The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-02-15
Grand Army Of the Republic.


such country.
Grand Army Of the Republic.
There having been much discus.
sion as to the aims and objects OF
the new military ORDER "The Grand
Army of the Republic," we copy
from the Washington Great Republic,
the organ of the brotherhood, tile
following extracts from an address
delivered by Capt. NJ. L. Essick, at
Rochester, Indiana, at Soldiers
Festival: ....... ....
On the Goth day of November last,
the convention assembled at the city
of Indianapolis, aud there in the sec.
ond article OF her constitution, set
forth the objects of the Encampment,
which are us follows:
/. The preservation of those kind
and fraternhl feelings which have
bound togerher with the strong cords
of affection and love, the soldiers
and sailors who have stood together
in many battles, sieges, engagements
and marches. .... ..l-s ..e...
2. To make these ties available in
works and results of kindness, of fa
vor and material aid to those in need
Of assistance. r. .. ..a ......
3. To make provision, where i,
is not already done, for the support
care, and education of soldiers and
sailors orphans. and; for the mainte
nance of the widows of deceased sol
diers and sailors. .l .y.f r..
!. For the protection and assis
tancc of disabled soldiers and sal
| lors.
3. For the establishment and dc
Tense of their rights, with a view to
inculcate a proper appreciation oj
their service to their country. .,.
- -.
8. The maintenance of true ale
glance TO the United States of Amer
ica, and discountenance everything
which incites insurrection or treaso on
or impairs the permsnency of oul
Tree institutions. = -
These are the results hoped to ID,
accomplished by the efficient work
ings OF our Order. .HosIJmi sti.
would ask in all candor for the
4 good Of q generous cause and bes
interest Of the organization, is ther,
one sentence in these noble resolves
coming as they do, from warn
lopen- hearted, and brave baud o.
brothers, that any one, the inveteratt
enemies OF our country and the per
sistent and malignant hater of the
soldiers excepted, can condemn OF
take the least exceptions to2 VIVA,
association could he more glorious
than this, its object mercy, respect
and humanityp None whatever
composed, as it is, exclusively OF sol
dicrs, tho greater portion OF whom
Tor four long years of war, even from
the time the starry banner droppe,
in very shame from Sumter's batter
ed walls, till the shining flag of beau
by floated in exultant victory from
the confederate capital at Richmond,
placed there by the heroes in the
strife.
They were bound together by the
same oath of fidelity and allegiance,
were together on their long wearie,l
marches; waded the same swollen
streams in the winter, spring and
fall; slept on the same battle! fields,
on the same frozen ground, with
nothing on which to lay their aching
heads save alone their trusty guns,
and with no covering toprotect them
from the chilling, freezing blasts OF
winter, which were their only lula.
tbys; charging the cnemy's deep
CLOSED bristllng phalanx, and then
again, like warrior men receiving
their fierce and obstinate on slaughts,
with deep, gloomy, and foreboding
sadness. beholding their dearest
friends mown down by grape and
canister, shot and shell, baptized on
mountain, in valley, and on open
plain by the blood of patriot com.
rades.
Christened by these scenes of most
lholy baptism. united and linked TO.
gether by thrilling associations and
the most binding obligations of all
fraternal gratitude, such an associa,
ton or such an Order as this of ours
could not have been prevented. The
natural feelings and instincts of the
human heart alone would have die
tatcd it. a n