The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-01-10
The Department Encampments.

The Department Encampments.
Within the next sixty days the various
Departments of the Grand Army viii hold
their annual Encampments. Up to the
present moment we have been advised of
the meeting of the following at the dates
and places stated below:
Vermont, Bennington January 50 and 81.
Massachusetts, Boston, January so and 81.
Rhode Island Providence, January u.
Connecticut. Rfiddletown January 90 and 81.
New York, Rochester, January 80 and 81.
New Jersey, Trenton January so and 81
Pennsylvania, Lancaster, February and z.
Delaware, Wyoming, january IL.
Maryland, Baltimore. January D.
Virginia, Hampton S. H., January 30
Ohio, GAINESVILLE, January 30 and 81.
Illinois, Decatur, January 80 and 81.
Michigan Detroit, January % and "a
Wisconsin, GAINESVILLE, January % and a.
Minnesota. Saltwater, January IL.
Kansas, Topeka, February 5.
Nebraska. Fremont, January %, 80 and 81.
Colorado. Denver, January Is.
California, San Francisco January % to 20.
Oregon, Salem, February q.
So far as we now know, the time and place
of the Encampments of the following De-
PARTNERS have not yet been fixed: Maine.
New Hampshire, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ar
kansas, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, New Mex
leo. Utah, Dakota and Washington Territory.
At these Encampments viii be presented
the reports of the Department officers for
the year, and upon the delegates viii de-
volve the important duty-ffrst, of eleeting
competent officers to succeed those whose
terms Of service are about to expire; and,
second, of selecting representatives and alter
mates to the next National Encampment at
Minneapolis; and, upon the manner IN which
the delegates discharge this duty will de-
pend, to a very great extent, the prosperity
of the Order during the coming year. At
some of the Department Encampments, we
dare say, the rivalry between candidates for
the various Offices viii be of the most excit-
ing character, approximating in intensity
that which is frequently to be witnessed
at political conventions. But SO long as
this rivalry is prompted by worthy mo-
tiyes it is likely to be conducive to
the welfare of the Order rather than
detrimental to its interests. The truth
is, that the more closely the claims of the
various candidates are scrutinized, and the
more carefully their records are examined,
the better able the delegates viii be to ar
rive at a just estimate of their qualifications
for Office, and the less danger there viii be
that incompetent and unworthy COM
rades viii be elected to places of trust
and responsibility. 1t is to be expect
ed, as one of the inevitable results of
the phenomenal growth of the Order, that
among the candidates before these Encamp-
ments VIII be those who seek Office solely
from motives Of personal ambition. Politi-
clans who cared nothing for the Order so
long as it was weak in organization and
numbers, viii now be likely to come to the
front and endeayor to secure control of the
Offices, and it viii require the most con-
slant vigilance on the part of the delegates
to thwart their plans
Under these circumstances it becomes our
comrades to be on their guard. They should
see to it that no man is elected to a
responsible Office whose record is not that oil
an earnest and faithful ,0orker in the cause
What has he done to deserve this henor?;'
candidates qualifications, and, if it appears
upon scrutiny of his record that he has
not been actively concerned in the building
up of the Order, he ought to be asked tc
stand aside and make room for comrades
whose past services afford guarantee o.
earnest, effective work in the future. It is
inevitable that the Department organization
should take tone from the character of its
| officers, just as the Grand Army at large
takes its inspiration from its Commander-in.
Chief According as the Department officers
are jealous and efficient, or slack and careless
in the discharge of their duties, SO the mem
bers Of the various Posts viii be enthusiastic
and persevering, or Indifferent and negli
gent, in the prosecution of the work, and
the question, therefore, which the delegate
Of Department Encampments are calico
upon to decide is simply who is best quail
fed by experience and actual knowledge t,
fill the Department Offices. As rule, tn.
Grand Army has been fortunate in TIL
choice of its officers. They have general,
been comrades of unblemished character
unquestioned devotion to the Order ans
thorough acquaintance with their duties
and we trust the successful candidater al tn
approaching elections viii be equally worth.
of respect and confidence.
a Strange Occurrences.
! Reports of a strange occurrence reach n
from the city of Brooklyn. 1t appears tia
the Rev. DR.. L. T. Chamberlain, pastor of tn
, Clason Avenue Presbyterian Church, on be