Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-12-14

lOunu III Jne OlHClhl record OF Une pflncl-
pies and proceedings of this organization
If an official utterance can be found in the
line of Gen Palmers alleged charge nay,
more. if one can be found that is not ex-
acty the contrary, it has escaped my oh
servation Not to be tedious, | will give
some of the latest utterances. The pres
ent national commander. in chief, Major
Warner Of Kansas City, elected at the ma
tional encampment at Columbus last Sep
tember, upon assuming the duties of his of
fee, issued circular letter No. under date
of September cath, 1888, in which he said
Let it be understood that as in 1868
the politics or religion Of comrade was
not questioned that as then we did not
permit differences on these questions TO di-
vide us so it shall be now. Fraternity,
charity and loyalty is a platform good
enough for every survivor of the Union
army to stand upon. Standing upon that
platform, the spirit of true comradeship
protects a comrades sectarian and political
opinions from every adverse criticism. His
opinions on these questions he is entitled
to- With them his comrades have nothing
to do, save TO respect them and to protect
him in the free exercise of the same As
membeIs of the grandest civic organization
of the world let us one and all, hew to the
line. Let us practice what we preach.
Comrade Warmers predecessor rs com
mander- in chief, Judge Rea of Minneapo-
lis, under date of July 10Th, 1883, issued
general orders No. 8, as follows:
In view Of the period Of great political
excitement upon which the country is now
entering, the commander in chief deems it
his duty to call the attention of all com
rades to the following extract from the
rules and regulations
mo officer or comrade Of the Grand
Army Of the Republic shall. in any man
ner use this organization for partisan pur
poses, and no discussion Of partisan ques-
tons shall be permitted at any of its meet
| ings, nor shall any nomination for political
Office be made" Art xi., Chap. ..
The continued prosperity aud usefulness
of our fraternity depends upon the avoid
/ ance Of even Il suspicion that it can be used
| bv any person or in any locality for any
partisan purpose whatever. The members
of the organization, citizens of their
country have all the rights and are subject
to all the duties of citizenship. They have,
and should have, their political convictions
and party affiliations and their right to ad
vocate and proclaim them and to differ in
regard to them as they do, is in no wise
| questioned; but fidelity to the principles
of the organization and a due regard for
the efficiency aud welfare, urgently de.
IN md that any aud every violation Of the
letter or spirit Of the above cited rule
should he stu.liously avoided and promptly
condemned Comrades are reminded that
the uniform of the order should not he
worn at anv political gathering and they
are admonshed to discOuntenance the use
of all political badges or devices in any
way calculated to associate the Grand
Army of the Republic with any political
party or candidate. To the end that the
fraternal ties which now unite us may not
be impaired by partisan contentious, this
warning is promulgated and commanders
of departments and posts are directed to
supplement the same by all proper meth
| odds ~
| could give similar official expressions
back through the % years that the organi
zation has existed But this is not all The
rules and regulations prescribe what OF
fences shall be cognizable by the g. A. R. .,
and among them is this Disobedience of
the rules and regulations or of lawful or
ders." They also prescribe the method of
trial and the penalties, that it is within
the easy reach of any comrade however
humble, and without any expense TO him,
to have any member disciplined for any
disobedience of the rules and regulations
or lawful orders. This is IA common occur
renee in all the departments. | think the
people would be surprised to see the records
of these courts martial, as indicating the
spirit of comrades and their jealousy of in
fringement Of individual or comradeship
rights. A case came to me to pass upon
within year as Judge advocate general.
where member raised the question as to
the right to pass resolution, at a post
meeting, upon the subject of pension legis
lation, claiming it was in violation of the
above-quoted regulation,
As to Gen, Palmer, he has always been
a great fuvorite With the veterans of the
war especially in the West. He, perhaps,
stood next to Logan in this respect They
always recognized his great qualities as a
soldier and citizen, and they liked him per
sonally therefore, whenever he has been
a candidate for office heretofore, there hav
ing been no great question of government
policy involved, he has easily drawn tn,
soldier vote very largely, regardless oi
their political affiliations. But, as in tn,
case of political bosses generally, sooner OF
later, he overestimated his power this time
. There was to the mind of the veterans
something more than personal preference,
between men involved this year, A grea
many Of them who were Republicans voted
for Mr. Cleveland four years ago 1t is ,
common expression in the close states tina
the soldiers elected Cleveland. But they
were dissasis with him, not only by rea
son of his attitude on the pension question
but because they believed he had surren
dered, in admin istratiOn, to Southern die
tatiun. In the same spirit of independence
in which they supported him before, the!
opposed him now The politician is hlin'
who does not see that the soldier vote, in
Guiding tho Grand Army men as well a
those who are not III Jn6 OfueT. anu pIObd
bly more are out than in, is constant
growing more and more independent rathe
, than partisan.
The Il. A. X. is not directly or Indirect
a political organization, but its members
Republicans and Democrats alike, are free
: independent citizens Of a country the
' fought to save, and vote according to tn
dictates of judgment and conscience.
charge to the contrary is a serious matter
considering the number, nearly one-hali
million, and the character and record {
I' the members. think man defeated b
n the loss of the soldier vote may easily fin
T. more substantial reasons than this hippaI
d charge against what Commander Wurne
d well describes as 1.-THE grandest civic orgar
H. ization in the worldn In its enormoI
l. charities, in its constant incubation of
lofty patriotism, in its preservation of Il
to sacred memories of the war, in its beaut
d full annual tribute to dead comrades, Il
organization merits this noble tribute, as
trust Gen. Palmer will see after the sor
), ness of defeat has yielded to the assuagir
influence of time, as it is sure to do in I'll
haart Of m nnhla a cOmrada