2005 Proceedings - Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War

getting this off the ground and getting it rolling. I appreciate being in a position to be able to make a
difference.
Commander-in-Chief Stephen Michaels
The chair recognizes Brother Jack Grothe.
National Guard Jack Grothe
Commander-in-Chief, the Host Committee would like to have the representative present the
floral arrangement for the Encampment at this time.
Department Commander Dan Murray, Department of New Hampshire
Commander Michaels the 2005 Host Committee has the honor of presenting you with a bouquet
of flowers for your room.
Commander-in-Chief Stephen Michaels
Thank you very much. Continuing on the National Counselor, James B. Pahl.
National Counselor James B. Pahl
Commander-in-Chief, there is one small correction to my written report. There was a formal
written opinion in effect - that you cannot charge for a transfer card. If a member in good standing
requests a transfer card you must give it and there is no fee that can be charged for that. The second part
of the amendment to my report is something that has very recently developed and I didn’t have time to
submit anything to get into the book. I think the Brothers would like to hear this one in person. We’re
in Court again. Detroit Camp Number 101, was sued by the city of Detroit a quite title action to remove
the Sons of Veterans interest from the G.A.R. Building in Detroit. If you are not familiar with this
building it’s about a five-story building, three sided in downtown Detroit and several Posts of the Grand
Army of the Republic met there. It’s a beautiful building; it looks like a little castle sitting right in
downtown Detroit; it’s been boarded up and closed for years. There is a statute in Michigan called the
Michigan Monumental Buildings Act, and basically what that provides for is that when such buildings
exist they shall remain property of the Municipal Corporation, forever dedicated as a Memorial
Building. The law also requires the city to establish a permanent fund devoted to the maintenance of
such building as a memorial in the amount equal to the original G.A.R. contribution, which we believe
to be about five thousand dollars in 1898 dollars. And to provide proper supervision by public
authorities of all relics, documents and library belonging to the G.A.R. Post to keep the building open
and free to the public at all reasonable times and to allow the G.A.R. and any surviving organizations of
the descendents of such Union Soldiers to use and maintain as far as possible the same relations with a
Municipal Corporation of said buildings as the Post and Department of the Grand Army of the Republic.
The city Detroit in filing this action in the Detroit Court was seeking to have this statute annulled and to
terminate the rights of the Sons and the Daughters and the other organizations in this building. We have
retained counsel, who is in the process of writing a grant through National Trust of Historic Preservation
to pay the legal fees. So this may not cost the Order anything and right now the Camp is not asking the
Order for anything because if this falls through this attorney has donated so much of his time already to
this. We removed the case from the city of Detroit to the United States Federal District Court. Our
counter complaint is beautiful.
Encampment
Laughter.
National Counselor James B. Pahl
It seeks request to mandate the city to carry out their functions in regard to the city, declaratory
relief, injunctive relief, accounting, claim and delivery, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, aiding and
abetting the breach of fiduciary duty, conversion, misappropriation and aiding and abetting
embezzlement.
Encampment
Laughter and clapping.
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