and the Grand. Army posts about a
week ago. The response is already very
generous and gratifying. T. h 9 j ur n a
IS to-day In receipt of the following letter
from Colonel Falkner chairman Of the
committee on ways and means and the
building committee of the Mountain Creek
nome, In behalf of which Judge Torrance
made his appeal: =
veterans, desire to thank you most
heartily for the noble, patriotic, magnani-
nous sentiments contained in your edi-
tor1al OF few days ago, with reference to
the letter written by General Torrance to
the members of the Grand Army of the
Republic in behalf of the Confederate
Veterans home which is now being con-
structed at Mountain Creek. Alabama.
l have read with much pleasure the edi-
torial comments of all the northern papers
that have reached me, but do not hest
tate to say that have never read any
thing from any pen that was more emf
nently calculated to bring about thai
universal brotherhood" for which al
patriotic Christian men and women pray
torrance will, in my opinion, endear him
to every ex-Confederate soldier, and the
substantial aid which will result there
from Will insure the success of our efforts
to make brighter and happier the de-
Ginning days Of many brave old soldiers
who are unable to provide for themselves
the necessities of life.
Very truly yours.
. J. NJ Falkner, ,
CHAIRMAN committee on ways and means
and building committee. f
Judge Torrance is also in receipt of {
letter from Colonel Falkner, from which
the following Is an extract:
i desire to say that words are wholly
inadequate to express my qualification
and appreciation. know of nothing thai
has ever been said or done that has sc
stirred the hearts Of the old ex- confeder-
ate soldiers who were fortunate enough
| to meet you when you were here, as you,
noble and kind words in that letter.
In the years that have passed and gone
since the trouble between the north anc
south was ended, we have often hearc
expressions in reference to ''bridging The
| chasnl' that separated the two sections
but | believe that if there was any such
| chasn, after the memorable words of thu
universally, beloved William Mckinley
| our martyred president, you, by your no
| Bile and patriotic address to the Crane
! Army of the Republic, have filed up tina
chasm, and no trace of it remains.
We are indeed brethren. We have
| common country, a common ancestry,
| common flag, and a common destiny
| Whatever else was taught as a result O
| the war, there is one lesson that has beer
given to the world, and that is that tn
people both Of the north and south know
! how to, protect the flag of their country
and are just as willing to do it as an
people on earth. If such evidence wa
needed the acts Of some Of our southern
boys in the recent, war between thi
i country and Spain would dem
onstrate very clearly that the honor an,
integrity Of this nation could be Just a
i safely entrusted in their, hands as. tina
Of any: other class Of pTr Citizens. p
i \. A man who would undertake to depre
! ciate the valor of the soldiers on eithe
4 side in the war of '61-5 would demonstrat
II his utter want Of knowledge of facts. !
4 took the resistance Of one to develop tn
Il heroism of the other and whatever his
: tory was thus made is now common his
u tory, and will be treasured by the gen
q erations to GOMEZ The real soldiers Of tn
war fought their battles between 1861 an
Z 1855, and since that time I have neve
!, known of any but the very best Of feel
ings between them whenever they cam
Il together.
II AS some evidence of the good feelin
: existing between those who wore the blu
i and those who wore the grey, at Mont
gomery, only a short while before you
:, visit here, A. T. Duff, an old union sol
der who had lived among us for a mum
? Der Of years, had the misfortune Will
3 following his occupation Chat Of hous
e painting), to fall from a ladder, and b
e received injuries from which he finall
! died. From the time he was injured unit
Y his death he was tenderly nursed by e2
Confederate soldiers, and after his deaf
0 he was carried to his tomb by some {
: those same men, who fired a salute owe
E his grave.
f However, there is a grave differenc
between the condition Of the boys WI
wore the grey and those who wore tt
! blue. When we laid down our arms "
returned to almost desolate home, ar
we had to practically commence life ov'
again. We were confronted with e1
tirely new conditions; the treasures
our states were empty, and every do
lar paid as taxes by our people VIZ
a privation, as it was needed at home
supply the necessaries of life. Our stat
were wholly unable to make any adequa
d provisions for the disabled and indigel
Confederate soldiers, and hence all SUE
o were either cared for by their relativ
e or friends, or were compelled to Ell
|, out a miserable existence in attempting
g provide for their own wants. Gradual
n many Of these men who were unable
a care for themselves found their way in
/ the "poorhouses'' provided in the diffe
d ent counties in which they lived, and t
If day there are nearly, if not quite, 100 e.
Is Confederate soldiers in the "poorhouse
e in the different counties Of Alabama.
e Is to relieve these and others of a sirnil
Y, class who are wholly unable to provide +
e themselves that I and those associat
I. with me are trying to build a home
W Mountain Creek, Ala. =. So '..-.... ...- ~
,e For your magnanimous action in tt
le matter you will have the eternal gratitu
e of the ex-Confederate SOLDIERS Of AL
t, bama, and wish I had language in viii
IS to adequately express their thanks to "
N and to those who have and will respond
st your nable appeal for assistance in tt
l. cause. - .-ss'.. - 49,.
- From Other Letters.
For further proof that the commando
: in-chief's letter has met with genera
re response in the hearts Of his conrad
> Of the G. "A. r., and has touched with
j. magnanirnity the deepest feelings of t
le old soldiers of the confederacy, one /
T. only to read the letters which swell
m mail of Judge Torrance these days. 7
8, extracts below are from a few of tn,
is letters ls{
Is James O'Donnell, Chicago, Junior v
IN Commander, writes: ALLOW me to ct
or graduate you on that letter It was re