The National tribune., 1902-11-06
Ex.coNfEDBRAt1E HOMES.
The Attitude Of the Grand Army Of the Re-
nu6lfc.


EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: Allow
q humble member OF the rank and iEe of
| the Il. A. X. to express an opinion and
call attention of the comrades to the or
ganic laws of our Order in reference to the
appeal OF our late Conamander-in-Chief for
contributions from members of the Grand
Army of the Republic. individually or as
Posts. n
l am truly willing as a loyal G. A. X.
comrade to do anything whereby all bit
ter sectional feeling may he forever OBJ
| liberated, and will t. the extent of my in
dividual ability contribute to any lauda-
| BILE charitable enterprise looking to the bet
| terment of the condition of my erring com
rades of the lost cause" but my loyalty
to my comrades and the Flag would ever
prevent ME from voting funds from my
| Post for such an object.
Some of our noble comrades are intiu-
enced by the cardinal virtue of Charity
only, and fail to show due regard for the
| crownine principle Of Loyalty; while 9th,
ers are anxious to make themselves and
| their Posts conspicuous in acts of benevo-
| lence and forgiveness.
The laws governing the G. A. X. are
gotten up with great care by comrades OF
age, ability and experience, and should be
well understood by the rank and file of our
noble Order. The opinions of the Judge
Advocate General of the q. A. X. when
adopted by the National Encampment be
come the fundamental law of the Order
and should be obeyed and respected &C,
cOrdingly.
Opinion 40, Advocate General
G. A. r., rendered Oct. IL, 1882 is very
clear ON this point and attention is called
| to its substance:
FUNDS.
Funds Of the q. A. X. cannot be used
for the support Of ex-rebel soldiers.
| list. The q. A. X. was organized fol
soldiers, sailors and marines who united tC
IL, Rules and RegulatiOns.)
I'D. To assist such former comrades
as need help and professionalism >, Art
=, Rules and Regulations.)
I'D. To discountcnance whatever tends
to weaken loyalty.-(Par. 3, Art 2. Rules
and RegulatiOnsJ".
The q. A. X. offers a premium to dis
loyalty whenever it as an Order under
takes to provide for the maintenance OF
men who served in the rebeI army.
18th. No person is eligible to member
| ship who at any time bore arms against
the United States.-(Art. 4, Rules and
RegulationsJ'
If not eligible to membership, then the
G. A. Il. should not be taxed to aid Oh
support them.
18th. l know Of no principle of the G.
A. X. whereby rebel soldiers can be placed
on an equal footing with loyal soldiers in
any charitable institution Of our Order. On
the contrary, all the teachings of the &.
A. Il. are that loyalty to the Government
from 1861 to 1865 with service in the I'm
ion army is to be our only guide in the
charities of the Order.
18th. If any Department in its mag
nanimity should wish to aid ex-Confeder-
ate soldiers, it must be done in the way
of voluntary aid from funds outside Of the
general or special funds of the Order; in
other words, by voluntary contributions of
individual members of the G. A. r."
This is a voluntary contribution to the
literature of our Order, especially for the
benefit of those seeking higher honors and
to guard against history repeating itself
| along these lines.
Now, comrades. in conclusion, know
of no better way of honOring our Order for
all time than in hoiloring the memory of
its founder, Il. F. Stephenson, by erecting
suitable memorial on the ground ten
dered by the Government at the National
1t should be the pride and ambition of
every cOmrade to do his level best along
that line, that future generations will
point with pride to the noble work of the
Order.-T. ID. McGnIICUDDY, Military
Historian, Cleveland, q.