The National tribune., 1883-08-02
passed through the horrors Of Andersonville
would be glad to take part in such service.
The New commander.in.chiaf.

/
The scepter of power passes from the West
to the East again, and Comrade Van Der
WORT, of Nebraska, is succeeded as Com
mander-in-Chief of the Grand Army by
Comrade Robert B. Beath, of Pennsylvania
The honor has been well bestowed. Like
his predecessor, Comrade Beath entered the
army as private. He left it with the rank
OF heutenant-colonel, won by merit solely.
and his military record is one OF which any
nan might be proud. From the moment of
his first enlistment in the gloomy month of
april, 1861, to the close of the war, he dis
played the most daring personal gallantry,
the most answering devotion to the cinse
which be had espoused, and at every turn of
his career, indeed, soldierly qualities of the
highest character During the period of his
active service he was twice wounded; once at
the second battle Of Bull Run, and again in
the charge at Chapins Farm, Virginia, Sep
tember, 1864, when the loss of a leg fncapaci-
tated him IRON farther service in the field,
and necessitated his assignment to other
duty. His record since The war has been no
less honorable. He occupied for a time an
important position in connection with the
Philadelphia post-ofiiee; was afterwards en-
gagged in business pursuits, and, in 1871, as
the candidate of the Republican party in
Pennsylvania, was elected TO the Office of
suryeyor-general of the State. At present
he is secretary of leading insurance
company-the United FiIemen's-of PhiIa-
delphia, where he enjoys the entire conf
dence and respect Of his feilow-citizens
1t is his services as . member of the Grand
Army, however that have won for him the
honor of commanding the grandest body
of men that the world has ever seen.
For four successive terms Comrade Beath
held the Office of Assistant Adjutant- Gen
eral in the Department of Pennsylvania,
and so successful were his efforts TO build up
the Order, so judicious was the zeal which
he displayed in promoting It's interests, that
he was afterwards unanimously chosen to
the highest Office in the Department Few,
if any, Pennsylvania comrades could be
named who possess, in an equal degree,
the love, respect, and esteem of the soldiery
Of the keystone State, or are personally
better known to them; and when that De-
partment, by virtue of its position as the
first in point of numbers in the country,
claimed the right to the succession, it was
but natural that it should put forward SO dis
tinguished and capable leader Our New
York and Ohio comrades should not indulge
in foolish regrets that the Encsmpmeut fail
ed to select the candidate of their choice.
They should rather rejoice that the new
leader of the Grand Army has been taken
from Department whose own immediate
strength is guarantee that his adninistra-
ton viii be at once vigorous and progress
sive, and that the man himself is not a mere
figure head, but is qualified by the arduous
practical experience of many years to take
up the work where his predecessor has left
it, and carry it forward with equal energy,
zeal and discretion.
Eyes 'front.'" Let MS greet our new
Commander, as he deserves! Let us pledge
ourselves to give his administration an even
heartier and more enthusiastic support than
thatwhich year ago was extended to Con-
rade Van DerFooTt 1t is mammoth under
taking, and it win tax the energies of every
comrade to the utmost, but under the lead
of Commander-in-Chief Beath the brilliant
record of the administration which has lust
closed can and should be surpassed. So far
as the readers of THE TRIBUNE are con-
cerned, we are sure they VIII join heartily
in the work, and we look to them now to
give an earnest Of their intention by pro-
ceeding at.once to the business of organizing
TRIBUNE Posts and mastering in TRIBUNE
recruits. AS We said last week, we want
every subscriber in whose vicinity no Post
has yet been established, but where there
are enough old soldiers to organize and
maintain one, to notify us of the fact, so that
We may take counsel together and fill the
void Comrade Beath could wish for no
better evidence of their determination to
uphold bis administration.