American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-11-02

the beck and call of somebody else'I
business. It is much more respect
able and certainly more independent
He appealed to the manly. proud
brave and strong men of the State
who had neither mt7ils nor settled
pursuits to adopt agriculture AS {
business, and concluded his address
by an appeal to the young men ofthe
State to labor earnestly and faithful
ly, never to dispair, and they to
night have the assurance that better
and happier days for them were in
the near future.
The q. A Ran Attempt By the Rad.
ical Leaders to use tae Organization
for Political Purposes a Protest by a
Member,
To the Editors of the Euqnirer:
The Grand Army of the Republic
was professedly organized for the
benefit of the soldiers of the country
who fought the battles during the re-
bellion, and for the purpose of taking
care of their widows and orphans
Professedly, It is an exclusively be-
nevolent organization, and not po-
litical one; and, in this belief, many
Democrats as well republicans, who
served in the Federal army, have be-
come members of it. AT any rate, it
was upon such representations, and
with the impression created by them,
that became member. | can not,
therefore, restrain my Indignation,
when / see the leaders of either of the
political parties attempting to use
our organization for their own pur-
poses; to make shoes of us at their
meetings, and pervert our order from
its original object to their own base
uses; because | know that such a
course, although it may for awhile
serve political object, will only end
in finally breaking up our order,
which processes to be organized for a
laudable purpose. Against this, as
an old soldier, soemnly enter my
protest.
The visit of General Logan to this
city was the occasion of just such an
attempt on the part of certain politi-
clans in this city to make Seats
paws" ofthe Grand Army of the Re.
public. But l am glad to say that it
was only partially successful, There
are four posts of the Grand Army of
the Republic IN this city, which were
induced to turn out to welcome Gen
eral Logan on his arrival as an old
comrade. The Fifth Ohio Legion
and German Veteran Association
were also invited by advertisement,
but did not attend. After they had
been induced to commit themselves
thus far in the matter, the political
thimble-riggers who were managing
the matter thought the balance was
easy. General Noyes made the re-
ception speech, which was replied to
by General Logan. After the recep-
tion speeches were over, Alex. Sands
and ID. w. @. Shockley then invited
all four posts to escort General Logan
to the Radical meetingon Sixth street,
where Logan was to make a pal tisan
speech. Portions of two of the posts
accepted the invitation, but the other
posts utterly refused to go, and did
not go, alleging that they had al
ready done enough in that line.
Now, if the Grand Army of the Re
public is to be thus used to swell
crowds at, or escort speakers to. eth
er Radical or Democratic meetings, |
it will soon lose its influence. not
only with the soldiers, but also with
the public, and the sooner the fact is /
known, and the false pretenses of the
politicians both in the order and out
Of it, are exposed, the better it will
be for the soldiers, who went into it
with pure purposes and benevolent
objects. For my part, am anxious
to keep it up and keep it free from
politics, and will, therefore, inform
all discharged soldiers in Cincinnati, !
that there are atleast two posts of the
Order in Cincinnatl.the Crook and
Lytle Encampments--where they will |
be received irrespective of politics, |
and where we want to have nothing
to do with politics.
MEMBER OF THE G.. A. II.