The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-01
VETERANS STILL OBDURAHE
Refuse to Be Appeased by the
Grand Marshal's Offer.
General Sicklcs' Letter of RcsiGna-
tion Acccptcd-Inyitn tion to Ride
in the Inaugural Parade Also Re
jected Distribution of Badges.

in the Inaugural Parade Also he
jected - Distribution of badges.
For the present. a deadlock in the vet
Grams controversy appears to have been
reached. The veterans have firmly de-
clined to accept any proposition other
than their original contention that they
serve in body as an escort TO the Presi-
dent This conclusion was conveyed TO
the Gran Marshal in "a letter signed by
General Sickles and endorsed by the
leaders of the local veteran organiza-
lions, sent yesterday afternoon to Cen
eral Greene. The letter was reply to
General Greene's proposition that
guard of honor, composed of twenty
members from each of the local posts,
(be formed to escort the President to the
Capitol on the morning of March l. the
Grand Marshal fails to comply with this
demand.
The door has been left open for the
veterans to reconsider their expressed
determination not to parade under the
conditions imposed by suggestion from
the Grand Marshal. contained in a letter
written by his direction in reply to the
veterans pronunciamento, nearly identi-
cal with the plan of the guard of honor,
but couched in different terms. The
Grand Marshal states in his letter that
he is willing to arrange a guard of honor
composed of 500 veterans, who may es-
cort the President to the Capitol. The
privilege of selecting the members of this
escort, and of its commander, is rendered
to General Sickles. In the same letter
the Grand Marshal complies with General
Sickles' request that he be relieved from
duty as marshal of the veterans division
The communication to General Sickles
written by the direction of the Grand
Marshal, is as follows:
Headquarters of the Grand Marshal
Feb 2S, 1901.
Mai Gen. d. E. sickles, L. S. Army
CRetired):
Sir: l am directed to acknowledge
receipt of your communication of this
date and to state, in reply, that 1t is
not practical BILE to have so large BODY
as you indicate to form an escort of
honor to the President Arrangements
can be made for such escort not eN-
ceeding 500 veterans of the civil war.
TO be selected by you and under COM
mand of such officer as you may desig-
nate.
ut is understood that your own po-
sition will be as part of the Presden-
tial party in carriages; and in conSe-
quence thereof, and in compliance with
your written request Of the 9th inst,
you are relieved from duty as marshal
of the veteran division Very respect
fully, A. NOEL BRAKEMAN.
Chief of STAFF"
The Grand Marshals communication is
in reply to the following letter received
early in the afternoon yesterday:
washington, D. c.,
February 2s. 1891.
"a. Noel Brakeman. Esq, Chief of Staff.
Sir: l have the honor TO acknowledge
the receipt of your communication of the
9th instant, and TO acQuaint you that l
have conveyed. through the department
commander. to the officers of the Grand
Army Posts in the District of Columbia
your intimation that If these posts should
apply to headquarters of the Grand Mar
shall for permission to detail twenty men
from each post to form an escort of honor
10 the President, the application would be
favorably considered.
Il am requested by the Department
Commander of the Grand Army to in
form you that the posts in his depart
ment will not ask leave to sand details
from these organizations to take part in
the inaugural parade. They are unwill-
ing to seek an honor in behalf of a small
part of their membership from which the
main body Of their comrades is excluded.
Moreover. they cannot help feeling that
they should not consent to a suggestion
which overlOoks other veteran organiza-
toms in the District of Columbia such as
the Union Veterans Union, the Union
Veteran Legion. and the Spanish-Ameri-
can War Veterans.
If an invitation were given to all of
the veteran organizations in the District
Of Columbia, including visiting veterans