The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-07-26

viii search Christ's teachings in vain for
any authority for its unjust and unchristian
action.
The Communicating Chiefs Address.
Elsewhere, in this issue, we print the full
text of the address delivered by Cor
Chief Van Dervoort at the open
ing Of the Denver Encampment. It was
worthy nf the man and the occasion, and it
viii command the earnest attention, we are
sure ofe 7ery comrade in the Order. Within
the bounds of single editorial article it
would scarcely be possible to take up and
discuss the statements and recommendations
which it contains with the thoroughness
which they call for, and we must content
ourselves, therefore, with brief reference
TO its most conspicuous features. After
touching and eloquent allusion to the cir
cumstances attending the converting of the
seventeenth Encampment of the Grand
Army, Commander-in-Ch Chief Van Dervoort
properly proceeds 10 give succinct account
of his labors during the past year. With
their general character our readers are al
ready pretty well acquainted, but the Off
cial figures here presented, of the number
of miles Travelled, the number of Depart
ments and Posts visited, and the number of
speeches delivered, convey for the first time
an adequate idea Of the greatness of the
work which he has accomplished. The fact
is that Commander-in-Chief Van Deryoort
has practically given up one entire year of
his life TO the Grand Army. He has made
personal sacrifices to which he modestly
does moi refer, and he has been subjected to
a physical and mental strain, the severity
Of which it is impossible to express by
words or figures. But the simple record
here given viii be quite sufficient to evoke
from our comrades an expression of profound
appreciation, and his services will be CRATE
fully remembered as long as the Order itself
shall endure.
The statistics given in this address
as to the increase in the membership of
the Order, are based on the reports up to the
close of the March quarter only, but we are
in receipt Of private advice from National
Headquarters to the effect that during the
June quarter twenty Departments, out OF
thirty-four, gained 435 Posts and 24,2O6
members, which would make a certain gain
for the year of !, 406 Posts and 1882 men,
bers, and. adding to this total the estimated
gain in the fourteen Departments remain
ing to be heard from, which could not well
have been less than 10000 members, the
the grand total win warrant the statement
that the Grand Army has fully doubled in
Posts and membership during Commander
in-Chief Van Dervoort's administration
Naturally, the percentage of growth has
been largest in the Western States, and Kan
sas, whose soldier population the census re.
Gently taken has shown to be far in excess
of the estimates, leads the column
Passing to the consideration of the state
Of the Order in the Departments of the
frontier, Commander-in-Chief Van Der.
WORT takes occasion to sound a vigorous
note of warning touching the spread Of Nor.
monisln He justly brands it as a structure
unholy and damning as slavery ant
quite as hideous as treason, and declares i
to be the duty of the Order to demand it,
immediate adjustment at the hands o
Congress That would be grand work 70
the Grand Army to perform-a work for th,
accomplishment of which our comrade
would surely stand shoulder to shoulder a
In the war for the overthrow of secession
and, considering how Indifferent and how
insensible the general public have shown
themselves TO be 10 the dangers CROWN,
out Of the tacit liberation of this monstrou
institution, it may well be that the exercis
Of the influence of such a powerful organ
ization as the Grand Army viii be abso
lutely necessary to the preservation Of tn
Union from conspiracy as vile and pei
nicious as that which threatened its life i
1861. Congress, press, and party have al
three shown themselves afraid to face thj
issue, but the men who carried the stars an
stripes from the Potomac to the Gulf vii
not much longer permit it to be insulte,
and defed.
ommander-in-Chief Van Dervoorts sug
gestion that the records of all the Depart
ments and National Encampments shout