The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-09-20

Following is the text Of the letter to the
National Encampment in which Judge Long
withdrew his candidacy for COMMANDMENTS
Chief
To MY COMRADES OF THE G.. A. r.:
Having determined TO withdraw my name rs
p candidate for the office of COMMUNICATIVE
Chief. | deem it duty which / owe to the com
rades of my own Department and of other De-
partmeu,s who have so loyalty supported me,
as well as to myself, 10 state how nay candidacy
arose and the motives aud causes which impel
me to take this step.
1t is well Known 20 You all that during the
early Summer of 1898 the Commissioner Of PEN
sions suspended me from the pension-roll. and
shat from that time until the present ! have
been engaged in proceeding against the United
States Supreme Court for the District Of CO.
lumbia 10 determine the power OF tie COM
missioner TO take the action he has, that
other comrades similarly circumstanced may
have tie benefit of the rulings of the Courts.
This / have done in the full belief that the
Commissioner Of Pensions is clotbed with no
such arbitrary power as he assumes TO have.
Soon after the commencement of that pro-
cec,iug received mary letters from comrades
commanding my action. After the decision OF
Judge Bradley in my favor Oh Dec. p, 1888,
letters came To me by the hundreds and from
nearly every Department congratulating me
very many of them then Suggesting that be-
come a candidate for the Office of Commander
in Chief.
These letters were finally laid before certain
of my Grand Army friends iii the Department
of Michigan. just before the Department En-
cam meni held i'm March last. Up to that time
! had not determined the question, but they
advised NE that if ! were willing to consent
that my name be used in connection with that
Office. Michigan would mo5f cheerfully DC active
in promoting my candidacy.
Generously and spontaneously, by unani-
nous vot. of the largest Encampmcnt ever held
in the State, tie Department resolved TO place
ME in nomination. committee was appointed
10 look after M candidacy. That committee
sent out circulars. and it thus became known
that ! WAS in the field Since arriving here
many comrades of other Departments have
given me warm assurances of their aid and
votes. m
This honor can come to but few of the 450, 900
Of our comrades.
This Office represents TO me the highest pin
nacle of earthly honor. and he who receives t
should be one who will bring 10 it the greatest
possible good to our Order.
Our organization is maize up of men who
fought to preserve this Nation. No others can
ever carry our banner. Collectively they
unit, individually they, represent all political
,aTtjes and all religious beliefs. Grand Army
men know no SNctl bblNB as o5tFacI5H ou
/ Of religious beliefs or political atti iatIoas.
From the date OF our organization 10 the
present time we have jealoGsly Kept out "i onr
deliberations all partisan questions But we
! have never regarded lie pension question rs
| partisan In every National Encampnentsince
| 1850 we have discussed it III all It's phases. We
| have considered the attitude OF the Pension
| Bureau toward the pen5ioncr. We have APP
| pointed committees To visit Washington to lay
bafa
such legislation as we thought would DC OF
benefit TO on disabled comrades, and generous
| has the Government responded.
| Much Of the pension legislation for the last
| 10 or ID years has been III line with our wishes
| as expressed in resolutions adopted at the
various National Encampments. We have not
| hesi,atcd and should never hesitate 10 express
! our views on this snhject, or to approve or dis
approve the construction which the Commits
| sioner 0! Pensions puts upon those legislative
| acts the passage OF which We have favored aud
| urged.
Aud yet, my comrades, since my arrival in
Pitisburg learn for the first time that my can
| didacy is construed by as bringing into
| the National Encamp;nent partisan politics;
| that support of my candidacy means blow
| directed against the present Administration.
| This construction do not believe is warranted.
| That supporting me for Commandment in Chief
| means condemnation Of the presenG practices of
! the tension bureau 4 CANNOT ana 90 not
| attempt to deny. 1t is because that am I'M
| willing to jeopardze the just claims of those
who are more or less dependent upon their pen
sons for support that | have concluded 10
| withdraw my name as a candidate. Your
good will and affection is more to me than any
| honor which the office could bring.
/ will not have it said of ne 10y any man
that | brought discord into the Grand Army OF
| the Republic.
The sniL which have brought for the bane-
fit OF my comrades must and will carry for
| ward even to the highest court, if necessary, III
order that the questions therein involved may
| be finally and forever settled.
| To my comrades who have so zeaously sup
ported me | return my most fervent and heart
felt thanks.
For those whose preferences have been for
| other candidates have only the kindiest feel
| ings. To the fortunate comrade who may be
elected COMMANDMENT Chief / pledge my
| hearty cooperation.
| CHAs. d. LONG.