The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1895-10-03
PHIL KEARNY POST,
Report of the Committee Appointed to
Investigate the Charges
Against 1t.

gust OF the same year the Post took action in
relation 10 them, adopting series of resolutions
denying the truth OF the statements contained
therein, and authorized the preparation of a
memorial to the 2Sth National Encampment
! calling upon il to cause an investigation TO be
made as to the truth falsity" of the charges.
This memorial was referred TO the Commit
tee on resolutions at the Pittsburg Encampment.
The committee did not have time. nor did it
think it was its place. TO 20 into an investiga.
ton of the matter, and therefore recommended
the appointment of committee by the Com
mander-in- Chiefeect. which should investigate
and report the facts to the 29th National En-
campment.
This recommendation was adopted. and in
compliance Herewith the committee appointed
! by Commander-in-Chief Lawler--viz.. John c.
Linehan, New Hampshire; Albert E. Sholcs,
Georgia. and w. Il. Manning, Iowa-respect-
fully submit the following report.
The appointment was made by letter, under
date Of Oct. &c 1894. Ii being deemed advisa-
bic to begin the investigation as soon as posi-
| bic. meeting of the committee was called in
| Richmond Va, the 18th OF December fol-
lowing. But two of the committee were able
to be present. viz, Liuehan and Sholes and
they proceeded without delay to the discharge
| of their duties.
The charges against Phil Kearny Post, as
| published in printed slip furnished the COM
mittee, were IN substance as follows:
j. That for many years one Post, and some
time two Posts. of the Order at the South nave
called upon all of the Northern Posts for COM
tributions of money to be used in decorating
| the graves of soldiers buried on battlefelds in
National Cemeteries; that tens of thousands of
dollars had been sent to the officers Of the two
| Posts, the most of it going TO one located near
| Richmond.
2. That very little done in the way of
| decorating graves in the vicinity of Richmond
/ by the Post which had received vast am on Mt
OF money from Northern comrades
3. That of all the work done by the Virginia
/ Post, even TO the payment OF transportation for
/ flowers and flags, and the placing OF flowers
and flags on the graves Was paid for, and that
! not much ia the way OF decorating " as done
4. That nothing had been said in The calls
| for contributions about Memorial Hall. The
money was to have beed used for the purchase
of flags for decorating graves; not in erecting
! expensive buildings in Richmond.
5. That pretends to know what be-
came OF all the money, but il is believed that
some of it has been diverted TO the building of
a Memorial Hall in Richmond.
Each charge was carefully considered by the
! Committee, and searching examination made
| OF the books and papers of the Post, aud no
| pains spared TO procure information regardin ing
the receipt and expenditure of the moneys sent
| to kearny Post by the various organizations
contributing throughout the country; and
alter due deiberation the committee is of tile
opinion that the amount of money received by
the Richmond Post. aud mentioned i'm the first
charge, has been greatly exaggerated. there be-
ing no evidence TO prove ttat it had ever been
in possession Of such sum as might be in
ferred from the "a tens Of thousands of dollars"
spoken Of.
In relation to the second charge, That very
little had been done ia the way Of decorating
graves by the Post, which had received such
vast amount OF money. the records OF Kearny
Post, well as the published account of tho
proceedings for five years, show that in 1850
the exercises at Frederick sburg were OF the
most elaborate character, and OF nature that
would reject credit on many Northern cities.
The Post, its friends. and guests were accom-.
panied by full band and drum corps. An
original poem read by Capt. Jack Craw-
ford, and tine address was given by Past Com
mander- in Chief BUrdett. The graves Of over
$1,000 Union soldiers were decorated with 200
floral designs, 10000 roses, and 500 Towering
shrubs. Tho amount expended on this occa-
sion, as per books Of the Post, was $sS390. The
year following. in the National Cemetery at
Poplar Grove, the poem was hy Louis W. Hay
wood, the address by Col Dan A. Grosyenor;
the graves of over G000 soldiers were deco
rated. A band and drum corps were in at
tendance, and the exercises were of such char
acter rs to draw concentrations from the
Richmond Dispatch which spoke Of the won.
deriul amount of work done 10y the Post, con-
siderDg the number Of comrades" The cost
this year $s32.O2
In 1891 the graves in the National Cemeteries
of Cold Harbor aud Seven Pines were decorated
with appropriate exercises which were wit
messed by large conc0nrse Of people, residents
of the neighborhood. The expense was $375.59. |
City Point was visited in 1892 aud the graves
of nearly G000 soldiers remembered. There
was an address by Col. Church, of Washington,
other exercises OF a patriotic nature and the
usual planting of rose bushes and other shrubs,
ali at an expenditure Of $670.5l.
Fredericksburg was revisited in 1888 and
elaborate as were the exercises in 1883, there
was a great increase both in the Attendance az
well as in the interest taken. The Post was
accompanied by the band of the Richmond
Light Infantry. The Mayor of Frederick hurg
received them with speech, aud was followed
by Judge Goodrich, of the same city. There
was a large assemblage of the citizens, all of
whom were interested in the exercises. The
expense Of the observance this year was 81 49, !
Is. The total amount expended for five years |
as above described, was S3.9jl.l7. The details
and figures are given, and are in themselves the
most conclusive answers to Charge g.
A comrade of Lander Post, Lynn, Mass who
has been resident of Richmond during the past
six years, was so deeply impressed with the
earDestness and devotion of the comrades of
kearny Post, rs well rs with the need for such |
work as il was doing, that he said to the COM |
mittee: The great trouble is that just as | !
had failed to appreciate the need for such work
until / came here SO thousands OF comrades
throughout the North still fail 10 comprehend
il.
The comrades North are encouraged in every
way in their efforts to properly observe Me.
mortal Day. Cities and towns make appropria.
tions to aid the Posts and citizens gladly
contribute OF their means while the Woman's |
Relief Corps and Sons OF Veterans are at hand
to render their support. Here everything is
different; the great mass OF the people turn
out 10 honor the Confederate dead. Bands are
engaged, brilliant orators who depict in glow
ing coors the glory of the lost cause secured
every flower obtainable is gotten to strew upon
their graves, and amid all of this little band
of 20 or 80 faithful comrades, headed possibly
by All old drummer with crack ed drum, marches
through the streets TO take conveyance at some
designated point for the various cemeteries out.
lying from Richmond. Were the contrast not
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