Omaha daily bee., 1891-05-17
THEYFOLLOWEDT THE OLD FLAG
Grizzled Veterans of Hundred Battles
and sieges.
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.
Nebraska Members of the Great rmy
OF Veterans who Followed
the stars and Stripes
to Victory.
THE GRAND ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC.

or the thousands who turned out in
Omaha Wednesday to welcome President
Harrison, none were more enthusiastic and
loyal in their patriotic greetings than the
old veterans, who, long since mustered out of
active service, still retain their membership
in that grandest of all military organiza-
tions the Grand Army of the Republic.
The president himself Is member of
that body and the remembrance that the hero
OF Resaca and Lookout Mountain was one of
the men who like themselves followed the old
flag to victory will lend an added zest to the
cheers of welcome. For above all else, the
veterans heart warns at the sight of the old
fag-the flag that led Grant in his impetu-
Gus charges at Henry and Donaldson--that
waved defiance at the rebel hosts at
the early Sunday morning attack at Shiloh
that followed him triumphantly into Vicks-
burg-mounted above the clouds at Lookout
ountain-sustaned the storm of leaden
death at Chickamagua-went proudly with
Sherman "from Atlanta to the sea'-wit"
| messed Lees surrender at AppomattoX-and
then followed the boys home at the end of the
| war-not star missing from It's field nor a
stripe from its folds.
The Grand Army of the Republic is truly
| one of the organizations OF which grateful
| country NAV look upon nyith pride and ad-
| miration. 1t is a fraternal, charitable and
| loyal association composed exclusively of
| soldiers and sailors of the army, navy or ma
rine corps, who served during the late civil
| war and those having been honorably dis
| charged therefrom after such service No
| person is eligible TO membership who has ut
| any time borne arms against the
| United States. Tho motto of the order is
/ "E'raternity, Charity ana Loyalty" Its OBJ
jects are to preserve and strengthen the kind
| and fraternal feelings which bind together
| the soldiers, suilorsia and marines who united
| to maintain the union, and to perpetuate the
memory of the dead, to assist such former
a mad hair md
tion and to extend nsedful aid to the widows
and orphans of the fallen; 10 main
tain true allegiance to the nation-and
in the records and reports of the Grand
Army the work nxtion is always written
with a big capitallN N-based upon para
mount respect for ami fidelity to the national
constitution and laws to discountenance
whatever tends to weaken loyalty, incites TO
insurrection, treasonlor rebellion, or in any
way impairs the efficiency and permanency
of the free institutions which many
fought to uphold; and to encourage the
spread of UNIVERSAL liberty, equal rights
for the objects of the Grand Army. No
other nation ON the globe can point to simi
liar organization devoted to the maintenance
of loyalty, liberty, repuoicanism ana free
institutions.
The constituted bodies Of the order consist
| Of lst. Local organizations known us posts,
which are generally named in honor OF some
! distinguished soldier or patriot; 2d State
organization known as departments; Sd. A
! national organization known as the National
encampmcnt of the Grand Army OF the Re
| public. The supreme power is lodged IN the
| national encampment, and the rules and reg
ulatons for the government OF the order
| tmanate from il. The constitution forbids
any officer or comrade to use, in any manner
| the organization for partisan purposes, and
rlgidly prohibits the discussion Of par
| eisan questions at any of ITS meet
ings. Each post is required to
| establish permanent relief fund for
| the assistance of needy soldiers, sailors or
| marines, and their widows and orphans, and
| all donations to this fund are held sacred for