Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-05
THE MILITARY AT WORK.
ORGANIZING TO ADVANCE ITS
INTERESTS.

sonic Hall last night the initial steps
were taken in a movement which 1t is be-
lieved will result in securing important
legislation in behalf of the interests of the
volunteer military Of the entire state.
The movement was started some time ago.
A meeting of the commissioned officers
Of the First Volunteer Regiment, the Sa-
vannah Volunteer Guards Battalion, the
Chatham Artillery and the Georgia Hus-
sars was held last week to consider the pro-
nrietv of an organization Of the military
of Savannah into a post, with view TO
entering into correspondence with other
military organizations of the State, and
securing a concert Of action and measures
whereby beneficial legislation might be
obtained.
1t was deemed advisable that CON-
pIete State organization should be effect
ed as soon as possible. To further this an
organization Of the Savannah military
was believed to be the hrst
move. A committee was appointed to
report plan Of organization. n subse-
ouent meeting was held and the commit
toe completed its work. At this meeting
letters were read from the commandments
of military IN other parts OF the state
pIedging a cooperation in the movement,
and suggesting the prOpriety of calling a
state convention of the military to con-
slider its interests and devise means for
its advancement.
The meeting last night was mass
meeting Of the officers and members OF
the volunteer organizations of the city.
The hall was we'll filled.
COL. ANDERsON's ADDRESS.
UpOu motion Of Lieut.. Col. Garfard,
Col. c. W. Anderson was called to the
Chair. Col. Anderson thanked the as
semblage for the honor it conferred upon
him. and. in taking the Chair, explained
the object of the meeting, and
placed before il the purposes
sought to be accomplished, and which
had been discussed by the commissioned
officers in the deliberations. The meet
ing. he said. was not political meeting,
nor was it called in the interest of any
individual. The most conservative ele-
ment of the commonwealth should never
be dragged into the mire of politics. He
quoted the expression Of Gen. LawtOn,
the former commander of the First
Regiment. in his address before
the state Bar Association, and
bv il expressed his contempt for the OFF,
Ger or man who would use his Influence
or position in the military "as a spring
board from which to leap into political Of
fee" But the time has come, he said,
for the volunteer sOldiery to demand rec
ignition from the state. LAS soon as
there is the slightest disturbance ofthe
peace we are met with kid gloves and
cOurteOusly and cordially invited by the
State authorities to make a target
of ourselves. and as soon as the emergen-
cy has passed. the lawmakers of the
great State snub US and sneer at their
citizen volunteers with their ''fancy uni
forms. dress parades, holiday displays,
and fuss and feathers generally" 1t is
hard to say it, but it is nevertheless a
fact that Georgia, our grand old CON-
mOnwealth, who has always been
true 10 herself, who has never
been false to others. whose principles
have always been fearlessly and can
didlv proclaimed, whose actions have ever
been characterized by wisdom, justice,
and moderation. who hos always been
faithful to all the obligations she has ever
assumed. who has won pre-eminence of
glory and renOwn unsurpassed in the an
nails Of this country, who has ever traV-
eled the path blazed by honor and duty
Georgia, the grand old keystone State of
the South, is. by her action, crushing out
the military spirit, and with it the man.
hood of her sons.
GEORGIA'S NECESSITIES.
State Of the North. Seven years ago,
when red-handed communism was hold
ing high carnival IN the North, East and
West. and a bowling mob was laying
waste the great State of Pennsylvania, in
New York. with a worse element to con-
tend with, not a dollars worth of prop
erty was destroyed, not gun was fired off
or a lite lost. Why was this difference
in these two great States? Pennsylvania
g, i
not recognize the Importance Of fostering
its military organizations. New York
was annually apprOpriating from $3500OO
TO $500, OU9 for the maintenance Of her
| volunteers. and at that time she had 20,0 600
well equipped soldiers under her control,
marching under her flag and Obedient to
her orders.
AT that time, in one place alone in
| PENNSYLVANIA, there was 81 100000 worth
/ of property destroyed by the mob. The
state authorities were compelled to hui
initiate themselves by invoking the as
| sistance Of the General Government, in
| consequence Of her small and inefficient
fO.ce. What was the result of this? To-
dav PENNSYLVANIA IS the most generous
State in the Union to her volunteer force,
/ and has the best equipped volunteer sol
diery in the country. Can it be possible
that GEORGIA is waiting for repetition OF
| the fearful scenes-the tremendous loss OF
property and life like that at Pittsburg-
| to arouse it to its duty and sense of JUS
| tice to its volunteers? We are not asking
! for any large amount of money. We
simply want to be equipped and recOg-
nized.
with the public credit equaling that OF
| the national government. the State secu-
J rites equal in value 10 any in the CON-
mercial world. the floating debt almost
l vat GEORGIA * the only State
| in the country that cannot afford to appro-
pirate a dollar for the maintenance of her
volunteer forces, the palladium of its Sc
curity.'
FOSTER THE VOLUNTEERS.
ssThe gallant little State of South Caro-
lima. debt-ridden as she is, yearly makes
an appropriation for her volunteers,
has a well-Organized military bureau
with a salaried Adjutant General, and in
addition to this some years since made a
special appropriation for the military of
charleston. Our volunteer force to be
effective must be fOstered by the State,
for whose protection we are organized.
We ALWAYS respond promptly 10 any and
every call Of our State, whenever our aid
is invoked 10 vindicate her honor, pre-
serve her peace or maintain her dignity,
even if it involves the sacrifice of our
lives. and | trust and believe, fellow
soldiers. that the result of the meeting
will cause the volunteer force of Georgia,
from the mountains to the seabOard, to
iOin in its movement"
Col. Anderson concluded By referring
to tie encouragement he had received
from the military in other sections of the
state. The Governor placed himself on
record in Savannah last spring as to the
inheritance to the State of her volunteer
military organizations. Col. Anderson
has for thirteen years been faithfully at
work m the interests of State military, in
the state Military Board, Of which he was
\ member under Gov. Smiths administra-
on. in the military convention at Rome
five wears ago, and in season and out of
season he has been an advocate of its adj
yaucement and the promotion Of its effici-
ency.
ORGANIZING THE MoVESIENF.
Tho meeting then completed its Organi-
zatiop and upon motion Of Capt. W. w.
Gordon. Lieut.. John W. Wilson was elect
cd Secretary. The minutes of the meetings
hold bv the commissioned officers were
then read.
Col. Garrard was called upon for the
renort of the cOmmitte on Organiza-
ton. The time had come, he said,
when Georgia should promote more thor
oucblv and with greater zeal than il has
before the interests of its volunteer SOL
dierv. The General Assembly, he under
.--1 -. e,,Ifv- ornnounrpd nv tho QOnsti-