The Portland daily press., 1885-06-26

thoughtful and suggestive paper His reeogni-
tlon OF Comrade Stephenson as the originator of
the Grand Army Is timely and eminently proper,
while the mention of the hero of Appomatox,
whose "H,1nS e, heart grandy responded when duty
pleaded" is as beautifully expressed as the senti-
,nent is true and patriotic We commend also
his words respecting Memorial Day and the intro
duction of politics into our order II should be
the endeayor Of every comrade to cultivate the
one and avoid the. other. Memorial Day is the
choicest IN the calendar of the GrandArmy-a day
OF sweet remembrances, dear to every loyal heart
and any violation of its sacredness by making it
the occasion for friyolty and amusement, such as
characterize the Fourth of July should be treated
as anindignity to the comradeswho died that their
| country might liye In a similar spirit should be
der. 1t i the high privilege Of soldiers in uphold
ing the great principles for which they struggled
| and sacrificed so much, always to act as their
| Judgment may dictate; but as comrades of the
Grand Army we should seorn to degrade our
DER or lower its standard by using it for purposes
N the spirit and letter of its governing regula-
! The careful and economical administration of
| Commander-in-chief Kountz has materially in
| creased the funds of the National Encampment
ms Is cause OF great congratulation for it be-
| hooyes the g. A. r. now in its prime, carefully to
husband its resources, that in Its declining years
| II may not suffer the Inconvenience of poverty
| or become IN any sense an object of public chart
| ty. Your committee recommends that $4,000 of
! the amount now in the hands of the Quartermas-
securities, or in nrst mortgage bonds, upon real
estate worth not less than three times the amount
| thus loaned the investment to be made under the
| direction OF the incoming Commander-in-ehef
| and the new Council of Administration
| Attention is called to the increased number of
| members suspended during the year. These sus-
pensions cheaper the order, setting adrift in the
| community class Of men who know its counter
sign possess its badge and represent its mem
DerShlp, without having sufficient interest in its
welfare to perform its duties. The reasons assign
ed by the commander-in-chieffo this delinquen-
his heart, and we respectfully submit that when
ever inability to pay dues is known as. the real
cause Of such failure it should be regarded priv
llege as well as duty TO remit them But it is
undoubtedly true, as the Commander-inchief as
serts, that the very large number suspended, more
than "a 900 or nearly 20 per cent OF the entire
membership, is due to negligence and inefficiency
Of post officers. For this there is but one remedy
the election of Post Commanders pledged espec-
tally to discharge the duties imposed upon them
relating to membership who shall also be clothed
tdrs. The Commander-in-chief as well as each
department commander is charged with the ap-
Pointment Of their Quartermasters, and it is be-
leved that the same privilege should be accorded
to post commanders. 1t is recommended there
fore, that Article VI, Section / be SO amended
Attention is especially called to the matter of
badges Unless made Of captured rebel cannon,
badge is lie, and the post officer other COM
rade who procures them from any source other
than through national headquarters merits court
martial and prompt dismissal. OF the twelve
bronze rebel cannon now being used for badges
the history of their manufacture, service and cap
ture is well known, and as simple and beautiful
relic OF the war, therefore, the badges made from
them should be eagerly sought, and are worth
it is recommended that during the coming wear
the Commander-in-chief be requested to
to the end that the manufacture
of spurious badges be stopped, and that the par
ties now engaged in obtaining money under false
pretenses by their sale, be properly dealt with un-
der the law. 1t is recommended also that in
making, their inspections, inspecting officers be
charged with the duty of closely examining every
badge for the determining of its genuineneSs.
In the appointment Of special committees to
confer with the authorities Of the Catholic church
ana other denominations who OOnOSpU To
our order under the impression that it was secret
organization the Commander-in-chief has exer-
cised good Judgment, and the success of the com
mttee in removing. serious obstacle to the adj
mission to our ranks of thousands Of deserving
soldiers ought to be an occasion of joy to every
world outside Of the Christian church an
a;;sSsocatSn r founded d. on such broad and
of the Republic. Under the folds Of
its banners are gathered men of all creeds and
nationalities Lessons of mental forbearance and
liberation have been learned through bitter ex-
perience and the ties which bind those, who for
four years fought to maintain the integrity of the
nation cannot easily be severed this side of the
grave. We therefore recommend earnestly the
heartlest endorsement OF the encampment for the
labor of the Commander-in-chief in the settlement
of this important question. The reference OF the
Cormander-in-chief 10 the Veterans Rights Union
meet with an earnest response from every COM
rade loyal to this organization and alive to the in-
teests of the rights of the veteran soldier decreed
to him by statute but which for many years, have
practically proven dead letter. 1t IS timely and
pertinent and it behooves this encampment to
give to this portion of his report their emphatic
endorsement as the representatives Of nearly 300
900 veterans organized to protect the interests Of
the old soldier
Your committee heartily concurs with all that
has been said of the work and aims of the Nation
al Relief Corps. 1t was q grand undertaking and
has been carried out in the grandest manner. Side
by side with the Grand Army it has pressed for
ward accomplishing in the name of faith and love
and charity what comrades could not have done
without its assistance 1t has our earnest wishes
continued SHrfagS. hearty Gpt pf
the purposes of the organization, and our coop
! Grafton in all OF its undertakings. We offer its
our eomradeship, which will never weaken in its
grasp Of love, respect and sympathy.
IN order to carry out these suggestions and rec
ommendations, we recommend the adoption of the
following:
ReSolged That the-council of administration be
Instructed to cause suitable testimonial to be
procured and presented to the Commander-in-
chief,
Resolred That the incoming Commander-n-chief
and council Of administration be authorized to in
vest S10,eO0 OF the amount now in thes hands Of
the Quartermaster General in state or municipal
securities or in first mortgage bonds upon real es-
tate worth not less than three times the amount
thus loaned.
Resolred That the Commander-in-chief be re-
quested TO ascertain who are the manufacturers
| and sellers of spurious badges and to take such
steps to secure the suppression of the same as he
may deem proper.
Comrade ID. R, Austin of Ohio offered as
| an amendment to the resolution authorizing
| the investment of the funds Of the associa-
| ti0n in real estate securities, that the amount
| should be three times the value exclusive of
| any improvements thereon.
The report and resolution as amended were
| adopted.
! Several of the other standing committees
made reports upon the reports of the several
| encampment officers, approving of the same,
which reports were adopted.
| The committee on resolutions reported
back Comrade Loring's resolution asking
| that Congress be requested by the encamp-
ment to pass the eight dollar pension bill,
| with the recommendation that it be not
! adopted After an extended discussion. the
| report of the committee was adopted and
the resolution lost.
Governors Alger of Michigan, Fairchild of
Wisconsin, Robie of Maine, General Robin
| son, Past Commander-in-chief, and the Hon.
Thomas b. Reed of Maine, coming into the
| room, were called by the boys to the stage
and compelled to do little speech-making
They responded briefly, and with great feel
| ing and eloquence.
At the opening of the afternoon session
| telegram was read from Past Commander
| in-chief Eafnshaw, extending his greetings
| to the encampment, and likewise kilograms
| of greeting from various posts in New York
| and Michigan.
! The committee on resolutions reported ad-
| versely upon resolution requesting the en-
| campment to take action towards securing a
| pension for mother Bickerdike for the reason
| tnat III was not Wltnln the province OF the
| Grand Army to act in the matter After a
long discussion, in which the patriotic SER
vices of the old lady were set forth at length,
and greatly eulogized, thereport of the com
mittee was rejected, and the resolution as or
ignally offered passed.
| The same committee reported adversely
| upon the resolutions officially recognizing the
| Veterans Rights Union, and requesting de-
partments and posts to undertake the organ
| ization of those bodies. The matter was
thoroughly discussed, and resulted in the re-
lection of the report Of the committee and
the adoption of the resolution; and on a mo-
| tion to that effect committee of five was
| appointed to use their efforts to secure the
enforcement of the law giving preference to
| Union soldiers in the matter of employment
under the government
A resolution admitting Union soldiers into
the order who had been conscripted into the
rebel army, or had served otherwise inyolun-
tarily, under the banners of the Confederacy
was discussed at great length, and finally re.
rejected.
A committee on resolutions reported the
following, which was adopted by rising
vote:
Resolved, That for ourselves and comrades we
thank our hosts for cordial invitation, warm vel
| come, generous reception, hearty greeting, anC
1 will honL hie