The Dispatch. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1891-1895, 1891-08-08
The VETERANS.
The Negro Question Seriously
Considered by the G. A. R.
Points from Commander-in-C Chief Yea
sey's Annual Address. His Recon-
mendatlons Create Sensation.


twenty fl Ia annual encampment of tn
G. A. K. mel in formal session thi
morning. All That ant and culture,
taste could % to make the mammoth
building attractive had leen exered il
the decorations which adorned Tie in
terror. D,aplte is immensely, the bal
wa, crowded. 10 its umost.
General casey, commandments
raped the assembling. 10 ord+l. Ii,
announced the formal opening of The
encapmeat ana directed the adjutant
general to cali the roll OF the depart
menls. Every S ale and territory II
the union wa. represented and the roll
call showed the fullest attendance o
lagates 10 the history ut tie urgani-
cation.
Comrades" sand General Veasey.
"thIs is the silver anniversary Of a
Dirt D., not OF a wedding. The wedding
occurred when the bridegroom, the
youth OF the land, enlisted in its de-
tense. Abraham Lincoln celebrated
the marriage nuptialS. Columbia was
the bride. Her Neslure was the ma
liOn S tag and we were pledged 10 re-
establish that flag over the domain OF
SeCeSSlUn.'
"SeGeSSIa was the price OF her hand.
When the pledge Wds grandlv redeemed
through the bloody stike, TIN ough sLf-
ferlHg and deaJh, ana after victories
had placed Oh the brow of the bride a
new diadem whose gems were honor,
yalur, fame and liberty; unstained with
slavery, a country united and free. The
fruit OF that marriage was the Grand
Army OF the Republic, an offspring
worthy Of It's royal paTentage."
In touching on ''the negro question"
as affecting the q A. r., General Yea
sey reviewed the difficulties which had
existed over the cOlored posts in the de-
paltments of Louisiana and Mississl ppi
ever since they organized in 1863. Con-
tiuulng he said, the charge had been
made from different sources, that the
organization OF these posts was tainted
with Irregularities, utterly destructive
of Their legal existence. Our rules and
regulations, tie said. provide a PLAN
procedure for the department to pur-
sue il order to st the validity OF he
charges. As the department of the
Louisiana and Mississippi has never. 50.
lar az ! am informed, reSurted t. :t.u
procedure, have held in dealing WITH
thos, post, Ohal they must re regarded
a, han lng e4ai existence until other
wise regu aIly adjuuicated.
1 re commandments ordered an
investigation by tie inspector general
into the affairs OF this department.
The recommendation OF the Inspector
general wa that tnls encampmtnU au
thorlze the creation OF separate de-
partment covering the same territory
as the several existing departments III
the south. This Is supported 10y mem-
OrlalS addressed to the COMMANDMENT
chIet SIX posts IN the department
whose membership Is composed Of col
aIea comrades. In regard to tins hc
said:
From the various source OF infOrma-
ton accessible To me, i believe large
majority OF both white and colortu
comrades in The department OF Louis
ana ana Mississippi are strong IN the
convention that Ii would be Tor The
best interests of all to have d separate
depai tnle nj IN Lou sana and sOuue OF
ut-Se other gulf ) atts, made up OF sucl
Us as MAY Apply 10 come INTO 1t,
IInd nITTHg CUHcurrent JuriSdIcJioI
with the ii partments alre. dy estab-
llsned IN sucn states.
Il have 30 policy to urge other than
such sls will be for the best interests of
the order and at tue same time protect
the rights OF ali comrades.
Dunug the year now closing the q.
A. r. pad cut flom It's relief fund
1884 100. During the same period tie
Moman'S Rel eli Corps paid TO distress
ed comrades SlS3,0UO.
Reft rrmg to the Mt. McGregor cot
tage, Where General Grant died, Gene
raj Neasey recommended that the en-
campment take action to secure from
the government an appropriation tUr
the maintenance OF the property ana
its preservation ID the same condition
il was at the time OF tie dem,Se OF
General Grant. Failing TO secure the
appropriation 10y congress he suggested
that a trust fund be established or that
The maintenance of the cottage be in
surcd 10y charging fee to visitors. The
QuestiO OF creating a memorial hall at
Decatur, Ills, the birth place Of the e.
a. r., was rought up IN the way of
that this encampment
take action to AID the project.
In regard to the disability pension
bill, passed by the last Congress, Gen. /
Neasey said: at 1t is not the wisest. /
it is certainly liberal measure. The |
labMs or the G.. A. k. pension commit |
tee was also reviewed The comman-
der iu-chief urged the encampmeut 10 /
renew Its efforts to procure an amend
ment TO the revised statutes, which give |
preference 10 the appointments TO civil !
Office IN the case of union veterans. /
The only department chartered the |
past wear WAS that of Indian Territory |
The commandments closed his adj |
dress wItn a reference to tue obSrrV-
luce of Memorial day, and the high |
principles winch actuate the G. A. r |
The declaration of the commander |
In CHIEF in favor of the establishment /
OF departments of the u. A r. for |
ne gro veterans created a decided SEN
Sd ton. The whites OF Louisiana and f
NJ ISIS ssippl are oytrjCyed al his recon-
Our comrades in the stronger and /
more prosperous Departments should
moi be iOr-rtlul of tle necessities of .
those The weaker and less favored .
territories, and should assist and en-
courage them in good work whenever
Oppol tuully offers.
The report of the judge advocate gem
cral derives its chief interest from his
decision on the vrXed rec question.
As his conclusions differ from the re-
commend tons of the communicative
cne!, TIE dispute is only further COM
pl Gated
The report Of the sur-eon-general
WAS chiefly interesting IN the stale
mpntlt Contains from Pension Com
missioner Raum that the amount OF
SIG, 000, 600 will Toe expended Tor pen
sions during the fiscal year.
during he forenoon session OF the
encampment Cummandpr-in-C Chief
Neazy VAS presented with two gravelS.
Tie first WAS an ivory one from Com
rade Clarkson OF Nebraska and the
other a OGDEN one from wood of the
flagstaff that sulmuunted the fort at
Detroit 1870 years ago.
The negro question WAS referred to
a spec al commits tee, consisting Merrill.
of Massachusetts: Henderson, OF Penn
sylyania, Conger, of Ohio; Linehan,
\ ew Hampshire, and Atkins, Ohio.
Vrn luJi. & t,f fba q ID ro,.oi,-A1 (