New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-01
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
THE SONS OF REVOLUTIONARY sIREs.
POINTS IN THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN THE |
RIVAL SOCIETIES.

Outsider IN winch submitted that IL was
matter of public interest that the sacrifices and
strueees of the handful of men who In the face of
Announcement and from their own neighbors
ftbe population of the Colonies about 100000,
and the Army Of Washington after the Battle Of Brook
lvn never touched 5000 In number, achieved the in
dependence of this Republic should be worthily per-
petuated by society of their nneal descendants What
my letter argued from this that II deplorabe
that the moment such society started oppost
ton should also be started with the inference that the
two would kill or neutralze each other.
Ny letter ELECTED a most courteous and entirely
proper Teionder from Mr. Henry Hall, who very point
edy remarked that Outsiders" should let the matter
alone concur. But if the writer who signed him
self Outsider" should happen to be eligible to member
ship in the society societies in question, and should
be waiting TO which society TO join, or for an ANAL
gamaton Of both his note TO you was not or might not
have been, impertlnent.
My interest the matter now In reading your
issues of April 30 and of May TO- wherein read care
fully the resolutions and debate in the meeting OF the
s. A. K. held at Hartford. May l, using those reso-
lutions as text ask a few questions:
l. Is il not fact that society OF lineaf descendants
of patriots took their lives In their hands and IN
CURED the penalty of high treason-the gbbet-with
or without disemboweling. and all the attendant bar
barsms which lay within the discretion of England In
the eighteenth century, 10 found this republic was
organized in this city in the year 1885, and that 1t has
not dsgraced ITSELF but stin remains respectable and
solventi
@ Is it not fact that, In about 1889, one or two
gentlemenfor entirely personal reasons (entrely I'M
connected at any rate with the patriotic inspiration OF
the society seeded and organized rival society,
which they called the s. A. r.. purporting to uphold
the patriotic purposes and to duplicate every ad
vantage and sentiment of the s. r.
g. Is it not fact that this s. A. R., with the excep-
ton of design for badge and sort Of concordat as
to National or Representative Conclave copied the de-
mands and terms Of admission OF the society nom
which its members seeded
II these three questions answered afrma-
lively (under correction of Mr.. HalD, respect
fully submit that the resolutions passed at Hartford
yesterday TO one who is still an "outslder"
at Ieas strongly suggestive OF that speech once made
IN The legislature of North Carolina by the honorable
member from Buncombe County. If the original So
ciety had begged, prayed, or invited even sug
gested its ambition TO be united with society formed
by gentlemen who had seen fit to secede from its
ranks, there might have been some pretext for the
resolutions. But as no such prayers petitions, in
vitatons or suggestions have forthcome those reso-
tons appear to me, to say the very beast, rather
voluntary. II, indeed, this is not admitted by their
preamble which rectes in exact words that the S. r.
has always ignored any offer of compromise" or
"unions with the S. A. R.. much Mr.. Lncoln's Ad-
ministraton might have ignored invitation from
Davis's administration for the United States to Join
1southern Confederacy."
so far think speak by the card. For what fol-
lows Should you do me the favor to print it, only am
personally responsible. would like to ask IL it is
probable that after some hundred years of almost
universal neglect of genealogical pride In citizens,
state Of affairs should arise as follows, viz:
1. suggestion that lineal sons of men of 1776
should organize society draws together individuals
with records and accepted, until after lapse of six
years some 600 members are brought together from
2 Two o or three personally influenced gentlemen
of the 600 withdraw from this organization and in
fpW nd
other individuals, whose credentials in every way
Just as perfect as tnelr own or as those OF members
OF the nrst Vigorously and patiently accumulated So
ciety.
s. The above being the situation, is it strange if
dentlals of the 1000 or 5000 might bear something
My own insignificant answer to the questions think
is something as follows II Is just possible that haste
scrutiny party, otherwise influential. may by
wealth or prominence have obtained lenient
scrutiny Of credentials than would have been awarded
him had he been less wealthy less prominent Were
certain of my own credentials think should prefer
the queter and more lesurey organized to the
idly organized society. AT any rate, it seems TO me
hardly PO6a6e sS% any point of view which am
rate consideration that of ones genealogical de-
scent. a society mot lacking for membership or in
bankruptcy should be eager to accept and guarantee
credentials accepted by another society than ITSELF
which, however respectable, can only be- in relation to
In other words, will Mr.. Hall inform the readers of
The Tribune if the real question between the S. r.
and the 5 IS not question of the credentials of
members VIII ne also inform u.s. in the spirit Of the
D a. IL
older society. could eppy for union with and
admission into a younger one under its
without denying its charter and so admitting the
fallacy of It's own right to existence? Finally will he
once for all, frankly tell us why there secession
what the s. A: r. possess which the S. r. would deny
them. and what patriotic, or fraternal impulse or
its members which the S. R. did not originally confer
and insist uponl frank answer to this question
apply for membership in one or the other on the
taking the trouble to write this letter IL
a perfectly unnecessary and factOus schism is pre-
venting the application Of many worthy persons for
membership they entitled to make then the matter
Is of public interest because those entitled TO apply
have right to know what the Hartford resolutions"
of the s. A. r. really mean and because If the S. r.
is contumacious and absurd in refusing to apply for
Sons Of the Revolution in posse If not in esse are
entitled to know it, Yours foc the present an
No 27 Park Row, NewYork, May Q. 1891.
("outsider" ignores completely the very facts upon
which the whole situation depends. The society,"
s. r. organized in this city in 1885, is not the original
society John Austin Stevens claims, indeed that he
proposed TO few personal friends in this city in 1876
q Society OF Sons Of the Revolution The exact fact
of the matter is that nobody heard of this propo
sition outside Of little cotere Of his immediate friends
and absolutely nothing done by any OF them. They
never organized. On the other hand an active work
ing Society of of Revolutionary Sres organized
IN san Francisco in 1876, and this society started
with the idea of forming similar societies every other
State 1t advertised its existence extensively and per-
sstently and sent its bulletins aud circulars TO
men in this city who, in 1883. finally organized Fthe
Sons of the Revolution in NewYork City, Whatever
rights of priority TO and organization there
are belong not to the society in New York. but to the
one n California. Please keep this fact in mind, and
IN all fairness give IL the weight you ask for your
own arguments. DO not ignore IL because it suits
your convenience 10 do so.
In 1883 the New-York society finally organized and
as purely local society John Austin stevens, who
helped found it, is authority for the statement that
there was no intention of going beyond the limits Of
New-Yor state. The charter. when obtained. con-
templated only local society On that basis the
New-York society began its career and 1t has grown
into an association respectable and solvent" and with
constitution in many respects mot in ALL admirable