Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 August 1885 — G. A. R. [ARTICLE]

G. A. R.

The Proposed National Monument to Grant. [Washington dispatch. General S. S. Burdett, Commander-in-Chief of the G. A. R., has returned herefrom the G. A. R. encampments at Gettysburg and Springfield. To a reporter Gen. Burdett to-day said that at each of these places he spoke to the veterans regarding the erection of a monument to Gen. Grant, and they were unanimously in favor of its location in Washington. “It would have done you good,” said he "to see the enthusiasm that .was awakened at the chance given the boys to honor their dead commander. The Grand Army proposes to subscribe 10 cents from every member, and there are 300,000 of them throughout this country. They mean to erect a monument to Gen. Grant in Washington, and I don’t think the day is far distant when Gen. Grant’s remains will be placed for final rest in Washington. In reply to Gen. R. B. Hayes’ letter suggesting that the authorities of the Grand Army of the Republic encourage their comrades to contribute to the building of a monument over the erave of Gen. Grant, Gen. Burdett says: “I have been unable to bring my mind into accord with yours on that point. I hold to the opinion that the Grand Army will desire first of all to erect its own distinctive monument to our comrade, not at a great cost, but for that purpose raising only such sum as, composed of the equal contribution of each individual comrade, shall be within the reach and the glad gift of the poorest. The national monument to be erected to General Grant should be of such proportions and cost as to be beyond the reach of private benevolence, and of right and propriety ought to be ordered by the Congress of the United States and paid for out of the National Treasury, and that consequently the Grand Army should not be be called upon for the effort you indicate.” Only three Pullman sleepers have ever been seen in Columbus, Ga., two on Mar-di-Gras excursion trains, and one occupied by Janauschek.