The record-union., 1894-01-13
LADIES OF THE GRAND ARMY.
'nelr Relations to the Organized Vet
erans.
->ooress by the President of Edward
Roby Circle at the Joint
Installation.

AT the joint installation of officers of
arren Post, G. a. R., and Edward
n.ooy Circle, Ladies of the @. A. r., on
thursday evening, Mrs. Eliza w. Wag-
koner delivered the following address to
Inc members:
ContatGnder, Ladies and Comrades:
having had the honor to be the presiding
oIIcer OF Edward Roby Circle during the
past year, and being honored beyond
measure by reelection, when there were
so many others in the circle so well quail
Aned to fill the office, 1 have thought L
could not better return the compliment
t'ian by offering few thoughts IN the IN
terest of the order.
we are glad TO say, for your lntorma-
,uon, that with us the year closes well.
4ne future is before US, and we enter Its
open door with renewed energy and in
spiration
We find on beginning this new year.
pleasing and valuable additions to our
membership and comfortable treasury.
something Tor our pleasure, something
tor our local aid to public charities, suffi
clent for our State and home obligations
-, most pleasant Notwithstanding
for the rainy day. Not least among our
acquisitions during the past year, is this
beautiful banner. Its golden environ
ment i'll every way is so emblematic of the
lmperishable services OF the ladies OF the
Grand Army of the Republic for the
Union, Its silvery, siiken sheen, typical
OF the purity of the motives and the sac
rlhceS of the mothers, wives and sisters
and daughters, who, taking no thought
OF the morrow, OF the deathless pain they
all must suffer, of the nursing IN their
arms, OF the widows garb that so many
must wear, of the cnlldIeSS hearthS, OF the
seuI-sickening suspense that each must
endure from hour TO hour and day to day
thinking only of their beloved country,
SO ruthlessly and causelesSly assailed,
thinking naught OF themselves. they gave
without question their dear ones-all.
Bearing upon its face you see the badge
of our order in bold relief-the stars and
stripes-emb blem of liberty, Peace and
good will TO men, in every cline, on land
and sea, not a star missing, not a stripe
sullied. No longer waves our noble en-
sign over the bruised bodies and weary
limbs OF human chattels, OF robbed and
deSecrated motherhood. a pen-stroke
from the kindly hand Of the mighty Lin
coin erased forever that blot and shame
of our country. Proud are we to imprint
upon our banner and wear for our deco
ration so glorious and sacred an insignia.
AS to our organization, the Ladies of
the Grand Army of the Republic, we
could say much, much in vlndication of
our TlGnG LO VI Jul AIS IL ~
follow the precedent OF other patriotic
societies, and much in answer TO crltl-
cism, adverse and otherwise, concerning
our order, and to which we beg leave to
briefly refer.
The motives that actuated the founders
of our beautiful and significant circle
were in all respects similar TO those that
inspired the gallant soldiery of the Grand
Army of the Republic in formulating the
rules and regulations Of their organiza-
ton. The desire on their part to bind
themselves into a close and traternal
league, perpetuating for their posterity
their deeds Of valOr, their reyerses and
their victories during their war service,
was an honorable and noble incentive,
and their success proves the wisdom ana
tirneliness OF their action.
Again, the laudable desire, or, more
correctly speaking, the necessity that had
become apparent to many patriotic
women of the day, to in some way collect
and preserve the names, records and
memories of the women who participated
IN the war for the independence of our
country, and which resulted in that no.
ble society known as the Daughters of
the Revolution, and which our late la
mented Caroline Scott Harrison was the
President General. were in every way
analogous to the sentiment that brought
into existence the Ladies of the Grand
make plain. The motives of each were
akin. The Grand Army of the Republic,
to gather themselves into close and eX-
elusive order, for more fraternal and so
cial relations and for record. The Daugh-
ters of the Revolution, to save from the
ravages of time and that great despoiler.
Death, all that remained OF revolutionary
times and woman's part therein.
The Ladies of the Grand Army of the
Republic, for like and similar purposes,
and to perpetuate for their descendants a
written history of their names and their
part ownership in the suppression OF the
great rebellion. The wisdom and mo-
tiyes of each admit of no controversy.
Referring to the criticism and misun-
derstanding to which our attention is
often called, it is apparent that our rela-
ton to the Grand Army of the Republic
is not fully or clearly understood. Many
look upon the ladies' society as an aux
iliary. and therefore in conflict with their
acknowledged auxiliary, the Women'S
Relief Corps. If such is the case, the
error must be corrected, for our rules and
regulations expressly declare that we are
not auxiliary to any part OF the Grand
Army of the Republic Emphatically,
therefore, ours is society OF records,
and we stand alone, though we have
many things IN common with our sister
societv-our relief committees. our charl-
ties. and our desire to aid all worthy and
distressed soldiers and their families, are
the same as theirs. And if you will par
don the depression. l will here mention
an act of a sister circle worthy of emula-
ton.
The Ladies of Chattanooga Circle Of Ne
yada City, with whom 1 have had the
homer of membership, purchased few
wears ago with their own funds valuable
cemetery grounds, and on the following
Memorial Day presented it, with due
ceremony. to Chattanooga Post for a
burial place for their INDECENT and fallen
comrades, and since then the potter's
field has yielded up its soldier dead and
thev have received a soldiers burial. and
nnder the old flag they loved and served
so we'll rest in their own hallowed ground.
Still. to resume The chief cornerstone
of our order is the fact of our eligibility or
war service; and we here insist that thou
sands of future generations will be wholly
dependent upon the records of the Ladies
Of the Grand Army for the history of
their soldiery ancestry. / am myself
here by service of brothers whose names
do not appear upon the rolls of the
G. A. r., they having surrendered to the
Inevitable before the date of that organi-
zation-one in an unknown grave at