The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-12-13
THE TIE THAT BINDS.
What True Fraternity Ts--The vital Force OF the
Grand Army.


What Trne Fraternity Ts-Tke vital Force OF the
Grand Army.
III.
Without the cornerstone of Fraternity the
Grand Army would be shern of its beauty and
strength, and could not long exist 1t is
principle that carries rs back twenty years and
even reaches into the dust and bones of the
dead. 1t is an invisible chord that links the
living, throbbing, heart to the graves of the
dead heroes, and beautifes and makes holy and
sacred the memories of the past. We live again
in the thoughts of the precious comrades who
fought and fell by our side in the days long
ago. Tie sacrifice and martyrdom of the dead,
and the memory Of their devotion, bind the
living Gordon who wore the blue more firmly
together. Nothing SO rivets the tender ties of
Fraternity as recalling the heroism, chivalry
and daring of a loved comrade who fell at Shi-
lob, Gettysburg, Chiekamauga, or upon some
other far-faned field. The consciousness that
if we may not live longer, we may each live
more happily If fraternal and faithful, makes
the heart warmer, the hand -olasp closer and the
eye brighter, while the soul girds on its armor
to meet the cares of the world Fraternity
makes comrades and friends OF the survivors of
the war no matter what the occasion of meet
ing. 1t is of small consequence whether they
were IN the same company, regiment. brigade,
or corps, or even in the same army; the fact
that they wore the blue and fought for the flag
is quite enough to create an enduring bond of
esteem and affection
This sentiment of Fraternity enlivens the
Post room, the social circle, the Reunion and
the Campfire. A member of the Grand Army
is at home in Post room the moment he makes
himself known. Be the Post ever so distant
| from his own, he is recognized at once as q
comrade and brother. Every comrade who
has travelled to any extent viii bear witness
that the social feature of Fraternity makes a
journey round Of JOY and its incidents imper-
ishable in the memory.
The Post is at home for an evening 1t in
yites comrades and friends to join in the fes-
tivities- to partake of the beans and the SOW
bosom, and wash them down with cup of the
old-fashioned coffee. And then comes the story
and Renaissance of the days gone by, and the
gray and grizzled veterans are once more boys
again. They reck not that the hair is white, the
step feeble, the limbs heavy with pain and
weariness; the heart is as light and full Of hope
and youth as in campaigning days.
| But, besides all this, the true exercise OF
| Fraternity involves mutual fidelity to all COM
! rades in the ranks Of the Grand army. II
means help and counsel in trouble, in attic
/ ton, in veal or woe, and the most answering
devotion in all the trials of life Not only
should we tender sympathy to the needy, Ill
used and afflicted comrade, but we should, to
| the full measure of our ability, give him prac-
teal aid and help, and never, never abandon
him while hope remains-and when that is
gone, it is then that Fraternity shines the
brightest. 1t i'll becomes a member of the
Grand Army to speak i'll of cornrade, or cher
!! ish uRkind thoughts towards a felloW-soldier
and all malice, envy and pickering should BIZ
/ put aside as unworthy true comrade, in this
full meaning Of the term. All men are prone
/ to imbibe pTejudices and be moved by envious
feelings, but comrades of the Grand Army
should strive to be just and true to each other
in all eases. They should stand by brother
soldier though the whole world assail him. II
| view of the vindietive attacks which are con
| stantly being made on our veterans by unscru
pulous politicians and an equally unscrupulou.
press, it is irnperatigeiy the duty of the mem
bers Of the Grand Army TO maintain sole
and unbroken line, and prove by their fideiit.
to each other that their coInradeship is as rea
and potential as in the darkest hours of tn,
rebellion. If they viii but stand thus shoulde
to shoulder, naught shall prevail against them
In matters of business, in sickness in the hou
of death, in all the changing scenes of life. tn
members Of the Grand Army should be aler
with helpful hands TO meet the demands o
Fraternity. In sickness they should wait OF
the afflicted comrade and aid the sorrowin
family, cheer the respondent veteran, sooth
his pain, and console him with the assuranc
that should he be called to answer the last roll
call, his wife and children viii become th
wards of the Order. YEA should the nation h
risked his life to save forsake the helpless wild
or and the weeping orphans the loving, fra
ternal, protecting arms of the Grand Arm
viii always be around them. Fraternity, il
deed, implies that the members Of the Orde
everywhere should be united in word, though
and deed When the world assails, let til
words but be the warmer and the hand-cias
the stronger! Let us stamp out all unworth
thoughts and unjust actions, and in all orr +,
lations as comrades be as true and loyal TO on
. another as We were in the days when our live
r depended on our fealty!
i Upon the disqualification of Fraternity mu
rest the perpetuity of the Order and the perfe
g realization of its mission.