The record-union., 1896-09-19
PERMANENTLY ORGANIZED.
The Army and Navy League an Accom-.
pliShed Fact.
It Starts in With q Large Member
ship and Elects Officers
Last Night.

A meeting of ex-soldiers and sail
ors was held at 815 street
last evening for the purpose of
organizing a Republican Army and
Navy League.
The meeting was called to order by
George NJ Mott, who introduced E. w.
Woodward, Past Senior Vice-Depart-
ment Commander of the Grand Army,
who Is stationed at Oakland. That gen.
tleman explained the object Of the meet
ing and the object of the organization,
being in brief the ultimate success of
the Republican party at the polls next
November
j. c. Medley. who acted as Temporary
Adjutant, announced that fifty-six names
had already been enrolled. The consti-
tuition of the organization was read for
general information.
Mr.. Mott announced that permanent
organization would be the first order of
business, and that a Colonel of the
Camp was the first officer to be elected.
Frank Miller thought the present
Chairman would make an acceptable Of
ficer, and he placed Mr.. Mott in nomina-
ton.
Mr.. Mott wished to decline. He had
struggled through the war and never
got higher than a Corporal, and he
feared now the title of Colonel might
seriously affect him.
Mr.. Motifs comrades were not of his
opinion, and they unanimously elected
him Colonel of Sacramento Camp.
The following officers were elected
Lieutenant-Colonel, J. S. Jones: Major,
w. M. jerks; Quartermaster, Edgar M.
Sheehan; officer of the Day, A. d.
Hurd; Officer of the Guard, N. H. Muir
ray.
Upon motion, the election Of other
needed officers was deferred until the
next regular meeting which it was de-
cided to hold on next Thursday even
ing
Colonel J. P. McElroy Of Oakland
Camp was present and predicted a
great future for the Sacramento Camp.
They organized at Oakland with
eighteen members, which soon grew to
be 400. Sacramento had organized with
flfty-six members, and he predicted It
would be one Of the largest camps in
the State. They had succeeded with
a small nucleus in working UP a great
interest. They made 1t a point to keep
their headquarters always open, where
a supply of literature was always on
hand. It was a clubroom, SO to speak.
The meetings were made attractive by
breaking the mOnotony Of public speak
ing with music, declamations and cam
paign singing. There was nothing in
the organization to prevent any Grand
Army man from taking hold and becom-
Ing an active member. There was every
reason, however. why the men who had
preserved the Union should assert
Themselves There was everything in the
air>rebellion, reputation and anarchy
1t behooved these old veterans to rally
to support the honor of that flag they SO
much loved. What they wanted was
unity Of action. They should march ell
bow to elbow in solid phalanx to the
polls and vote for Mckinley and Ho-
bart
Colonel Woodward also spoke Of the
error which some persons had fallen into
regarding the organization as move
metn to carry politics into the Grand
Army. Such was not the case, and any
intelligent man must conclude so after
giving the matter a second thought
The Grand Army was a non-political
organization. In it's barracks the COM
rades knew no political lines: outside
they had a perfect right to work for
and vote for whom they pleased.
Some time before the meeting Of the
St Louis convention the speaker and
several other comrades formed a club
and wore Mckinley buttons because
they felt that McKinley's nomination
was a logical sequence.
The Colonel read letter addressed
by the Secretary of the club to Major
Mckinley and his answer to it,
After further discussion among the
members on the prospects of the cam
paign and on the good Of the order, the
camp adjourned.