The National tribune., 1891-12-31
SONS OF VETERANS.
News from the Various Divisions.
Elections of Officers. etc.
WORDS OF WISDOM.
The Qaartermaster- General Talks Seriously About
DutJ.
HEADQUARTERS COMMENCEMENT CHIEF,
SONS or VETERANS. U. =. A..

DutJ.
HEADQUARTERS CONMANDERY-IS-C CHIEF,
SONS or VETERANS. U. :. A..
90 BROADWAY. NEW YORK.
The time is swiftly approaching when the last
eomrade OF the Grand Army If the Republic viii
have answered the last roll call. The mu-tertnR
out officer j. faithful To his duty, and his work viii
s"on be finished Who then will strew flowers
upon the little mounds which mark the last resting
places Of the Nations heroes? Who will keep n
watebinl eSe on the widows and orphans Of the
country's defenders? Who then will instruct the
people Ia patriotic devotion To their country with
Lessons taken from Gettysburg. Mission Ridge and
The Sons of the Revolution remind the Nation
nfthe heroic constancy and -elfsacrfcing patriot
Ism oi ihe founders Of this Republic. The Sons OF
veterans, u :. A., tell the story OF the contest
which gave to this Nation, under God, n new
birth OF freedom" and determined that "GOyern-
meni OF the people. by the people, for the people
should not perish from the earth"
As the period Of the civil fades into the
shAdowy past its great lessons will become less aud
les Jess L,mar TO our people. In the mad struggle
Tor wealth aud the gross materalism Of this age,
men will forget what 10 has cost to create aud
maintain our institutions. which since July 4, l776,
nave b"en tie hope aud promise OF all mankind.
Therefore the sons OF the Nations preservers have
Instituted great national Order TO peTpetnate the
memory of the men who In the military and ma
val service of the Government preserved the in
tegrity Of their country.
The stability Of our Government IL dependent
upon the patriotism Of our citizens. Our land - to-
DAY menhced by gigantic evils. which. whether In
The form of corrupt politics. emigration abuses or
a mad struggle for wealth and personal advance
ment tend To smother aud destroy all patriotic inn
pulses and TO sap the very life of the Nation. We
Sons OF Veterans claim that the historical spirit has
an uplifting and invigorating influence. and that
societies such rs ours OF priceless value To our
Republic. because they lnfuse their own members,
and through them the great mass Of people, with a
pride aud love Of country that will enable her to
resist the enervating and cOrrupting tendencies OF
this age.
Young as Is America, her historical memories
are second to none IN herOism and sefsacrhee,
q al Ill r
spring personalities. The influence Of such an
Order a. the Sons Of Veterans completely oil.
vorced as u Is from religious and political parti-
zanship, and ever keeping prominently before its
members the noble principles of Friendship, Char
ity. and Loyalty. must be a potent factor in the
education Of the people and in the enlargement
MISUNDERSTANDING Of American manhood.
The Order represents what 1t has cost this Nation
TO maintain its liberties its integrity and its unity.
Through the veins Of every member courses the
blood 81 self-sacThcing and devoted patriot. Our
vast membership tells more elCquently than can
words of tie expenditure and destruction OF mill
lions OF property OF the loss OF hundreds of thou
sands OF lives; the wreck Of homes, aud widows
weeds; of weary months through the burning heat
Of Summer. or the chill Of Winter; Of the horrors
and agunies OF the prisOn-pen-a in fact, the fear
m cost OF the terrible struggle to preserve the glO-
Tious institutions that foTefatheFs Of the Revo-
luton gave to US.
Our numerical strength will make this story all
the more impressive. The Order Is a gigantic
school of patriotism. Our leaders are teachers Of
the best and lTUest Amereani.m. Great IL their
responsibility. They have taken their motto
the celebrated words of Daniel Webster" Let our
object be our country, our whole country, and
nothing but our country"
JOHN V. b. CLARKsoS.