The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-12-12
Grand MnsterB's Address before tho Ng
tIonal Grange mt Richmond, Wa.

Worthy Brothers and Sisters Our de-
yout thanks are due the Great Father of
Merc;es for the blessings Of life and
health, insomuch that we are permitted
to come together in ANIMAL session from
all parts of common country to labor
in the cause Of humanity.
Over considerable portion of our
fair land the Death Angel has spread his
black wings. Towns, cities, and parishes
have been depopulated, and many have
fallen prey to the beetle aud the worms.
This terrible scourge has afforded an
ample opportunity for the exercise of the
heaven-born principles of sympathy,
sengers from the North, the East and
the West have hastened away from
health, homes, and happiness to rolieve
distress, to comfort the sick, to feed the
hungry, and TO bury the dead. The
question, "Who is my neighbour" has
not been asked. Sectional animosities
have been obiterated. Breathing the
pestiential atmosphere, these heroic men
and women have gone into tho very jaws
of death-not for wealth, not for honor,
not for fame, not for reward. save the
approval of their own consciencies and
the appreciation OF Heaven. Alas many
of these noble-heurted philanthropsta
have fallen, pierced with the fatal shafts
Of the relentlesa destroyer. Truly lor
these are the crowns of glory which fade
iHt away, bat endure forever. Whatever
measures of relief can be devised by the
National Grange with reference to our
members in these plngue-stricken local
tiles trust will be done during this ses.
sion.
In regard to
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE,
the Master says it is presumed that the
Worthy Representative of the National
Grange to the Dominion Grange of Cun-
ada will bo able to give hattering ac-
count of the order there. It may be
questionable whether American Grange
seed can be utilized and made to bring
forth hundred-fold in foreign countries,
and whether the character of the seed
will not be such that the climate, soil,
and atmosphere vii, be unfavorable to
its introduction and propagation wher.
ever attempted. The time may come,
however, if the Grange is truo to its
mission in this country--if education is
disseminated, and religious intolerance
dissipated in Europe-if absolute mon
arches become more liberal in form aud
in fact-if the internal spirit of commu-
nism is overwhelmed and annihilated by
noble, rational patriotism, that our
peaceful society may gain q permanent
foothold, and spread its benign influences
over lands now benighted with super
stition, bigotry, serfdom, and despotism.
Fi sECRETARY's OFFICE.
The adoption of the recommendation
of the Executive Committee by tho
National Grange at the last session SIM
ply making "the secretary responsible
for the archives Of the National Grange,
and allowing him to locate his Office at
such place as will be moat convenient
for him." was in my judgment, n grave
error. The word archives" can be con-
strued to mean OILY the records, and
hence by the action above recited the
secretary was no longer the custodian of
or accountable for the other property
belonging to the National Grange. It
matters not that the merchandise was of
little or no value, or that supplies nova
days are furnished almost entirely by
State secretaries in many States, the
fact is, nevertheless, that so long as there
is a National Grange there always wilt
be applications made to the secretary for
information and for needed articles, and
he'shnnld be able to answer limited de-
mands or to impart such knowledge
where appliances may be had, that the
humblest member residing in the most
remote part Of our country may be reas-
onably satisfied. To-day we have an in
cubus binding and sweighing upon the
National Grange till January 1, 1882, in
the shape of lease of a. building in
Louiaville, and we have contracted t.,
agreement, amounting TO nearly three
thousand dollars, for which no benefit is
receisedand yet we have no headquhr.
ters, nv iionae. The secretary's Cfiice
should be located nc soma central point,
accessible TO the Master, Executive Com
mites. and the members Of the order
generally. Exigencics might arise when
the records shonid be examined by prop
or autEority-whe9 changes and c1Trec-
tions in the infringement Of his Office