The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-06-07

country, with active communicates in
nineteen states and the District of Column
bla. There is at the head OF the Orgalni-
zation national commandery located IN
Philadelphia, governed by officers with
such rather sounding names as have been
already indicated. There are correspond
ing officers in each one OF the state COM
manderies, and there are also certain
number OF members at large, that being
an honor conferred upon certain foreign
officers and others.
The ccmmanders-in chief of the order
have been OF great eminence to the army
or navy, such men as General Sheridan,
who was for years at the head of the order
and was succeeded by General Rutherford
b. Hayes, whose recent death has left the
position vacant, the temporary comman-
der-in- chief being Rear Admiral John j.
Amy OF Washington.
The members, or companions OF the
Loyal legion, are divided in three classes:
First, commissioned officers of the army
or navy who were actually engaged in
suppressing the rebellion, or the eldest
male lineal descendants of such deceased
officers, provided said descendants be 81
years OF age; second, the eldest sons OF
living companions of the first class, pro-
vlded they be p years of age, and third,
gentlemen in civil life who were con-
splcuons during the rebellion for loyalty
to the national government.
1t will be observed that one of the
unique features of the Loyal legion is the
provision which allows the title of mem
bership to be handed down from father to
son. This is perhaps the nearest approach
to the English system of primogeniture
which we have in America, and IL is one
which has caused some curious complies
lions. Membership in the Loyal legion
being very highly priced, has been in
many cases claimed by various descend
ants OF an original member. In such cases
the COMMUNICATIVE chief has been obliged
to render decisions which stand upon the
records. General Sheridan during his term
OF office laid down the following rules,
which will be read with surprise by many
who are unfamiliar with the order. One
case occurred where man named Hodges
who had been a companion of the first
class, died leaving twin sons to inherit
his honors. Both claimed membership
IN the Loyal legion, and General Sheri-
dan decided that the right belonged to
that one OF the twins who had been born
tirst. and in case 1t was impossible to de-
termine the priority of the birth, the
right to membership must be settled by lot
or otherwise, but both could not inherit.
A brother of the half blood cannot inherit
from his half brother, butan eligible officer
leaving no son or grandson may trans
init the eligibility to his eldest brother.
The oldest son of deceased officer, who
would have been eligible had he survived,
may waive his rights in favor of his
own eldest SON, but the right of every
male descendent of the eldest son must be
waived before the second son of the de-
ceased officer becomes eligible. Divorce
of the parents does not affect the eligi-
bility of the son nor can any member Of
the Loyal legion prevent his son from in
heritlng his eligibility to membership.
Nor having a male descendant can he be-
queath such eligibility to another. These
are some of the complications which have
arisen.
For evident reasons the Loyal legion
has no communicates in states which took
part in the rebellion, the only states
having communicates being Pennsyl-
vania, New York, Maine, Massachusetts,
California, Wisconsin. Illinois, Ohio,
Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Missouri,
Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Colorado, In
diana, Washington and the District of
Columbia. OF these New York and Penn
sylvania have the largest membership,
about l 900 each, Massachusetts, and Ohio
coming next with about 500 each, and
then California with about 600.
Members of the Loyal legion are enti-
tied to wear the insignia of the order,
consisting of an eight pointed gold cross
and a ribbon with varying colors accord
| ing to the class. They may also use the
seal of the Loyal legion and its elaborate
coat-of-arm