Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-07-18
.IR O. u. A. M.


of tho 18th inst. with the caption "The
Insurgents VIM" has no doubt been
read by many members of the order,
and the general public. The decision
by the Chancery Court is by no means
final the only point that the judge
decided, out of many submitted to him,
was that the legislative charter granted
to the ''insurgent' organization should
| in his opinion receive some consider
alton. Many believe that the case in
question was between the local councils
Jackson Council, the 'insurgent'
council and Alexandria and Belle
Haven Council, loyal councils.
From information received by members
of the loyal branch of the order in this
city il is proper to state that the "loyaP
State Council of Virginia, as such, is
not known in the case, although its
officers were named as respondents, only
as individuals, not as officers of the
State Council of Virginia.
The case was between the old State or
eanization and the National Council.
The "loyalists" admit that the old or
panization obtained from the General
Assembly Of Virginia a charter, but
they deny that it gave to them the rights
and powers which it claims were granted
it, to be the only organization having a
RIGHT TO exist i'm this State under the name
of the State Council Of Virginia Jr. 0.
U. A. NJ, or to use the name OF the
order, or exercise any of the rights,
powers, privileges, ritual or emblem OF
| the order. The National Council insists
that in pursuing the course it did in OBJ
tanning the charter, was simply another
proof of the determination on the part
of the persons composing the old organi-
cation to absolutely sever its connection
with the National Council, and to at
tempt to exist as separate and indie
pendent order, was not only in violation
of its contract with, and obligation to,
the National Council, but also in viola
ton of the rights of the minority men,
bers Of the old State organization, and
the many subordinate Councils who re-
fused to participate in any Of said acts OF
characterization, but continued to recog-
nize the supremacy of the National Coun
Gil and its connection Herewith.
The National Council further contends
that the old organization has not the
right to use the name under which it
was chartered, and that such right to use
said name or title is one of the rights
belonging to the National Council, and
which has belonged TO it for n number
of wears. and which can only be used by
such organizations as shall be created
and authorized by the National Council,
as decided by the Supreme Court of New
York in a similar case.
Every decision previously rendered
has been in favor of the National COun-
Gil in other States, and the insurgents
seeing the fallacy of their position have
decided to not prolong the litigation,
but to establish new order to be known
as the "Order of Independent Ameri-
cans" The article referred to further
stated that the decision rendered is the
conclusion of the case, which is by no
means true, as the National Council has
already entered an appeal in the case
which will be diligently prosecuted.
The insurgents also claim to have four
times the membership that the loyalists
have, which is also untrue, the latter
numbering in the State, about 4, 900
with about 60 councils, each in heal
thy condition financially. The State
organizer of the loyalists branch is in
stituting new councils weekly, and the
work of the "loyalists" is prog ressing
beyond the expectations of its officers.
The members of the "1oyaP' branch
in this city maintain they are not dis
couraged by the decision rendered, but
are confident that when the case comes
before the Court of Appeals, or the Su-
premo Court, to which it may ultimately
60 the decision of the Chaucery Court
will be reversed and the National Council
will still be permitted to use the name of
its order in this State, which name it has
used since 1853. The old State organiza-
ton has not been any part of the National
Council since the revocation of its charac-
ter, and the "loyap' State Council has
been acting under the National Council
and as such has prior right to the use of
the name ofthe Jr. o. U a. NJ. The '1oy-
alp councils will continue to hold its
meetings and carry On their work a.
heretofore, which at the present time is
meeting with decided success in this city.