The National tribune., 1884-02-28
MAINE ENGAGEMENT.
A Prosperous Year-Comrade Williams Electe
Department Commander.

department tVihfdHutI.
The seventeenth annual Encampment of the
Department of Maine met at Waterville on the
21st inst The delegates were called to order
at 10 o'clock in the morning by Commander
Shaw, who then read his annual address. He
recommended the annual appointment of a
committee ON neurology, which shall prepare
an annual report of the number of members
that have died during the year. with their
military record; also the election of three trus-
tees, who shall hold in trust all funds and
moneys belonging to the Department, and to
whom the Quartermaster shall once IN each
quarter turn over all moneys not required for
immediate use. The establishment and care
of small Posts, and the adyisability of eneour-
aging the Sons of Veterans and Ladies' Relief
Corps are also urged by the Commander.
The Assistant Adiutant Generals report
shows net gain during the present admins
tration of thirty-six Posts and 2,244 members,
and cash on hand, s.. 1890.
The largest gain has been made by Post AZ,
of Auburn, 129 members; the largest loss by
Post IL, of Bangor, Ia members. Burnside
Post Is the largest in the Department.
The QuartermasterGe Generals report shows
that the sum expended for charity during the
year by all the Posts was S4,150.37, of which
Custer Post of Lewiston, expended $774.97
Bosworth Post, of Portland, 1888. 81; Sedgwiek
Post, of Bath, $526S0; B. H. Beale Post, Of
DduSOf, SOOOsl4y DUIHcluc rust, u auDuIu3
S56.55; Edwin Libby Post, of Rockland
$282.31. The expenditures for the first quarter
of the year amounted TO 81 ,23451; second
| quarter, S1.O19.62; third quarter, $4,000
| fourth quarter, 81 1854
During the afternoon telegram was received
! from R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Veterans, OF
Richmond, Va, eongratulating the Department
and containing good wishes for its future, in
response to which vote Of thanks was passed
| by the Department.
| Commander Shaw presented private letter
| from III. B. Lloyd, Department Commander Of
/ Ohio, stating the needs of sufferers by foods,
and contribution of $56.91 was taken up and
| telegraphed to Ohio
A resolution was adopted thanking Lieuten
ant John W Rhodes for the noble efforts ht
made to save life at the wreck of the City o.
| Columbus.
Among the resolutions adopted by the En-
campment were the following, on motion O
Comrade F. w. Haskell:
Whereas during the late war it was Represented
to those enlstng in the service of the Government
and was held out as q special inlueenent for then
to enlist that they would receive for their sery
ices in addition 10 their regular pay, homestead
OF i6O acres of public land and
Whereas there Is 81 manifest iniquity in the pres
ent land laws. therefore,
| Resolved That we hereby request Congress I,
enact law by which any Union soldier or sailor o
late war may acquire fee-simple of leo acres o
the unreseryed public lands Immediately upol
locating the same and conforming to the registra
ton rules OF the United States Lsnd Office.
The following was also adopted:
Resolred, That is is the judgment of this Encamp
| rnent that all distinctions of rank III the pension
| laws should be abolished.
Resolred That we, believing it to be the duty o
| Congress to pass an act to equalize the bountie
granted to volunteers, by the payment to eael
| Union soldier or sailor, honorably discharged, o.
his heirs, for each month of service, the sum o
| eight and one-third dollars, deducting the amour
Infk OIL ftx- kx
nent
Resolred, That Congress should so amend tn
pension laws as to make each pension grante'
commence at the date OF the discharge or death o
the soldier, without regard to the date OF filing tn
claim for pension.
Resolred That Justice requires that Congress
should increase the pension of widows from IS t.
So per month, and 81 additional for each child
der sixteen years of age.
ReSoired, That the Assistant Adjutant-Genera
forward to our Representatives. in Congress cop
of these resolutions.
The report of the Council of Administration
showed that $500 had been voted to the Assist
ant Adjutant- General for services the past year
$500 to the Assistant QuartermasterGe Genera
and 5000 to the Department Inspector.
The election Of officers, being next in order
resulted as follows:
Department Commander, Benjamin Wi
liams, of Rockland; S. VIC, II. t. Buchanan, {
Mechanic Falls; j. V. c. III. o. Perry, of FoI
Fairfield; Medical Director, A. B. Adams, {
East Wilton; Chaplain L. l.. Howard wa
unanimously reelected.
Council of Administration-W William s. Eus
ties, of Auburn; Eugene A. Preble of Bath
John 7. Lamb. of Livermore Falls George \
Fletcher, of Bangor; George III. Soldiers, {
Portland.
Representative at large to National EncamI
ment-Samuel w. Lane, of Augusta.
Delegates to National Encampment-D. Hol
ace Holman, of Lewiston; Frank w. Haskell
of Waterville Ruel G. Burgess, of North Va
salboro; Seth B. Snipe, of Bath; A. Nj. Sawye
of Portland w. z. Clayton, of Bangor.
Alternate at large-Charles E. Moulton, Al
burn
Alternates--eieorge B. Kennison, of Bootl
bay; John S. Towle, of Gardiner; Fred
Wells, of Vinalhaven; VIM. Vaughan, OF IL
gus George B. Haskell, of Lewiston; John
Foster, of Bangor.
The newly elected officers were then il
, stalled by Past Department Commander /.
Bangs, of Waterville.
Commander Shaw, upon leaving the chat
presented the Department with an elegant Il
spector's badge and medal to be the property
: the Department, which was suitably acknow
. edged by the Department.
In the evening the ERcampment attended
Campfire and supper, at which 400 conrad