The National tribune., 1882-06-03
The Cnnlinr Encamprnent.

several members Of the Cabinet have accepted
invitations 10 attend the coming Encamp-
ment Of the Grand Army, and rs the time
approaches for the gathering it becomes
increasingly evident that the occasion Will
he the most memorable in the annals OF the .
Order. The various Baltimore committees /
which are charged with the duties OF re- /
ceivirg and entertaining the visiting Posts
arc all hard at work, and the local enthhsl- /
asn appears to be steadily growing. Our /
readers have been kept thoroughly posted,
through our Baltimore correspondents, III /
regard TO the preparations that are being
made for The event, and little now remains
to be said concerning it. iarades, camp
6Yes. bansuets. excursions, and fireworks
displays, will fully occupy the time Of the
visitors, and our only concern is lest they
may lie surfeited with pleasure. However,
our veterans are not easily Disconnected,
and we presume they will be equal to the
programme. Men who have faced the dan
GERS of war are not likely to quail before the
allurcments of peace, and we suspect that
our Maryland friends will be disappointed
if they hope to 'subdue the Grand Army
with solt-shen crabs and watIlcs.
The delegates to the Grand Encampment,
however have something more important
to engage their attention than the sanplinG
of Maryland hospitality They are charged,
among other things, with the duty Of elect
/ ING q new Commander 10 succeed that gal
| lant officer, General Merrill, and that is
very grave responsibility. There will doubt
less be a keen rivalry among the friends OF
| the several candidates for the honor, but 1t
Will make very little difference upon which
! one of the contestants the choice Of the
! Encampment falls, providing he is personally
worthy of the distinction. To merit such
| trust it is not enough that he should possessa
/ brilliant war record lie must be something
more than brave soldier. The Commander
/ Of the Grand Army should be man CT
culture and character, whose sole ambition
is to advance the interests Of the Order and
VINO is above the reach of the politicians OF
either party His name should be guar
antee of the honorable objects of the Order
q bulwark of defense against slauder and
malice. Such a name it viii not be difficult
to find. and we do not doubt that the dele
gates will be governed in their choice by
their desire to promote the growth and
prosperity of the organization rather than
by any considerations Of personal friendship.
There would be a manifest impropriety IN
the advocacy by THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE
Of the claims Of any particular candidate,
and il is pleasant 10 know that among the
aspirants whose names have been brought
forward there is none in whose election it
could not eheerfal2y acquiesoe.
, Another question which is likely to en-
{ gross the attention of the delegates, as We
have previously had occasion 10 remark is
that of uniforming the Pests, and it is one
in which General Ross, we are glad to know
takes special interest. There IS much to
be said on both sides of the subject, and 3
faT and frank discussion Of the various
points involved cannot fail 10 prepare The
way for intelligent and concerted action.
II goes without saving that the pension
measures now before Congress ought TO re-
ceive the careful consideration Of the dele
gates. The voice Of the Grand Army ough
to be heard in support of all legislation tha
tends to secure justice to cur ex-soldiers ana
in opposition to the demagogue8 who pre-
tend that our ex-soldiers do not want it. |
. the Grand Army is silent, who can blam
o Congress for indifference? The Encamp
ment should take occasion to condemn tn
tardiness of both Houses in passing upol
4 measures affecting the interests Of the s0ldie
r in the most emphatic manner, and it shoul'
n tall, of such journals as the New York Su,
n which are constantly asserting that it is tn
If pension attorneys, and not the soldiers them
d selves, who are demanding pension legisla
It ton. This is not in any sense a politics
II question, but one, on the contrary, whic
il solely concerns the welfare Of the soldier
W and il is not merely the privilege, but tn
n duty. Of the Grand Army to take hig
ground concerning it. If our pensioners d
not find q champion in the Grand Arm.
. where shall they look for one?
More Delay.