The National tribune., 1891-11-12

letter of Oct To- 1891 aud 10 say to you that while
Post 6 recognizes the importance and value 81 tire
general objects and work 81 your society aud bids
IL Godspeed in its efforts To save men from the |
curse Of intemperance u begs to assure you that,
so far as its observation has gone Il cannot learn
that your statement regarding the drinking habits
of the veterans Of the il borne out by facts
Your special efforts in the direction Of reforming
the comrades are. it thinks unwarTanted and need
less. not to say harmful.
Had you submitted this letter to your honored
President cx Gov. John ID. Long. before sending
IL forth, IL is more than likely that, knowing and
csieeninE the veterans as lie does he would not
have approved II.
We do not believe that II has come to the knowl-
edge Of the public generally that the surviving sol
diers and sailors of the rebellion, and more par
ticularly pensioners, are addicted, above other
men, to bibuluu- habits Why does your society
single out the Grand Army Of the Republic. above
other organized bodies - an object OF your speciHI
work and soiictude? Are we To understand that
Grand Army men do not come mp TO the average
Of other men? II not. from what data do you make
such "A deduction? Fncts are not adiuced by you;
YOU cite opinions" only, aud by spreading these
Opinions" broadcast ~ you have done, you give
the people the impression that our comrades are
surrcndeTiug their manhood To the TumselieT, aud
degenentinE into a state az general inebrieiy.
VIII Tins not tend To place the organization under
the su-picoR aud ban ot those who do not know
the flimsincss OF the foundations on which these
Opinions" rest?
Ii j. most humiatinE 10 the sense OF the old sol
ders Of Post &C, and all other veterans, assume,
aud much TO be regretted that literature like this
from respectable "A source has been sown so
!
to our organization. and through the public press
we intend to correct the impressions so wrongly
given.
What nre your facts? You quote the tales OF
bankers" but do they know that the pensioners
turn over their Government rpInittnucCs To- the
rumseller In settlement of liquor deht-2 DO the
wine venders tell them these facts? We do not be-
lirve they du l. ID not more reasonable To suppose
that the veterans pay their bills for groceries with
checks, aud that the grocer himsclf-"iientimes
liquor dcalcr-iu turn pays his wine bills At tie
rumsellcrs with these self same checksg II -
certainly more reasonable to credit this theory
than the one the " bankers" offer.
You quote "Oyersccr-" " Of the Poor and Select
men " Of town, ~ hnviug expressed the Opin-
ION " that the veterans spend their Governments
money in this reTrehen-iblo way; but, again,
opinions nre not l.s-. Give us something
official aud tangiblel We want specificaliOus-noi
beliefs nor theories. Towns are almost wholly re.
llrved 81 the care OF the poor and unfortunate "I
the Grand Amy. This organization cares for Rnd
shields it, when all the rest Of the world may
neglect and desert.
You statc TINT this fact Of growing intempeTance
in the Grand Army = emphasized by the SupeTin-
tcndeut uf the Soldiers Home ia Chelsea but IN
Gen. CunninGhRm's narrow spheTe-tbo Home
which lie rarely leaves, what knowledge has lac
that intemUernnCe i becoming general in the Grand
Army, aud what right hIs lac thus to detTact upon
tic character Of hts soldier bTeihTcug lie may
this 10y reason Of the fact that he has iH his
care few poor fclnws-less than a dozen prob
ably-from over 200 Massachusetts Posts who arc
victims of drink. But j. this alarming pTOpOr-
ton, think your Aud does He judge the whole
Grand Army from this narrow standpoint? We
do not hesitate to shy that II the Superintendent Of
the Home lEis given out tie statement the effect
that the Grand Army at large il going the hill
TO destruction, pursued by the demon drink, lac
has done hs comrades aud the Order Of which lac
~ a member. gTievuus wrong. aud until lie denies
u, proves Il true wtldraws II. he will stand hc-
fore :. &. Lawrence Port. &C. uf AedfoTd. at Iehst
charged with libel upon the Grand Army Of the
Republic. IL j. time that the friends " Of the
GAR cease their attacks upon the Order. Its
outspoken nnd unmstakeabie enemies the G.AR.
cares little for.
Il would seem that the criminal courts would
offer pretty fair test Of the moral standing la tie
community 81 the old boys ia blue" IL cannot
be found that they grind out daily large gTst
OF Grand Army "dTunks," AS they do Of other
classes.
A man wearing the button Of our Order arracned
In court on criminal charge, or appearing Ia the
streets ia drunken condition, Is "a rare sight IN
deed.
The National Encanpment- oT the Order ofTer
another veritHble sign Of the Hbstemiousne-s Of
/ tire old soldiers 81 sHch gatherings they viii
| drink to excess II they ever ovct-iudulse. But
these reunions have plainly shown thHt inrbT,ciy
~ the Grand Army j. not only not the rule. but
tie very rare exception. A. thc Boston Eucamp-
ment for $50 less Than dozen veterans, during
the whole OF That famous week, were iOund To he
under the Influence 81 liquor IL WIS 80 nj Detroit
la 1891 Not one 81 our boys nj ,hOsc gatherings
was arrested Tor drunkenness or any other misie-
meanor. 20 far as u known. Their dignity, neat
appearance and splendid behavior on thee and
other grand occasions have won for them aud the
! Order numerous warm encpmiuin~.
Therefore Post % u Of the opinion that. Instead
! OF attention being directed "a the alleged dram
drinking propcusitie- Of the war veterans, they
/ should he held up before the country, aud by no
| less a society Than your own, not only sXempli-
flying patriotism. but temperance lye- total st-ii-
nrHce, class, n you piensel, sObTiety and true
manhood. The average age a. enlistment 81 our
1 veterans was less tilau 20 yeaTs-ueTe bOyhODh,
aHd ns q u well known that army lie q not wholly
conducive to- good morals, u il = wonder. aud HlI
the more thcir credit that, with bSylsh suscc Di
biities To- surrounding temptations. they are not
to-day degenerate class This j. explained by the
\ fact that the men who composed our armies aud
/ vnuguishcd treason in 81 and 6j were men of
! sterling worth, who could keep their character
I and manhood free from tniut TepTOach. The
! Nation could only have been saved by such men.
] IL D. unreasonable to suppose that their cuuduct
aud personnel viii deicfiUTate with their ndVunC-
| ing years. Tho fOles and cNccsses OF younger
day, " any have existed, do not often continue
I through odd age. Dn tins theory alone your ap-
| pTrhensinu- may he aIIHyFG. The pathetic fact
now ever before them that their earthly career -
near IT, close aud that noble Order. into which
mo child he born nor - new blood enter"
Ia foster IL growth aud prDoug its days. J. also
doomed, aud will exist ere long ia history only.
should aud will deter them fruul bringing dI-gTacc
/ upon themselves aud the brotherhood. Win these
/ m.tivcs ever iu mind and with their abOunding
pride Ia tie Association nud the traditions and rich
memories % guards Hnd conserve- they WILL doubt
/ lees keep themselves un-poited aud Will uphold
the honor aud Integrity of their grand Order.
4 TINT it, sun will set, ~ u rose, in glory.
Your Society. aud all others OF like character and
intent may therefore believe aud rest assured that
from now until IT. rolls closed forever, the
I future record - the Grand Army at the Republic
tRnly it, lusieT will not be dimmed Ia H. closing
years by the dark intcmperancc which you so
Yours respectfully,
w. ~. WARREN, Commander.
B. ". ADAMS, Adiutaut