Griggs courier., 1885-07-03
VETERANS AT PORTLAND.

VETERANS AT PORTLAND.
Meeting OF the Grand Army of the Repub-
lic-An Immense Crowd-Procession
and Other Proceedings.
Portland, Me-, had its largest crowd a few
days ago. The Grand Army came in unex-
pectedly largenumbers. On the first day all
day long the emeasuredt tramp OBJECT through
the streets and strains of martial music, as
hosts OF the Grand Army of the Republic
marched from the depot to the ecamp, mark
ed the inauguration of the nineteenth en-
campment. Delegations from various parts
OF the Union formed a steady and almost
uninterrupted procession from morning till
night
On second day the grand procession was
the main feature. 1t had been calculated
that it would require two hours for the pro-
cesslon to pass, but it took more that
three hours. The most careful esti-
mates of the number OF men in
line place the figures at $4,000,
uniform Of the Grand Army. Commander.
in-Chief Kountz was greeted with generous
applause from all sides, and Gen. Logan,
who rode in carriage with Congressman
Reid, received q continuous ovation.
In the evening a reception was tend
cred to Commander.in-ChiefK Kountz, as
representative of the body at the
si;xenad dlg mall ADDRESSES sa On 81 welcome were
commander Of Maine; by Gov. Robie, who
also paid a tribute to Gen: Grant, and by
Mayor Deering. Commander Kountz replied
on behalf of himself and comrades. Ad-
dresses were also made by Gov. Alger of
Michigan, ex.Gov. Fairchild OF Wisconsin,
Gen. Henry w. Slocum of New York and
Gen. Logan. Senator Logan prefaced his
remarks with fervent nteulogy ofGen. Grant.
desaid: I'M nmyjudgment time has notgiven
to any people a grander commander fmen,
greater organizer offorces a more magnifi-
with more ability to execute than u. u.
s. Grant. For this country he has
done as much as any man that ever lived
mas ever done for any country"
On the third day the Commander deliver
ed his annual address, He said:
bership of 10000. On March 81, 1885,
thirty-eight departments reported 5,O26
posts and 2G9,6S4 members, while the re-
port OF the adjutant general shows the
membership to be 3S7, ,637. The large
number OF 81, ,292 reported by the adju-
tant general as suspended during the year
is due in 81 great measure to negligence and
AlcHlCIcuGy vi IOSC OllccFS. Ouf Nn:lnccS
are in excellent condition. We have
on hand cash balance of $15,224.
The question having been raised as to
whether the late Comrade DR.. B. F. Ste
venson OF Springfield, ILL.,, was really the
first mover in the organizations ofthe Grand
Army OF the Republic, it is deemed but sim
pie Justice to his memory as we'll as to his
family and comrades to state that all au-
thentic records confer upon him that very
,%o11
there have been issued tifty-one thousand
badges, at a profit OF $6.63O. l heartily
endorse the organization known as the Vet
eran's Rights Union, the object of which is to
secure to our comrades their lights and priv
ileges under the revised statutes OF the United
States. The union urges,as it itrightfully may
and ought, that when the other qualitic;i-
tions are equal, the soldier should be pre-
ferred because he WAS IL soldier. l am op-
posed to the perpetuation of the Grand
Army, believing the mission of great
comradeship will have been fulfilled when
the last comrade has Joined the last muster
out. Knowing that there is nothing in the
Grand Army OF the Republic inconsistent
with more exacting duty orstrictest religion,
Ideened it for the interest of the order to APP
point IL special committee to lay it's nature
and workings before the proper Catholic au-
thorities of the United States, that they
may know our organization has nothing to
conceal, and that our purposes are COM
mended by all who understand them. The
committee reported having fulfilled it's mis-
sion report, that assurances had been given
by Archbishop Ryan and Gibbons that
nothing could be found in the aims OF the
Grand Army to prevent any good Catholic
from becoming a member. The COM
mander-in-chief deprecated participa-
ton in politics as an organization, and
urgently advocated the Mexican pension bill
and Il bill to grant disabled soldiers a pen
sion from the date OF disability. He also
urged that Decoration day be not lesecrat-
ed by recreation and pleasure. The Wom-
ans Relief corps now has twenty-five per-
manent and three provisional departments,
with subordinate corps in nearly all the
states where the Grand army exists.
Resolutions OF sympathy with Gen. Grant
were adopted by a unanimous rising vote,
amid great cheering.
The members of the A. r. spent the day
! in sight seeing. attending clam bakes, ETC.,
some in the city and some going out by
rail.
At the afternoon session the question of
a place for holding the next annual encamp-
ment came up. San Francisco received 2G9
votes to It's for Louisville. representa-
tive OF the former city guaranteed that
$1OO, 600 would be subscribed for the en-
tertainment OF the veterans.
On the fourth day, at the morning execu-
tive session OF the national encampment a
resolution was offered providing for the
suitable recognition of OF DIR. Benjamin
Stephenson, as founder OF the Republic, and
recommending that a subscription from the
national encampment be requested for the
purpose. Resolution adverse to the
consolidation OF the Sons OF Veterans with
the Grand Army was adopted.
1t was voted that the next annual en-
campment be held some time between
October and May, and a recommendation