Daily globe., 1883-08-16
G. A. r..

1he Ann7el Encampmeut of the Grand
Army of the Republic at Minnetonka-
The Posts PresenU-Speeeh by Col. III. g.
Hicks, in Reply to T. p. slauder.
The annual encampment of the G. A.
R. commenced yesterday at Lake Park,
and will continue three days. The Geo. N.
Morgan Post, No. 4, of Minneapolis, Acker
and Garfield posts, of st. Paul, Muller
post, of Saltwater, post No. 16, of Fillmore,
G. A. Cady post No. 8, Anoka, Wilkins
post No. 16. Mankato, and members of
posts at Duluth, Little Falls and Bra1nerd.
came out at or before II o'clockl a. NJ.
and were carried from Excelsior to Lake
park by steamers. Nearly ali the mem
bers have their families: with
them. About seventy-fve tents
have been erected in all, accommodating
the whole of the comrades. Adjutant
Blower reported that there are forty-one
organized posts and seventeen waiting to
be mustered in. He reported the finances
as in good condition. The encampment
is principally for the enjoyment of the
members and their families, and no routine
military duty will be ordered.
Gov. Hubbard was expected out yester-
day afternoon, tut owing to an imperative
engagement elsewhere he could not be
present, but is expected this evening.
The Delano encampment started for the
camp yesterday, but were delayed
by an accident, and it is expected
they will arrive to- day. The Anoka band
was the dispenser of music at the grounds,
having accompanied the Geo. A. Cady
post No. 2. An old fashioned army camp
fire is to be kindled tonight in memory
of by-gone days. Post commanders Capt.
E. G. Babb, Geo. N. Morgan, of Mime
apolis, Col. Taylor, Acker post, Capt. Tay-
lor, Saltwater, Commander Cannons, Man
kato, S. Birgam, Garfield post, st. Paul,
and Commanders Tuttle, of Little Falls,
and McCune of Waseca. 1t is estimated
that altogether there were 1000 people
present yesterday, 500 of whom were mem
bers of the G. A. R.
Several speakers addressed the
camp yesterday, among whom
was Col. Hicks, who in regard to q
letter which appeared in the P. P. yester-
day morning purporting to be from Den
yer, but which was unsigned, said: "The
letter which appeared in the P. P. this
morning rejecting such marked discredit
upon our order must have been written by
a man who wore neither the federal blue
nor the confederate gray, because at the
encampment of the G. A. E. at Denver
last year the order was most warmly and
heartily welcomed by confederate gen
eral, and further the editor who allowed that
letter to appear in his columns partook Of
the same spirit as the man who wrote the
article, for it belied the truth of the his
tory OF the G. A. R., and he must have
been forgetful of the record which the
order had made in the state and elsewhere.
1t was by the influence of the members of
the 6. A. R. that the Legislature voted
during ten years the sum of $4,000 for
the support of the disabled soldiers, and
built for them beautiful home at Winona
by which $50 children have been made
useful citizens. AS to its outliving its
usefulness and being in failing condi-
tion, the 100000 recruits of last year, more
than any previous year, do not indicate
any failing, and its growth is constantly
increasing, as is shown by Panl Wander
voort's report at Denver. AS to its being
political organization, every member of
the G. A. R. could attest that no political
topic had ever been discussed at the meet
ings, nor did they seek to put in or
turn any man out of Office, and the only
politics are the principles for which the
war of the rebellion was fought.
Judge j. p. Rea also criticised the article
of the P. P. quite as severely as did the
colonel.