St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-06

question" or 'Negro question:" as af-
fecting the g. A. r.. was touched upon
by Gen. VeaZey in his address in these
words: The present administration en-
countered the same disturbances in the
department OF Louisiana and MiSSis-
sippi that had troubled my predecessors.
The difficulties there had existed ever
since posts 9 to II. inclusive,
OF that department, were chartered and
organized This was in 1889. The
charge has always been made from diff
ferent sources that the organization of
these posts was so tainted with lrreg-
ularitieS as to be utterly destructive
of their legal existence. Our rules
and regulations provide plain
procedure FOR a department to pursue,
in order to test the validity OF such
charges. As the department of LouISl-
ana and Mississippi has never, so far as
| am informed, reSorted to the pro-
cedure. l have held, in dealing with
those posts, that they must be regarded
as having legal existence until other
wise regularly adjudicated.
Prior to 1899. the comrades of the
then existing posts were nearly all, and
perhaps wholly, composed of white
men. The comrades of the new posts
"
The department of Louisiana and
Mississippi prior to its last department
encampment, acting through its council
of administration, took action which
practically set those posts out of the
order. | held and announced that such
action was unwaTanted by the rules
and regulations. and the same has
since been reScinde0. but l un-
derStand that the department still
refuses to recognize those posts. l
ordered careful inspection by the in
spectOr general. This was done, but
further charges and cOunterchargeS and
facts continued to reach me. and l order
ed a second inspection, and detailed
COmrade Austin, of Ohio, to accompany
and assist the inspector general therein.
The second inspection was made early
in June of this year, and report thereof
is on file. | have reason TO believe that
Comrades Burst and Austin made
most careful investigation of all matters
in that department. Their recommend
alton in brief is that this encampment
authorize the creation of a separate de-
partment, covering the same territory
as several of the existing departments
in the South. This is supported by
memorials addressed to the commander
in chief by posts 9,12, IL, IA, 16 and II, be-
ing six posts in thej department whose
membership is composed of cOlored COM
rades. Protests against such action
have come from comrades of several
posts, and these are on file.
From various sources of Information
that have been accessible to me, l be-
lieve that a large majority of both
white and cOlOred comrades in the de-
partment of Louisiana and Mississ ippi
are strong in the conviction that it
would be for the best interests of all in
dividually and of their posts and of the
order 60 have a separate department in
Louisiana and some OF the other Gulf
states, made up of such posts as may
apply to come into ii, and having con-
current Jurisdiction with the depart
ments already established in such
states, concurrent in respect to the char
tering and mastering of posts, but each
department having exclusive iurlsdic-
tiOn over the posts which it may re-
ceive. My best Judgment, after
year of painStaking investigation,
is that il would be wise to con-
fer the authority upon my successor
to create such department. He may
neither find it necessary nor think it
best to exercise the power, if conferred.
| am sure he will find objections to it,
but he may also find 1t the best aud
perhaps the only shield for the full pro-
lection of the cOlored comrades. L trust
l need not say that no difference has
obtained at national headquarters in
recognition and treatment of posts and
comrades, whether white or coloreG.
The declaration of the commandeT-in-
chief in favor of the establishment of
departments of the q. A. r. for the
uavrO vataranS craated a dacidpd SpnSa-
tion. 1t was hardly expected that he
would so openly favor the separation of
the races. and whites of Louisiana and
Mississippi were overjoyed at his de-
cisiVe recommendations.