The National tribune., 1883-02-08
of life in camp, and Miss Josie Mayne and Miss
Morrow read and recited several selections.
MASSACHUSETTS.

The fifteenth annual Encampment of the De-
partment of Massachusetts convened in Fan
Gull Hall, Boston, on Monday evening, January
10Th, Dahlgren Post, No. ,, of South Boston,
furnishing the guard detail, and Comrade Kane
acting as Officer of the Day. Dept.-Com. George
II. Patch called the Encampment to order.
Among the distinguished officials present
were Commander in Chief Van Dervoort;
Junior Vice Commander in Chief J. ).
Bangs, of Maine; Surgeon General AZel Ames,
ir., of Massachusetts; Acknowledgement f.
+. Brown, of Omaha, and Past Judge-Advo-
cate George w. Williams of the Department OF
Ohio. All the comrades were received with
the heartiest applause. Accompanying the
Commander-ln-Chief were also the following
comrades S. 4. Barton of the National Council
of Administration, Assistant Inspector General
Alfred c. Monroe, and George q. Bailey, John
T. Bruce +. w. Merriam and George c. JOslin,
AideS-de-Camp on the COmmander-m-Chlef 5
staff. The EnCampment was then formally
opened in accordance with the ritual OF the
Order and Department Commander Patch
delivered his annual address. The following
is the substance of his remarks:
The first topic touched upon by the Commander
was the membership, in which he showed that the
Department had made gain of fifteen Posts and
. l6l members. and the report of December ii,
lSS2 was for u 4l3 members in good standing. The
financial condition of the Department Is better
than ever before, and there Is cash balance IN It's
favor beside large stock of supplies on hand IN
abiding TO Memorial Day. he advocated special
memorial services on the Sabbath preceding the
day; also the practice of causing the attendance OF
children upon all memorial services. In speaking
of the Soldiers Home, the speaker paid tribute
10 General Sargent who was absent III the West
seeking a restoration TO health, and stated that
the Home had been opened and was IN good run
ming order under Its present superintendent, 'el-
eral Cunningham. assisted by his wife rs matron:
The present number of inmates is ninety-fve, all
aged and brokCn-dOwn men He announced that
the trustees Of the home would ask aid from the
Legislature, as the fund on hand was but S23,Ooo
and the principal rapidly being used 10 keep
the inmates in food and clothing. lie advocated
county conventions, but recommended monthly
and scmi-monthly vistatons instead of parades
and EncampmentS, rs the comrades could not at
tend one or march to the others. lie alluded 10
the work of the delegation to the National En-
campmcnt typical of that performed by all past
delegations to that body. He commended the Wo-
mans Relief Corps valuable auxiliary to the
G. A r., and thought the band of earnest women
wor1ersa benefit TO the Order Several rccommcli-
dations, embodyng changes i'll the rules and regu-
altiOns, were recommended and the Importance OF
sending full delegation 10 the next National En-
campmcnt urged. The closing topics of his
address referred TO the personal work OF the Com
( mandCr and ms personal and official stall. The
Commander represented the Department eighty
eight times SNC. Hart thirty-two; Nv C. Billings,
fy-threc, and the aggregate Vistalons of the bal
ancc of the staff amounted To 331. These were made
in the spring andfall inspections OF Posts to Camp
fires, missionary meetings. fairs, and other gather
ingS the Grand Army. His closing topic was " The
Future of the Grand Army" in which he recon-
men not members of the Order and advised that
to meet actual necessities of soldiers outside, small
percentage of the charity fund he set aside for that
purpose, and the balance be used for deserving
members of the Order who may need assistance
In order TO provide for the future when the orani
cation shall be enfeeblcd by years and weakened
membership, he recommends Posts to build up
large charity funds now, and carefully invest them
that the aged and decrepit members of the Order
| in time to come, may have comfort and content
mcnt far removed as they must be, from the poor
houses of the State He also suggests that Posts
| consider the proprcty of investing their funds III
real estate that can never he sold said real estate
! being purchased in some growing locality where
the ground rent i'll future years may he handsome
source of inComc this he claimed must be done, as
| the Grand Army of the Republic has no system OF
| stated benefit, and the organization could not re-
tain its present strength and ability to raise charity
! funds.
The annual reports were then presented
| That of Assistant Adiutant- General James f.
! Mech, who has held the office for the last
seven years, gave the following as the record O.