The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-12-06

Withdrawn from the Grand Army Of the
Republic" with much flourish Of trumpets-
The reasons he alleges is the violation Of its
Constitution and Ritual, and perversion to
political purposes.
1t is impossible to resist the temptation
of saying that this ostentatious going out OF
the Order is the most evidence Of interest
init that he has shown for many years-psr-
haps since his retirement from the Office Of
Commander of the Department Of Illinois,
q years ago. 1t win be the first knowledge
that large majority of the comrades have
had that he has been a member Of the or
ganizatiOn- Of his standing in the Order,
Col. James A. Sexton, Department. Com
mander Of Illinois, says:
There would probably have been trouble at the
next annual Encampment in regard to Gen. Pal
mer's standing in the association, and that he
would either have resigned then or have been re-
quested to.
According to Rules and Regulations a man
who has ever held any Office in the Grand Army
of the Republic aud is suspended from the Post
and subsequently reinstated does not regain his
L
paTtment Commander. and if he vas suspended
from his Post, as Is claimed he would Lose his rank
/ rs Past Department of6eer. sweetser, who was
Commander Of the Department. last year in max
/ ing up his list Of delegates put Palmer down as
/ Past Department Commander. Ny attention was
called to the fact that he was not such. but de-
clined to interfere the question to be brought
/ up before the next annual Eneampment. Now
can simply add that Gen. Palmer's resignation set
/ Ties the whole affair.
| REFRESHING the natural feeling Of irritation
at his baseless imputatiOns against the Or
der, we viii try to say as kindly and gently
as possible, things that should be said in ex-
PLANTATION almost in extenuation-Of his
course. We all need, at some time OF an
other, to invoke charitable construction
being placed on our acts. Gen. Palmer needs
it now, and very frequently in his long ca
reer has he severely taxed the charity and
forbearanes of those who admired the good
and strong qualities he possessed. Now that
he has passed the allotted three-seore years
and ten of the Psalmist, he has right to a
greater lenity than was accorded him in his
days of mental and bodily vigor. A quarter
of a century ago Gen. Palmer, then in early
old age, was man Of unusual ability and
force of character. He was thoroughly loyal,
brave soldier, a skiIIful commander. He
went into the war as Colonel of fine regi-
ment, and for good service and capacity was
rapidly promoted to corps commander. But
his undeniabls good qualities were always
blemished By impOrtunate and irrepressibls
selfseeking. He was earnestly for the eOun-
try and the cause, but he was also no less
earnestly for John NJ. Palmer. He is. and
always has been, prone to imagins that de-
votion to John NJ Palmer was the same thing
as devotion to the country. This idiOsyHerasy
: led to his continual embodiment with his
fellow ofieers-inferiOr, equal and superior
: and at last eliminated in the well-known
incident of the Atlanta campaign, where his
quarrel with Gen. sehofsld- frustrated all Of
) Gen. sherman's plans for two momentOua
i. days, and resulted in the Qsele-5 sacrifice Of
l many lives at Utey Creek. For this he was
f relieTed of his command and sent to the rear
By Gen. Sherman.
; Subsequently, as Governor Of Illinois, he
quarreled bitterly with the leaders Of his
, party in regard to State affairs, and with
. Gen. Sheridan on matters growing out OF
i the condition of affairs in Chicago, during
( and Immediately succeeding the great FIRE.
8 Heleftthe Republican party in a dudgeOnan and
went over again to the Democracy, which he
had left some Is years before because he felt
: he was not properly appreciated by its man
t ayers.
/ At the beginning of the present Admins
e tratiOn he was bitterly opposed to Nh. Cleve.
land, who had not shown him the consider
alton he felt was his due, but came back to
4 his support when he desired an Important
e Office for his son.
He now leaves the GAR, and denounees
o it bitterly for paTtisanship, simply and solely
= because great majority Of the veterans Of
% Illinois preferred to vote for his Republican
opponent, who was a private soldier, Of fine
record and honorable wounds rather than
for him, an ex-BIajor-General The matter
was stated suceiuetly in letter from Com
. rade John h Cook-Iate Sergeant in the
80 119th HIN a letter to the New York
World:
The two candidates for Governor Of Illinois vera
both old soldiers and both comrades Of the GAR.
Palmer was Major General and Fifer was high
private. When it came TO question Of which %
vote for large majority favored the high private
The day when q Major General Of Volunteers could
90 put his 10000 just where he wanted them has
80 passed. We are all on a level now The debt this
" country owes falls chiefly to The who suffered
so for it the most The Major-eHeral got high rank,
so good pay and good rations. The high private
% often got neither. The comrades Of the sucker
40 state simply fell into line and voted for Private
Fifer in preference to Gen. Palmer. and from the
IS recent actions of the latter they are usual found
to be level-headed. Palmer couldn't work ths
boys that's all; he is sore over his defeat