Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1867-07-04
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE
REPUBLIC.
Meeting Of the Ohio Encampment.

ONS<ADSSt y INV avs
At the semi-annual meeting of the
encampment of the Grand Army of
the Republic, department of Ohio,
Grand Commander General Thomas
L. Young presiding, and Captains ].
W. Watkins, of Cincinnati, and
Deuel., of Urbana, acting as secreta-
ries, large amount of business, OF
ne particular interest to those out
side of the organization, was trans
acted.
The following presmble and reso-
lutions were adopted:
WHEREAS, Loyalty and fealty to
the United States should be the only
test we, as soldiers, should require;
therefore,
RESOLVED, That we use our ener-
gies to procure suffrage for all hon.
orably discharged soldiers, irrespec-
tive of color.
Resotued, That the members of
the Grand Army of the Republic of
the department of Ohio. now in con-
vention assembled at Columbus, hav-
ing fought for the suppression of the
rebellion, and for maintaining the
unity and integrity of our republic,
and having watched with intense So
licitude the peculiar trials to which
Major General P. H. Sheridan has
been subjected as a soldier and COM
mander, while laboring for the re-
organization of the elements in his
department, which are controlled by
the passions and prejudices engen-
dered by the war, extend to him our
unqualified Endorsement of every
order he has issued, our congratu-
lations for the tenacity and courage
he has displayed, to remind him that
we are in line determined to sustain
him, as we will sustain all patriots
in the glorious work of reconstruc-
ton, and that armed with the ballot,
we will labor for the success of the
plan of reconstruction adopted by
congress while there is an unrepent-
ant rebel in the field to oppose us.
RESOLVED, That We request our
senators and representative in con-
gress at the July session, to pass a
law defining definitely who shall be
considered deserters under the law,
and releasing from the odium of de-
sertion, all soldiers who left the
service after the end of the war, sup
posing that their term of service had
expired, because the language of en-
listment was "for three years or dur
ing the war;" and authorizing the
secretary of war to issue honorable
discharges to all such soldiers.
Z Resolved, That we recommend to
the soldiers, our late comrades in
arms, who have placed their claims
in the Ohio agency at Washington,
to withhold any and all additional
powers of attorney from j. c. Wet
more, claim agent, to collect their
claims now in his hands, as state
agent, because the state has provided
for collection of the same, and will
collect them without any compensa-
tion, and we respectfully call the at
tention of Governor Cox to these
claims. and recommend his attention
and his care of the same.
Resolued, That the next semi
annual meeting of the Grand Army,
for this department, be held in Gin
cinnati.
The second resolution was to be
forwarded to General Sheridan, in
the form of an address.
A resolution was also adopted re-
commencing the Republic, published
in this city, to the patronage Of mem
bers of the organization.
Attendance was very large, and
the proceedings were exceedingly
harmonious. Full and interesting
reports were received from various
posts, which evinced the great eff
cheney and activity of the order.
The number of encampments now
in the state, is two hundred and
twenty.
This evening there was a social
reunion of old comrades in arms
A good time was the result Special
dispatch to the Cincinnati Gazette,