Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-01-18
POINTED REMARKS.
Should Those Who Fought for the Union
be Disfranchised for That Fact.

Should Those Who Fought for the Union
be Disfranchised for That Fact.
Sumner Post, Grand Army of the Repub
lie, held largely attended meeting last
nightat their headquarters, corner of Tenth
and K streets. There were present num-
Der of visitors from Warren and Fair Oaks
Posts, also Comrades A. w. Barrett, a
member of the City Council of Los Angeles;
Senator W. W. Bowers, of San Diego; Sem
ator ]. E. McComas, and Assemblyman E.
E. Edwards, both of Los Angeles.
At the conclusion of the regular Post
business, Comrade A. W. Barrett was in
troduced and made short address, in which
he referred to the work of the Grand Army
in the city of Los Angeles. He said that
in the matter of employment. where all
things were equal. the veteran was given
the preference, because, said he, l, for one,
consider they have earned that distinction.
The speaker said the city had seventeen ex-
soldiers in the police department, and be-
lieved that most of them differed from him
self politically-but that question is never
taken into consideration all l want to
know is that the man is a veteran of the
war, and that he is competent. Mr.. Bar
rett was loudly applauded at the close of
his remarks.
Comrade j. E. McComas was the next
speaker. He spoke in his characteristic
way, and in referring to the glorious climate
of Los Angeles said, that at the present
time, as a matter of fact, climate may be
worth more than town lots, but time in its
course will equalize all things. In refer
ring 10 the Soldiers Home now being
erected in Los Angeles by the United States
Government, he said that it would prove
o,,A ta rs tba
"old boys" who, by reason of wounds or
disease contracted during the war, had be-
come incapacitated from earning living,
and required just such place as is now be-
ing provided.
General E. s. Solomon was next called
for and spoke with much warmth and
earnestness. He said:
The Grand Army of the Republic since its re-
organization in 1870 has strictly prohibited po-
litlcal discussions within its Post-rooms and En-
campments, and with this restriction the Order
has prospered beyond the most sapguine expec-
tations. and whatever the outside world may
say, and Notwithstanding the enemies of our
great institution may repeat that this is polit-
cal organization you and know that it is ut
terly false and without the least foundation in
fact. But while political discussions and the
expression of political opinions are prohibited
by our fundamental law, that same law enjoins
upon us the duty to protect ourselves and our
comrades against attacks upon us because of
our position as ex-soldiers and sailors of the
Union. And right here, in the Capitol of this
the fairest and one of the most loyal States of
the land an effort is being made at the present
time to disfranchse number of veterans, be-
cause they fought for the preservation of the
Union, and in doing so shattered their lives and
fortunes, and were compelled in consequence
of their hardships and sufferings to accept and
live off the bounty of their friends.
After the close OF the war the great American
people, with an unexsmpled magnanimity, re-
stored to hundreds of thousands of men who
bx-t
reasonable acts the right of suffrage,
and in spirit of lofty patriotism, forgave
their sins. for which under monarchial
Governments thousands of them would
have suffered the penalty of death. Hundreds
of these men to-day are occupying the highest
position in the government of these United
States, and here, in the Capital of the State of
California in one of the halls of the legislative
assembly, the effort is made to disfranchise men
and take the right of suffrage from them be-
cause they fought for the Union LApplause.l
can prove to you that it is fact We the
GrandArmy of the Republic, with the aid of the
Mexican Veterans and many loyal hearted citi-
zens of this State, have erected a home at Yount-
vile to care for such of our comrades who by
reason of their physical disabilities contracted
during the war while they were fighting for the
able to earn their livelihood by hard AID
manual labor. This home at Youutville is
not an almshouse it is not county poor farm;
it is an institution built I'D and maintained
by our love and fraternal feeling for those of
our comrades in arms who are more unfortunate
than we. They are not there in this institution
as a matter of charity, but as matter of right
and justice. When they entered the service of
our country, they were promised by our Gov
eminent and by our Representatives in Congress
that should they ever become disabled and
physically disqualified from earning q liveli-
hood by reasons OF injuries received during the
war, they should be protected and cared for in
their declining years by grateful people. lap
plause.l
We hold them to this promise. and it is
shame and disgrace that in this great, prosper
Gus and extremely liberal commonwealth of
California any number of men should be found
who dared to maintain that old veterans, who
have been invited by the people of this State to
end their days in peace and comfort in the in
stitution erected for that purpose, are paupers
and not entitled to the right of American citi-
zenship. [Applause.l
had it not been for their services and the sery-
ices of their comrades, American citizenship
would not exist. [Applause.l We would have
no country and no flag; we would have no Sol
diers Home and no American people to protect
them, and many of the gentlemen who to-day
are endeavoring to disfranchise these men
would not enjoy the blessings of the greatest
and most prosperous republic on the face of the
globe [Applause. Let us hope, for the honor
of California, for the honor of the Union and
for the honor of our flag that the reports are
idle rumors and that no great number of men
can be found IN this Capital that would con-
denim crippled. veteran to the dishonorable
life of a pauper. [Long and continued ap-
nlQuse