The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-10

sioner Evans. Speaking Of the report made
by the Grand Army's committee on PEN
ceptance of the resignation of Commission
er Evans by the President Immediately foi-
lowed the presentation of this committees
report to him. Speaking further OF the
effect produced by this inquiry. he said:
"One most gratifying result of our in
vestigation was to find that no ground ex-
so often made against the pensioners. A
large part OF the last report of Commits
sioner Evans was taken up with recital OF
cases of fraud committed or attempted to
be committed against the government dur
ing the preceding thirty years., but when
analysed 1t appeared that very few who
mad any military service were parties TO
such frauds The vioators Of the law were
simply impostors. not soldiers The said
report further showed that the number of
Union soldiers convicted Of crime during
the year was but one-thousandth part or
i per cent of the total number OF the
pension roll. We challenge any other de-
partment of the government to make as
THRIVED ON HARDSHIPS.
The commander in-chief also took cogni-
zance of the charge that the pension roll
contains the names of more Union soldiers
than there are survivors of the civil war,
and pointed out that there are more than
do not appear on the roll at all. He advo-
Gated legislation In their behalf. saying:
Few of these old veterans have hos
! pital record, and to a large extent they
comprise the men that marched with Sher-
man TO the sea and fought with Grant at
| Appomattox. They took part in the grand
review In 1866 and formed part of those
| splendid armies of bronzed and well-sea-
| soned veterans that thrived on the very
hardships of war. They were the last TO
| leave the field and among the last to apply
| for relief at the hands of the government.
| For more than third of a century they
have borne an honorable part I'm advancing
| late day, when in their old age, they apply
for help, they should not be regarded with
disfavor because they did not apply ear
| Her
General Torrance declared that no pc
| cuniary compensation ever could be made
to those who preserved the Union, for that
| was debt of gratitude which could not be
| paid with dollars and cents.
| The patriotic impulse that moved us TO
lay, our all on the altar of our country
had" he said. mo fellowship with mer-
cenary motives We did not belittle the
| grandeur of the cause in which we en-
Gagged, by calculating on personal gain
| The inadequacy of our pay but added to the
dignity of the penalties we suffered. Un-
| der the pitiless skies thousands of our
comrades suffered as prisoners of war, but
no complaint escaped their lips. Release on
the flag was rejected with their expiring
breath. On the field of battle fruitless as
| saults were often made in the face Of GER
tain death, but no one faltered in response
| to the unwise command. Those were days
| of unquestioned heroism, supreme devo-
i ton, and unparalleled sacrifice; and in
these latter days the rear guard Of that i'm
mortal army should exhibit a spirit no
less heroic than that manifested by those
who fell in the foreground of the conflict
| so many years ago..
General Torrance paid high tribute to
| the work of the womens auxiliary organi-
cations, INCLUDING the relief corps and the
and also made an appeal for the proper
recognition of the Sons of Veterans. saying
on the latter point: "Posterity. for which
soon become the exclusive custodians of
our country's destiny, and who more
worthily than our sons can take up and
carry forward the unfinished work of the
Grand Army of the Republic?"
NO SECTIONAL LINES.
He devoted considerable space to consid-
Grafton of the status Of the ex-Confederate
soldier, repeating in spirit his plea OF a
month ago for the manifestation of good
will and brotherly kindness towards the
late adversaries of the members of the
Grand Army. He said he had been prompt
ed in making that appeal by the belief that
such actions would tend to bring still closer
together all parts of the country in the
bonds of a common citizenship, and there
were already, he added, evidences in the
responses received from the Southern States
that he had not miscalculated Indeed. he
said. with but two exceptions the. entire
7 press of. the country had commended the
spirit of the letter.
| Continuing on this point he said: cit is
not expected that the Grand Army of the
Republic, as an organization, will embark
in the building of homes for soldiers. North
or South, but in no possible way can the
greatest fraternal organization In the world
more becomingly crown its labors of love
in behalf of It's own membership than by
extending the hand OF helpfulness to their
fellow-countrymen, against whom they
were once arrayed in deadly strife. The
most disastrous results of civil war are
the animosities and bitter feelings engen-
, dered thereby, and am convinced that one
of the most patriotic services we can rem
| der our country is to earnestly aid in re-
moving every barrier that separates or es-
FRANCES the people; The victory at Apo.
not win the hearts as well as the flags OF
the men who wore the gray. A union OF
to an indssoluble union of indestructiblt
States
.'The Grand Army Of the Republic has
nothing TO fear. 1t Is not trammeled by
political creeds nor embarrassed by sec.
|; tartan controversies, and I'm the discharge
; of my duty neither my heart nor my judg
ment will consent to return to you the
great commission committed TO my trust
one year ago without voicing the noble
: sentiments which 1 know animate all your
hearts, and / rest confident In the belief
that no influences or conditions. North OIL
South, successfully construct or main
tain a sectional line that will prevent the
manifestation Of the most kindly feeling
and cordial good will, by act well as by
speech, between the surviving veterans OF
those who wore the blue and those whC
wore the gray"
OTHER REPORTS.
Commander Torrance's address was re-
ferred to the standing committee having in
charge the reports of other officers, aftel
which reports of the other general officer.
were presented.
Surgeon General W. II. Thrall, of Gin
cinnatL recommends that the Office o.
surgeon general be made honorary ant
that the mortuary and health feature.
which the surgeon. general is expected Il
supply, be furnished by the adjutant gen
eral. This recommendation is made. DR.
Thrall says, because of the impossibility o
: | getting complete statistics from the de
l | partment medical directors. He make
, no further report, saying that to go fur
| ther would be to palm off statistics which
. | would be entirely unreliable.
Chaplain-in-chief Thomas N. Boyle, o
Pittsburg, also speaks of the futile at
9 | tempts he has made to secure statistic
/. | of attendance at Memorial-day services
? | but he attributes the neglect 10 supply tn
| facts N the advanced age of many nos