The National tribune., 1884-04-03


In another column, this week, will be
found a communication from Comrade
McGillicuddy, of Ohio, in regard to the
action of the Grand Army in response to
the appeal of R. E. Lee Camp, of Richmond,
Va, for aid in the establishment of home
for disabled Confederate veterans, which
certainly deserves serious attention. He
takes the ground that under the Rules and
Regulations of the Order, Posts have no
right to devote any portion of their funds 10
quotes decision of the Judge Advocate
General to the effect that If any Depart
ment in its Eaagnanimity, should wish to
aid ex-Confederate soldiers, it must be done
in the way of voluntary aid and from funds
outside of the general or special funds of the
Order; in other words, by the voluntary
contribution of Individual members of the
G. A. RI
We are inclined to think that Comrade
McGillicuddy is right in this matter. There
is certainly nothing in the Rules and Regu-
lations which authorizes such diversion of
the funds of the Order from the legitimate
objects of its charity, while there are several
clauses that cannot be construed as other
wise than strictly prohibitory. Indeed, the
purpose of the Order, SO ar as the main
tanning of relief funds is concerned, is dis
tinctly limited to the assisting of such
former comrades as need help and protee-
tion," and as the conditions of membership
expressly exclude all persons who at any
time have borne arms against the United
States, by comrades" is clearly meant
those only who fought for the preservation
of the Union. TO account for this limita-
ton it is not necessary to assume that it
was prompted by a feeling of resentment
towards our late antagonists but simply by
the knowledge that to properly care for the
needy and disabled fits own number would
tax the resources Of the Order to the utmost
1t was foreseen by the founders of the Grand
Army that, as time went by and the infrm-
tiles of age bore more heavily upon our vet
Grams, it would have all it could possibly do
to meet the demands Of charity, and it was
for that reason that they imposed such re-
strictions on the use OF Post funds.
While, therefore, the spirit that has
prompted quite number of Posts in differ
ent sections to set aside and donate part
of their funds for the relief of Confederate
veterans, may be Of noble origin, it must be
admitted that IN making such use of their
funds, these Posts have exceeded their au-
thority and are amenable to discipline. It
is far from our purpose 10 cast discredit on
the efforts which the members of Lee Camp
are making to provide home for their dis
abled comrades but it seems to us that
before appealing TO the Grand Army
charged as it is with such heavy obligations
of its own-for help, they should have called
upon their own people to furnish the aid
required.%So far as we know, they have
made no attempt whatever to secure sub
scriptions in Atlanta, Charleston, Mobile,
New Orleans, or other Southern cities, to
which one would suppose they would natur-
J
which are certainly abundantly able to give
it, and under these circumstances it can
scarcely be said that they are justified in
appealing to outsiders for help. To say the
least, it shows lamentable lack of inde-
pendence and self-reliaDce-suc as our
own veterans would be very 10th to confess.
However, we are charitable enough to be-
liege that in coming to the North instead of
the South for aid. they do so because they
are convinced of the hopelessess OF making
any effort in the latter direction, and in so
far as it is possible for our comrades to lend
them assistance, without in any way saeri-
! ficing the interests of those who have still
stronger claims upon them, we trust they
viii do so. But it is as individuals only
that they should contribute, lest it should
become a cause of reproach to the Grand
Army that it is more solieitous for the vel
| fare of those who once fought to destroy the
| Union than of those who shed their blood
| to preserve it. We do not want it TO be
said of the Grand Army that it voted for
the support of Confederate veterans the
money that might better have been devoted
to the care, for instance, of disabled COM
rades and the widows and orphans of the
| dead.
The Cincinnati Riots.
No one, we feel sure, who reads the story
of the Cincinnati riots, can fail to be i'm
pressed with the fact that the outbreak was
in point of violence and length of duration
out of all proportion to the exciting cause