Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-12-07
The Grand Army not IL Political
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The recent retirement of Gem John NJ
Palmer of Illinois from the Grand Army of
the Republic ON the ground that he considers
it to he a political organization, has created
no little hue and cry in the democratic pa
pers. 1t has been asserted that many other
prominent soldiers, of democratic affiliations,
We're about to follow Gen. Ialmer's exam
pie, and that an extensive rival organiza-
ton would be formed out of the eX-membcrs
of the Grand Army.
Most of all this is sensational. Grand
Army men smile at the idea of a split of
their order into two bodies, one consisting
of republicans and the other of democrats,
and it is as plain AS anything future can be-,
that nothing of the sort will happen.
AS to General Palmer's charge of parti-
sanship, brought against the G. a. r., it is
effectively disposed of by Judge w. G. Yea
zey. in a letter to the Rutland Hcroid, which we
copy in another column. Having recently held
the office of judge advocate general of the
order, Judge Neazev has been in a position
to know exactly what he was talking about,
and his denial of the charge is supported by
Il very effective array of official orders and
of facts Commenting on his letter the
HcrUid pertinently says:
Judge Rea owed his election as comman-
der-n- chief to the fact that he was on the
bench and therefore out of politics, and the
members wished to avoid even the appear
ance of political partsanship. Judge Neazey
himself was strongly supported at the last
national encampment for communicative
chief on the same ground not less than for
his recognized ability and his brilliant record
as soldier. And Major Warner was elect
ed not less because of previous pledges than
hecalse he expressly stated that he had de
cned to be IA candidate for reelection to
Congress and would therefore soon be out of
politics.
This is all So ''The Herald adds This is
the record of the Grand Army and of prom
inent republicans in it, What is the demo-
cratic record? Those members who are now
complaining went to Columbus and did all
they could to elect Gen. Slocum commander
in chief, although he had never been very
active and prominent Grand Army man
The object evidently was to get the great
organization into democratic hands during
the campaign. President Cleveland even
wrote the commander in-chef courteous
letter Of regret that he could not attend the
meeting, when in fact he had not been in
yited as indeed he could not be, not being a
member "
No doubt party sympathy and schemng
had something to do with the pushing OF
Gen Slocum as a candidate for grand com
mander. Tie help which the schemers
hoped for however, from his election was
probably more negative then positive. They
could hardly have supposed it to he possible
to capture the Grand Army and turn it in
to a democratic campaign club; nor could
they have dared face the storm which
such an attempt would have raised.
There is no need to add word to Col.
Neazoys letter and we have only to say
that il any of our readers have sulmised
that there might be ground for Gen Pal
mer's charge. we trust that they will
read, mark and inwardly digest this effective
answer to it.