The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-06-25
A GRAND TURN-OU
WORDS OF PRAISE FOR THE G. A. r,
DEMONSTRATION.
The MinncsOti Eagle Wildly Applaud ed
Business Meeting of the Encamp-
ment-Movement to Make Gen.
Grant Commander.

BosToN. June 25 A Portland special to
The Heraid says: The demonstration of
Tuesday has astonished both veterans and
citizens The parade was a great success.
aad that man must 10 dull of sense and
quite devoid of imagination and
sentiment who could behold unlnoved the
splendid pageant The statement in the
pension manifesto of post IS of the depart
ment of Massachusetts, that the avera
age age of the veterans of the
war is % years was not borne out by the ap
pearance OF the men in line The average
veteran of to day is strong. healthy man,
with bright eye and an elastic step
The Maine Grand Army posts were forty.
two minutes in passing the review
ing stand, and Massachusetts re.
quired thirty-two minutes The turnout
from Massachusetts, was magnificent
display, and was an especial honor to that
department The most elegant uniform was
worn by the Rhode Island post The most
elaborate banners were from the west, and
the Illinois delegation was an especially fine
appearing set of men.
Among the features of the procession two
of the most rapturously applauded were
the live eagle of the Minnesota men,
and the veteran charger, an equine
hero of the Red river and
the Shenandoah valley. This horse, which
was led in the procession, was captured
from the rebels in Louisiana and was thence
forth u,ed as a mount for union officers.
PORTLAND, Me-, June 2t-Among the
prominent candidates for the office of com.
mander in chief of Grand Army, for the year
ensuing, are Gems. Barnum and Reyhold,
and Post Department Commander Estes
of New York, and Gen. Burdett, of Wash
ington. movement was started Tuesday
to elect Gen. Grant commander, with somC
| active senior vice commander who could
| perform the duties Of office.
The Nineteenth annual encampment of tht
| Grand Army of the Republic assembled a
| City hall Wednesday forenoon. The dele
| gates were distributed through the hall by
states, their positions being indicated by lit
tie banners upon black walnut poles. Tn
galleries were open to comrades having
the national countersign, and they wer'
well filled At l0:45 the gavel fell, and tn
encampment came to order. After prayer
by Chaplain in Chief Sanfelt of Michigan
the roll of members was called. This wa
suspended at l;10, and the commander-in
chief began his address
He said that four yenrs ago there was
membership of nearly 10000 On March 81
1884, thirty eight departments reporte
5,025 posts and 269. 6S4 members, while th
report of the adjutant general shows tn
memberships to be 2S7, 637 The large nun
ber of 54 ,292 reported by the adjutant ger
eral as suspended during the year is due i
great measure to the negligence and ineffic
ency of post officers. sour finances" tn
commander-n chief continued, ears
excellent condition We have on han
a cash balance of SIS, ,24. The que
ton having been raised as
whether the late comrade, DIR. B. F. Stevel
son, of Spring field, Ills, was really the fir
mover in the organization of the Gran
Army of the Republic, it is deemed b,
simple justice to his memory, as we'll
family and comrades, to state that all a
thentc records confer upon him that yer
great honor