The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-03-26

eminent That While the Troops
VIII he Mustered Out Forthwith,
an Investigate ton VIII he Made
| Into the Charges, as Col. Leon
hauser Remains In the Service
| Minnesota protested vigorously. through
| her executive and legislative departments
against the characterization of her voIun-
teer officers by Gen. Young as towards.
ana while 1t did not avail to prevent the
mastering out at once of the Fifteenth
regiment. 1t did secure from the federal
| government the assurance that a court of
| inquiry would make full inquiry into
I the Justice of the charges the assurance
being contained in the following telegram
received late yesterday afternoon by Gov.
Lind In answer to his protest of earlier
in the day:
Hon John Lind. Governor of Minnesota:
Upon full consideration, the secretary
out OF officers of the Fifteenth Minnesota,
mentioned In your telegram, but COM
mand1ng general. second army CORPS Is
authorized to institute court inquiry to
! examine into allegations against the col
onel' who represents all parties involved
and. being. a regular army officer, con-
| t-HueS III the military service.
-Corbin, Adjutant General 4 D. m
| During the forenoon, the governor sent
to both houses of the legislature the fol-
lowing communications In regard to the
matter:
The difficulties in the Fifteenth regi-
ntent, Minnesota volunteer infantry, now
stationed ST nc ts at Augusta, Ga. which result
eu IN the trial and conviction of certain
members of that regiment upon the
charge of mutiny, are so familiar to yoIl
through the public press that it is deem
eu unnecessary to go into detailed state
order was made public by the war depart
ment, imposing sentences upon those
members m, OF the regiment found guilty
crlminately criticised in the order and
charged with cowardice. Thereupon they
Immediately requested court Of inquiry
Whlch Application, as 1 am advised was
approved by the corps commander, but
refused by the secretary of war as TO
the volunteer officers in the regiment. All
ffepresentatlons to the war department
been ignored. The 9th inst. is fixed as
the time for the muster-out from the
service or the United States of the off,
GERS and men Of the Fifteenth regiment
Inc men have had their trial and those
found guilty have been sentenced. The
oIilcers nave been unable to obtain
theIr behalf, they will be mustered OUT
with the charge of cowardice resting
upon them.
A fair hearing and a lust sentence are
inherent rights of the American citizen
Why they should be denied the volunteer
VINO mas made the same tender of his life
d3s ms country, and be accorded to the
the same organization, is beyond nv com
prehens1on. The volunteer soldier secur-
ed our liberties. has saved our fnstftu-
tionS ana mas ever stood ready to defend
the national honor. Invidious discrImina-
lions and wholesale reflections l1pon the
Io, OF our volunteers should be re-
and men from our state have been first
IN the field and loyal and efficient in the
qlscharge OF their every duty, both in the
va MIr ~ Ine Reoe1l 1. and in the late
sons OF the same state and cannot differ
greatly from their comrades If anv Of
IN ote m nave so far forgotten the honor
OF their state and the obligations which
they owe the service and their country as
70 De guilty, of the charges made, let
t n1e take axe the consequences. The peo-
lust sentence rendered upon a full and
fair hearing, but they will and do resent
the proposition to have the fifty young
names 1 transmit herewith) whose good
name and fame have heretofore never
been questioned, discharged from the
service of their country resting under The
1mputatfon of cowardice-the worst
charge that can be made against a SOL
dler-Without an opportunity to be heard
III their own defense.
l have made full representa- ttons tn tn.
war department in their behalf but
nave reason to believe that any action
taken by the executive of this state alone
would receive but little heed
L therefore earnestly recommend that
your BODY take such action as in YOUR
Judgment the honor of these young men
and of our state demand. Very respect
fully, John Lind Covarnnor
In the house the communication from
the governor was read, and Mr. Winston
Dem), of Hennepin, offered the resolu-
lions which were afterward passed bv the
house and senate.
Several Of the members insisted that
the resolutions go to the committee on
military affairs and on the suggestion
from Mr.. Winston that the committee
make an early report they were so re-
ferred.
AT the afternoon session the committee
reported back the resolutions with tha
recommendation that they be adopted.
Mr.. West (Rep), of Mower, who acted
as chairman of the committee in the abb
sence of Mr.. Hymes, demanded a roll
CALL but as there. was barely a quorum
present rising vote was taken
Mr. Dwinnell Rep), of Hennepin, took
occasion to say that this was the first
against the militia of the state. The
charge was a wholesale one, and IT was
due every officer of the regiment that a
board of inquiry should be ordered and
held Ii the request was not granted he
would take OCCASION to tender his compli-
| ments to Maj. Gen. Young and defend the
officers of the Fifteenth regiment, who
had been charged and condemned without
a hearing.
whereas The dana nj
| order published on the 18th inst impos-
ing sentences of disholfbrable dischar
and imprisonment upon certain mem
bers OF the Fifteenth regiment, Minnesota
gusta Ga; for offenses of which they
had been duly convicted; and
Whereas. The same order promulgat-
ing said sentences also in wholesale terms
charged the officers of the regiment with
fneff1ciency, incapacity, cowardice and
other offenses, and it appearing that the
officers of that regiment have requested
court of inquiry to determine their re-
spective culpability in the unfortunate
| occurrences resulting in the trial and
order referred to, which request has been
Denied and
Whereas, 1t is now proposed by the
war department to muster out the regi-
ment on the 9th inst, without giving
the volunteer officers therein resting un-
be heard. Now, therefore, be 1t
Resolved, by the house of representa-.
tives,, the senate concurring, That the
secretary of war be and he is hereby
Of inquiry be constituted for the hear
ing Of the wholesale. charges made
against the officers Of the regiment, to
the end that the individual responsible
ity of the guilty ones. if any, may be
fixed and those innocent eXonerated, and
that the muster out of the officers be
delayed until after the report of said
court.
The governor is requested to immed-