Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-12
UNION VETERANS UNION.
Division Commander Hayes Issues
General Orders, No. 8.
Maine Forswears Allegiance to Com
mander-in Chief Dyrenforth.

Gen. Patrick Hayes of Togus, division
commander of the Department of
Maine. Union Veterans Union, has is
sued general orders. No. 3, as follows:
AT the annual encamDment of the
Division of Maine, Union Veterans
Union. held in Augusta, Nov. A, 1902, by
authority of a vote Of said encamp-
ment, the division commander appoint
ed Lewis Selbing, w. S. Norcross and
Henry l. Lord, With himself as a MEM
Der eX-otlicio, a committee with full
authority to take such measures as
may be necessary to unite this de-
partment with the Department of
Massachusetts under the constitution
of 1893, and thus restore it to the po-
stion it is entitled to as an organiza
ton of battlefield soldiers
At a special department encampment
held at Gardiner, Dec. so, 1902, called
for the purpose of hearing a report
from said committee. Lewis Selbing,
for the committee, made the follow
ing report, which was unanimously
adopted:
Your committee can do no better
the preamble and resolutions adopted
Ny tiIC i|NI'cti lAilSill VI ANCN liam )Stlll
and Vermont at their annual encamp-
ment held at Rochester, N. H., Nov.
10. 1902. which is as follows:
Whereas, The Union Veterans Union
was instituted solely as an organization
of veterans of the Civil War, the eligible
ity clause of which admitted none but
those who had served in the army or navy
of the United States, and had seen at least
six months continuous service (unless
sooner discharged on account of Wounds
between the years 1861 and 1865, part of
which service must have been at the
front, and have participated in one or
more engagements; and
whereas, The organization as thus
founded had cordial support and approval
from the service veterans of the Union
army ana navy in the War of the Re-
bellion and the order a rapid growth
throughout the country for the II wears
preceding the Des Moines National En-
campment held in August 1899, when a,
new constitution, SO called, was illegally
adopted, changing the name of the organ
iZatlon Subverting its fraternal principles
and reducing the standard of qualification
Tor membership below that of any soldier
organization in existence the avowed OBJ
ject being the building up of a political
organization for use in state and national
elections; and
Whereas, Since the Des Moines en-
campment the order has rapidly decreas-
ed in membership, departments and com
mands nave been suspended, and many
ton have been driven from our ranks by
the administration then and since exist
ing, for no other reason than that they
desired to maintain and preserve the an
Gent landmarks of the order and to keen
invlolate The sacred principles subscribed
to in their oath of obligation when Join
ing the Union Veterans Union; and
whereas, At the recent National En-
campment held in Washington, d. c.
Robert st. George Dryenforth was sus-
pended from the office of COMMANDMENTS
Chief by the unanimous action of the ex-
ecutive committee, for gross violation of
the constitution, rules, regulations and
laws, and for arbitrary, tyrannical ana il
legal use of authority, Notwithstanding
Whlch ne continues to arrogate to himself
the duties OF COMMUNICATIVE and is
sues orders calculated to Unjust doubt in
the minds OF Civil War pensioners as To
the continuance of their pensions, by al
lesing that the press of the country is
vociferousiy" clamorng for the abroga-
ton of the pension laws which can only
be prevented by the soldiers of the Civil
war. tneir sons and grandsons, join
ing the Union Veterans Union and vpt-
ing fer such candidates for office as Rob
ert ST George Dyrenforth may command
you to; and
Whereas, The Union soldier and sailor