The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1868-02-13
Grand Army Of the Republic

WE learn tllat there are
numberIof soldiers widows in
Vinton county in a starving
condition. As the Grand Army
of the Republic was organized
for the purpose Of assisting the
starving and crippled soldiers,
and soldiers widows we
Swohld call the attention of the
branch of the organization in
town to that natter Let the
q. A. r. stand by its principles
not dodge around or deny what
t'has pledged itself to do. We
think the q. "A. r. has falsified
its professions and placed itself
in the category of other secret
combinations known to be of a
strictly partisan and dangerous
character 1t processes to have
nothing to do with politics, but
some of its branches in the
cities have secretly nominated
Grant for President Perhaps
there are no starving widows
in the cities to care for. If that
is the case, then it has nothing
else to do but dive into politics.
The limb of the secret order
in this county ought to try its
hand in some way, and not let
soldiers widows starve to
death.-Enguirer.
If the above is an appeal for
charity, it is certainly from the
most impudent beggar we ever
heard tell OF. With what evi-
dent satisfaction he gloats over
the starving" widows; and how
savagely he pitches into the
"rear" Of the Grand Army be-
cause, forsooth, they do not re-
lieve all the suffering in the
world. We do not regard the
article above as an appeal for
charity; but we will take this
occasion to say that if the En-
quirer knows of any needy sol
diers' widows-we are satisfied
he knows ofnone who are "star-
ving"-he has only to report
them, and the Grand Army will
do all for them that is possible.
The Enquirer need not hesitate;
for they "do not aims before
men to be seen Of them;" but
~let not the right hand know
what the left hand doeth." p
When the editor of the En-
quirer comes with his names
he is respectfully requested to
be prepared to contribute his
mite; for none Of the members
of this post are rich men, and
all of them, while they believe
that is their duty to assist the
widows and orphans Of deceas-
ed soldiers, they believe it is
equally the duty Of every
American citizen. ia.. ...
But the Enquirer's whole ar
ticle is an attempt to cast slur
on the organization, and is in
harmony with the whole his
tory of the party that journal
represents. We hesitate to
make a reply, for we know that
a vast majority Of its members
consider such attacks beneath
their notice-that it does them
no harm, and they neither ask
nor expect the sympathy Of
or their allies. We deny
that it is a political organiza-
tion, and we but repeat what is
contained in the resolutions
passed by the State Conven-
tion, when we urge our Repub-
lican friends who expect Of it
great assistance in the coming
campaign, to place no depen-
dence in it as a political or
ganization. While we deny its
political features, we acknowl-
edge with pride and satisfac.
tion that nearly every member
of It's a Republican in politics.
1t gives us equal satisfaction
to record the fact that the same
is true of the Society of the
Army of the Cumberland, that
met in Cincinnati last week.
AS to the "secret" endorse
ment of GRANT, that the De-
discovered because it
was published to the world, we
will state that If simn1v ey-