The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1883-08-02
ENCAMPMENT BUSINESS.
The Annual Reports-TAe Testimonial to Merrill
BeatIs's Election.

BeatEt's Election
Nearly I,100 delegates were present at tina
opening session of the seventeenth annual En-
eampment Of the Grand Army on Wednes-
day. The delegates met early at the Windsor
Hotel and proceeded in a BODY co the rnsenifi-
cent opera house, which was grand1y deco
rated for the occasion, the national emblems in
| the shape of bunting and flags being profnsely
draped around the balconies and boxes and in
| terspersed with the corps emblems and shield
OF the National Government. Promptly at 1880
the doors were thrown open, and every dele
gate who wore the old badge and gave the
eounteFsign, marched through the wide portals
and took his seat in the Parquette The sessions
were all held IN SecTet-nGt e man present
either as usher or reporter, who had not borne
arms IN the service of his country. Shield
shaped signs designated the places Of the various
delegations. Nearly all the officers answered
TO the roll-call, and the Eneampment was
formally opened according TO the impressive
services OF the Order. Past Commanders IO-
gan. Wagner and Merrill were invited TO take
seats upon the Stage, amid much enthusiasm
After the report of the COMMITTEES on Creden-
tlals had been made, Commander-in-C Chief Paul
Van Dervoors delivered his address, which aD-
peared in our last issue, the reading of which
was followed by every manifestation Of enthu-
slasm and qualification. No man ever received
a more hearty and complimentary indorse-
ment Of his work, and none ever deserved mora
unstinted praise from his old comrades IN arms.
General Logan was then called for and he made
a stirring speech eongr;stuIating the Order upon
its progress C0mrade Roberts, Of Indiana
announced the death Of COmrade Robertson OF
the staff of the COmmander-in-C Chief and suit
able resolutions were ordered General Os-
borne, of Pennsylvania, announced the death OF
General Ord, referring eIOquentiy to his lOvaI
and heroic conduct in every discharge of duty,
and upon the motion of General Chill W.
Hazard, the following resolution was read and
adopted:
Resotced, That>ve learn of the death of General
e. o. c. Ord, in foreign land, with born Of
admiration for his noble career ss q soldier.
ReSotVed That those here assembled, who fol-
lowed hi gallant leadership, both the PotOmae
and Tennessee, syfnpathize with the Nation in the
loss of eminent soldier-the last commander Of
the Army of the JaInes-the last survivor of PENN
sylvsnia's noble three. Reynolds, Meade, Ord
The Commander-in- Chief next announced
the following committees, pending the action Of
which the convention adjourned
On Commander-in-Chief's Address - Com
rades Clark, OF Ohio; Harper, of Pennsylvania;
Valentine, OF Vermont; Warner OF W iscOnsin,
and PGterbaugh, of Illinois.
On Address Of Chaplain-in-Chief- = Com
rades Stibben, of Missouri j. G. Linehan. Of
New Hampshire Cheek, of Missouri; Burdette,
of Wisconsin, and Chase, of Rhode Island.
On Resolutions-Comrades Wagner. of PENN
sylvania; Logan, of Illinois; Henderson, OK
Nebraska; Adams, of Massachusetts,; Gros-
VenOr, of Ohio, and Clark, Of Missouri
On Inspector Generals Report - Comrades
Shaw, OF Maine; Fielder, of New JERSEYS Sla-
cum, Of New York; Henderson, OF Indiana,
and Pierce, of Michigan.
On Adjutan5-C5eneraPs Report - Comrades
Stewart, Of Philadelphia; House, of Indiana;
kimmerly, Of Colorado; CulbertsOn, of Iowa, and
ThOrp, OF Michigan.
On Quartermaster Generals Report-Com-
radeS Osborne, of Nebraska; Sterritt. Of Mis-
souri,; Jacobus, of New York; Kinsman, OF
Vermont, and Jones, of Tennessee.
On Judge Advocate Generals RepOrt-Com-
rades TaintOr, of Connecticut; Rea. of Mime
sofa; Manning, OF Iowa; Chamberlain, of Mis-
souri,, and Blair, of Kansas.
On Rules, Regulations and Ritual-C0mFades
Beath, of Pennsylvania: Merrill. OF Massaehu-
setts; MeGiillieuddy, Of Ohio; Devendorf, Of
Kansas, and Barber. of Rhode Island.
On Surgeon Generals Report - Comrades
Tucker, OF Colorado; Broateh, OF Connections;
Wilcox, of Illinois; Woodin, of Indiana and
Lincoln, of New York
The afternoon session was held il Grand
Army Hail. General Ben Prentiss waking up
the old guard with touching address. Gen.
eral SaxtOn aud other prominent generals Of
the war, including Slocum and Manson, were
called To take seats on the platform. After .
short session, an Adjournment until o'clock
Thursday morning was effected
The following extracts from the reports Of
the officers named show the character Of the
work accomplished by the retiring adminissr&-
tiOn.
Judge Advocate Generals Opinions.
The case of an applicant for admission to tho
Grand Army who had been ia the early part OF ths
war forced into the rebel service comes within the
letter and spirit Of the second clause Of Section L
Article 4, of Chapter /, OF the Rules and Regula-
tiOns; And no person shall be eligible to mena-
bership who has a. any time borne arms asaiass
the United States
The fact that the service against the Union
ton 10 rule clearly and unreservedly ex-
pressed. There were no persons whom the trainers
of this rule could have contemplated but thls very
class who served IN the Confederate army, and
afterwards in own for at the conameneemens
of the rebellion all who had then borne
against the United States IN any foreign rnuss
have become too old for our service, unless there
were any who fought against Us IN Mexico and for
us during the rebelhon. IL there were any such
persons their number must DO too small TO hava
been thought of when this regulation WAS passed
Clearly, therefore, the applicant in this "a In
eligible.
There may be instances and the present may be
one OF them, here this rule works harshly, but -
Is OF far more importance that the loyalty OF every
member Of our Order should be above reproaoa
than that We should omit from our roll a few good
men, who showed weakness, AZ least, II they escape
the suspicion of disIoyalty.
PEISrINe THE RITUAL IN GERMAN.
l. Can the CorananGier-in-C Chief au1horise Po1A
20 print the Ritual in German for its own use7