The National tribune., 1882-07-01

| rules and regulations as to formally adopt, in
! regular Post meeting, a series OF resolutions,
not only criticiSing the action of member Of
Congress, but plcdging its comrades to oppose
| his denomination, and as a Post, furnishing
these resolutions, officially certified, to every
Post within the district. and to the public
press. The attempted justification that this
/ was not in violation of the rule prohibiting
nominations for office, and that the person
| named was not condemned " as Democrat or
| q Republican" or on any other party COnsid-
| eratious, was, with strange Inconsistency, sup
ported by the declaration that some OF his
| Communications of persons to Office did not pos
! sess tho poor qualification of party loyalty"
| While, as defenders of the Union. we should be
| unworthy of ourselves, did we not earnestly
| stand by and support deserving veterans, for
NAL action of the Grand Army III the organized
form, in declared opposition to the "renOmina-
tion" of any candidate for office, which must
come through party conventions, cannx be
justified or defended, and I'M uriOus not only the
! handful of comrades participating i'll such mis-
taken effort, but proves of incalculable harm to
| the organization throughout the Union. In
| the West the Grand Army has been twelve
| long years in recovering from the nearly death
blow it received from interfering with political
nominations; no one Post must be permitted
to give it another, which might prove fatal
wound.
GRAND ARMY GATHERINGS.
Very many comrades have of late expressed
a desire that the meetings of the National En-
campment should be again arranged, as for
meriy, at the same place and time with some
of the leading army societies., large number
of our comrades are members also of these
| other organizations, and wish to attend both,
! without feeling the ability to bear the loss Of
! time and expenses of thus being present at
different times. l appreciate the feeling which
| led to the separation, but perhaps one such
l,TI
! numbers and Importance of the Grand Army,
there would be little fear of losing our identity,
! and if the proposition COmmends itself faVOra-
| bly, to you, committee might be appointed for
conference with other societies as to joint az
| rangemcntS for some future year.
The organization of Ladies Relief Corps and
Sons of Veterans has made considerable pro-
gresS in several Departments, and generally
met with enC0u agement from our comrades.
| While | believe we should keep our own orCani-
zation entirely distinct from direct alliance
with any other, we cannot afford but to well
come every association which promises to aid
in our great work, especially when composed
! Of the wives, sisters or sons of veterans. am,
! however, opposed now or hereafter TO opening
the doors of the Grani Army of the REPUBLIC
to any person whatever who was not himself
among the defenders of the Union against re-
| bcl(ion. No one, not even our sons, can appre-
clate the memories Of camp and march, OF Djv-
ouaC and battle, as those who were participants
| therein /; the scenes of the great struggle can
never be to them what they are to u.s. and
while we encourage and welcome the organiza-
| ton of our sons in a society whose purposes are
! akin to ours let our own recruiting ranks be
| only those closed forever with the end of the
war, and when the last veteran shall receive
his final discharge from lifes army, let there
| close with him, except in its glorious record
and bright memory, the last scene in the life
! of the Grand rIDV al thp RpnuDlic.
THE DEATH ROLL.
The year now closing, while full of gladsome
! growth, has been sorrowfully eventful, and
! Memorial Day brought to our hearts and MEM
! Ories comminging with the tears of personal
! sorrow grief for the loss of illustriOuS leaders
! The list of our Past Commanders-in-Chief has
! been broken for the first time since the organi-
zation OF the Grand Army OF the Republic,
! and two hOnored names transferred from the
army of the living to the rolls OF the rapidly
| increasing hosts beyond. Comrade Stephen
| A.HuTlbut, who first held the office under our
| permanent organization, died on foreign shores,
! while in the civil service of the country whose
| integrity he loyalty defended amid the strife
/ of arms; brave soldier, his early service for
the Grand Army was Of that earnest, enthu-
site character, in those days OF small
ings," which entities him TO our grateful AID
ting remembrance. And yet another: Com
de Ambrose L. Burnside, third Commanders
Chief, and the earliest whose name still re-
aimed upon our list of membership answers
more to the roli-call in our annual Encamp-
tents Burnside! The loving and loved;
modest as brave; with the unaffected simplicity
| of childhood, the tenderness Of woman, the
! devotion of n lover; great-hearted, white
! souled chietiain-we weave our choicest chap
/ let to encircle the name written in golden let
! tcrS upon the everlasting tablets of our hearts
! And in all our land, through the weeks of
] st- rfr,tIy
! bowed at the bedside Of the stricken soldier
| President than of his old comrades in arms
! And when the end came, the veterans of the
! Republic felt that they rightfully stood within
the sorrowing circle Of relationship, bound by
| the comradeShip born of battle and cemented
! III cotlict for the higest veal Of man. Patriot
! scholar, soldier, statesman; the glory of Gar
fields life, the sweetness Of his memory, is a
part of the inheritance OF every soldier of the
! Union.
IN CONCLUSION.
should be alike unfaithful to the prompt
! ings Of duty and a grateful heart did | fail to
express to you, my comrades, my deep appre-
| cIatlOn OF your generous confidence in con-
| ferring upon me the distinguished honor of
this position, and for the unvarying courtesy
and kindness L have everywhere and at all
| times met; to your consideration and cordial
| cooperation is due the large measure of sue
| cess attending the years administration.
| shall return 10 the ranks with u deeper love
| for our Order, and a swift Willingness, | am
sure, to render in the future the best service
| in my power to the Grand Army of the Re-
! public.
The Grand Army is to-day the representa-
| tive organization of the soldiers and sailors of
| America; the one great association which in
| cludeS the veterans of every army and of all
ranks the men who followed the flag upon
| the land and who fought beneath ifs folds upon
! ht4 o.
creed; the officer who wore the well-won stars
OF a general and the private whose only badge
| OF distinction was in patriotic and faithful
service in the ranks-al upon the common
| level of C0mrddcS Of the Flag. With fraternity
which would bind in closer ties the veterans
who offered all that they possessed upon the
| altar OF country; with charity which would
| protect and care for the needy ones among all
| the Nations defenders, their wives and little
ones, and loyalty which would keep ever
| brightly burning that spirit of patriotism lead
| ing free people to rise,7in the majesty and
| might of 1861, to defend the unity of the Re-
| public and secure to generations yet unborn
government from, by, and for all the people:
let the success Of the past be but an inspiration
| to greater efforts in behalf of our organization
| in the future, and rest and sleep come not
| within our tents until every honerably dis
| charged soldier and sailor who merits our con-
! fdence, is enrolled in the Grand Army of the
Republic.
! How scarcely do we realize the sWftness of
! the dying years; that generation has been
| born and grown to manhood since peril to the
| Rpnublic first summoned her sons IN opaon and