The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1896-07-23
Attention, G. A. r.
I Communicated.

the nlted States. who have consented to
this Mon, having aided in maintaining
the honor, integrity and supremacy of
tie National Government during the late
rebellion, do unite TO establish pelma-
nent association tor TIE objects Aelein-
after set forth; and through oar National
Encampment do ordain and establish the
following rules and regulations for the
government of this association:
This association shall be known as the
Grand Amy Of the Republic
The objects to be accomplished by this
organization are as follows:
l. 10 preserve ana strengthen those
klnd and maternal feelings which bind
together the soldiers, sailors and marines
VINO united TO suppress the late Rebellion,
and 10 perpetuate the memory and history
OF Ile dead.
:. lc assist such former comrades in
arms as need help and protection, and to
extend need1ul aid to the widows and
orphans OF those Who have fallen.
.. 10 maintain Glue alle glance TO the
mted states OF America, based upon
paramount respect ton. and fidelity to, its
Constitution and laws. to ttl>cOuntenance
Whatever tenCs to weaken loyalty, incite
10 Instruction, treason on rebellion. OF in
any manner impairs the efficiency and
permanency OF our free institutions; and
to encourage tile spread OF universal lib
eIty, equal rights, and Justice 10 ali men.
from the report OF recent gathering OF
veterans and their ladies IN Names lar
gest city, a stranger would hardly believe
those participating Were distinguished
members OF this order: that they were
met TO preserve and strengthen those
kind and fratelnal feelings which bind TO-
5ether;' that they were laboring ITO en-
courage the spread OF universal liberty,
equal rights, and justice to all men
and eomen. 1t is to be hoped the re-
port is not true.
We lave been asked, why this opposi-
ton to the soldiers Home at Newport?'
We can only say We know no reason why
any who really have the interest of the
veteran and his dependents at heart can
oppose movement So manifestly for
their benefit and welfare. We know.
further, that the Woman S Relief Corps,
who first proposed this Home has become
settled auxiliary and recognized agency
Of the Grand Army of the Republic in all
It's work OF benevolence. To those who
nave or will give attention to the record
there can be no question that the National
Eucampment has given its recognition to
the oman Relief Corps, and that it has
renamed silent as to any other organiza-
ton. The fact that twenty-one States,
some Of them with from one nalf 10 one
eighth the population of Maine, have IS
tablshed homes which are receivin not
only the endorsement. but the liberal sup
port OF the States where located. would
seem to retute the argument that there is
no call tor such institutions. If this is
not enough the nifty nine applications for
accommodations at Maine Home already
received by the committee. which they
are unable To consider tor lack of means,
together with the tact that OF the two
hundred and siXty-nine inmates of the
Chelsea, Mass, Home, only few miles
away, tWentT-aeven are Maine soldiers,
would seem to indicate that our friends at
4east have MOI judged with can(lor
The objectors who say those WHO would
become inmates can better be cared for in
lhelr own homes forget that many of them
have no home, and that while we have
one hundred and sixty-seven Posts. G.. 4.
H., sixty nine Corps ". f. c. Auxiliary
10 ne Grand Army, seventy State Corps
and several independent Corps, there are
mole tlan alN hundred cities, towns. and
idaAtdtions in the Department Of Maine.
lew II them with soldier organizations.
bUl neatly all with representatives. vi the
9lQ Vtte-an or his dependents that have
10 earthly holuer.
Maine beloved Hannibal Hamlin once
s.tlu al 4 National Encampment of the
Grand Amy, i said yesterday that this
organization was based upon design of
the 4Iandest charity known to any iusti-
-utlon within the world. repeat it now.
ana silI, with all the efforts and with all
NE 'tlQ OF the mothers, the sisters and
HE legal women in the Woman's Relief
corps, There are yet unc0unted thousands
u the poor who have been in our service
mat neither the Grand Army nor the
Rellet corps have reached This was
many Neals ago, and certainly there has
oeeh no improvement in their condition.
Iast National Commander A. &. Weis-
segt III his address at the twentv-snvepth
annual National Encampmelt at Indian
ap0lls, said, II beg to invite his Encamp
ment and the country to the tact that dur
my the past year | have seen more than
Z5U, 900 OF the veterans Of the late war, |
have made it my business to observe mar
lowIy the physical condition of these
men, and also to obtain the opinions of
men competent TO Judge Of the physical
condition OF the survivors of the war: bas-
Ing my Judgment upon personal observa-
uons and the well considered opinions of
Others / leave the record with YOU to- dav
that IN my opinion a very large portion of
these survivors are seriously impaired in
thf II physical powers, as result of their
military services.
one OF the best friends the soldier ever
haG in Congress, Hon. Seth I. Milliken.
recently made in debate there some re-
marks 50 apropos To this subject, though
speaking upon another, we have taken tile
liberty to incorporate them here ''Plu-
talch tells us that the father of Themis-
toces took his son down to the seashore
and showed him there the old hulks that
had been left upon the beach to decay.
lie wanted to impress upon the mind of
his son a lesson to deter him from enter
ing public life. He said to him: If YOU
enter public life the people, when they
get through with using you, will leave
you on the strand like these old hulks. -
so, Mr.. Chairman, there was time
when you We're proud of these old SOL
diers-when with bright eyes and brave
hearts they went to the front to defend
the country which to-day is rejoicing in
the fruits of their heroism. Yuu did not
believe then the time would come when it
should be proposed by legislation to cast
them upon the shore like old hulks neg
lected and decaying. Themistocles. re-
Jectlng the advice of his father, entered