Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-08-06
THE G.. A. R. TROUBLE.
COMMANDER IN CHIEF VEAzEY
DRAWS THE COLOR LINE.
Tho Judge eAdvocate-Generaiof Of the Order
Against Such Actiop-What VIII
They DO with tho Question?
[iy telegraph 20 the Dispatch. ]


fifth annual encampment of the Grand
Army Of the Republic met in formal ses-
sion this morning in the mammoth hall
set apart for the business deliberations OF
the veterans. All that art could do to
| make tho building attractive had been
done in tho decorations which adorned
the interior in emblematic order. Despite
| the immensIty of the hall ii was crowded
| to It's utmost capacity by the multitude OF
veterans attracted by the momeniouS
questions to be settled.
INTEREST IN THE RACE QUESTION.
II was fully understood that tho race
| question might be precipitated IN the de-
| hberations at any moment and become
| the subject Of acrimonious discussion, ana
| this impending problem, together Win
| the projected revision Of the Constitution.
| combined TO heighten general interest in
| the proceedings.
| Whom General veazey and staff entered
| the hall and were escorted to the grand
stand they were greeted with applause. a
minute LATER two bands burst forth IN an
| inspiring military air IN harmony with the
| martial scene.
| THE FORMAL OPENING.
The Commander-in-C Chief raped the
| assembly TO order announced the formal
4
| campment Of the Grand Army Republic;
and directed tho Acknowledgment to call
| the roll of the departments OF every State
and Territory represented.
| GENERAL yeAZLY YoB RACE sEPARATIoN.
| The opening address of the Commander
| in-Chief was listened TO in rapt attention
| by tho assembled veterans. The declara-
| tion of the Commander -Chiet IN favor
| Of the establishment OF departments OF
| the Grand Army Republic for negro vote
| rams created decided sensation. IL WAS
| hardly expected that he wolilf so openly
| favor the separation Of tho races, and the
| whites of Louisiana and Mississippi were
J overjoyed at his decisive recommends
| tions.
| GENERAL, vEAZTY's VIEWS
| Commander Veazey went at some length
| into tho question Of the negro posts. The
| pirh OF his remarks * embodied IN the
| following extract: Tho present admin
| istration encountered the same disturb
| snces in the Department OF Louisiana and
! MIssissippl that had troubled my prede-
| oessore. From various sources OF lntOrlna-
| tion TINT have been accessible 10 iDe be
| lieve that q large majority OF both white
! and coiOrcl comrades III the Department
! of Louisiana and Mississippi are strong III
| the conviction that il would be for the Dest
! interests Of oil individually and OF their
| posts and of the order TO have separate
! department in Louisiana and some OF the
| other Gulf States, made up OF such posts
as may apply TO come into Il and having
| concurrent jurisdiction with the depart
t1epts already established IN such states,
| concurrent in respect to the charterng
and mastering Of posts, but each depart
mcnt having exclusive jurisdiction over
! the posts which 1t NAV receive. My best
| Judgment, after year of palnstaainG III
| sr, l. 4
| confer the authority upon my successor 10
! create such department. lie may neither
| find # necessary nor think u best to eNcT-
! cise the power If conferred. / nave no
policy to urge other than such as Will be
| Tor the best interests OF The order, ana q,
| the same time viii protect the nights OF al
comrades. Ii cannot be expected that any
ulan will meet with tbe approval OF all
! comrades directly interested. / regard
| the subject a. one Of the first importance,
and invoke yOur deli crate consideration
and best judgment III It's disposition"
AGAINST A COLOR LINE.
Tie report of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
! eral derives its chief interest from his de-
csion on the yexed race question. AS
| Lis conclusions dIHor from the recon-
mendations of the Commander-ln-Chet,
the dispute l. only further complicated.
I lie decision is as follows: Tho question
he two departments covering the same ter
ritory st the same time; forlnstauco, de-
partment made up OF white posts and an
other Of black posts, or one OF foreign
born and another of natlve-born." Ihe
Judce-Advocate thinks the question must
be answered IN the negative. because the
proposition - contrary 20 ali usage and un-
derstanding of the order, and because the
rules and regulations governing the organI-
eaton are against It.
WASHINGTON TIE NEXT NErrING-PLACE.
Washington vas selected on the first bal
| lot ms the location OF next years encamp-
ment.
STRENGTH OFTHE ORDER.
The Adjntant-G Generals report shows
| that thero are III the order 45 departments
with 1909 posts and 395,O67 comrades IN
GOOD standing. Ine sum expended III
charities during the year was s333,C99,
against s2l7 .957 the previous year. There
have been $3.50 deaths this year, against
5,l7S in 1870.
The total apparent membership is 444,;
transfers bring the number down to
39s C07.
PENSIONERS G30. .39i-PESsIoEs, S1l5 600, eco
The Surgeon-General (Steyenson) read
letter from Commissioner Raum, giving
the number of pensioners now on the
rolls and the amount paid by the Govern
meut for pensions during the present
fiscal year. Summarized 1t Is: Pensioners
on the rolls May 81. ls9i-army lnvalids.
1855: widows, l05,759; navy lnyalids,
! ago: widows, ZS3. Act Of June u, 1890
army ,nval.ds 56.4l7, widows, 5,ll4; navy
inyalids. 1855; widows, Ills. Mexican
war survivors, 1850; widows, $40. War
of 1872 Survivors, 295; widows, 7753. To-
tai, &c. ,3I. 70 pay these pensioners Will
cost durin. the present fiscal year about
Sll5. 600 OGc.
Tho Womans' Relief Corps reported the
general and relief funds on hand as
amounting to sl60.s26.
TO BE SETTLED TO-DAY.
The race question still remains unsettled,
but il will be settled by the cncampment
tomorrow. The whole matter is tempo
rarily in the hands of the special commit
tee appointed to-day, and 1t Is understood
tonight that q majority of this committee
will oppOse the relogation OF tho cOlored
comrades TO separate departmonts. The
leading Grand Army of the Republic men
OF Louisiana and Mississippi still insist
| that the Grand Army OF the Republic. so
far es the whites are concerned. Will go TO
pieces in the South unless this Is done;
while, on the other hand ex-Congressman
Smalls, of South Carolina, Colonel Lows.
of Louisiana, and other leadin. colored
men vow that they will tear of their
badges and forever renounce the Grand
Army of the Republic unless the coIored
comrades in every State are admitted to
full fellowship without race distinction or
social distinction.
SENTIMENT AoAISsT GENERAL vEAZEY.
The recommendations OF General Vea-
zey's annual address were uDfayorable TO
the colored comrades, but the sentiment
of the encampment seems TO be against
separate departments.
FARMvlLLE'S ALLEGED BURGLARS.