St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-04-02

dan, Hancock, Logan, Slocum, Slckles,
and hundreds of others who worthily
led armies, divisions, corps OF brigades
and won their promotions by merit
and bravery on the field Of battle.
But as the safety of our country, in
its hour of trial, rested npOn the de-
votion, intelligence and bravery of the
rank and file of its armies, so our G.
A. r. now rests upon the devotion and
loyalty of the men composing that
rank and file. There is one National
Encampment for the United States
which is the supreme authority of the
order. That encampment is composed
of delegates from the various state and
district encampments and of certain
past officers of the National Encamp-
ment. This body holds annual meet
ings, that of 1888 was held at Denver,
Col, that of 1884 was held at Mime
apolis, Mimi, at which it is said 10000
veterans were present. The National
Encampment for 1885 is to be held at
Portland, Maine, in the month of July
next, and it is confidently expected
that a greater number than were pres
ent in Minneapolis will be there.
know not who can estimate the mighty
influence of these gatherings upon the
temper and feeling of the people, but
say if you doubt their power be pres
ent in Portland next summer and see
it manifested. The state and district
sncampments are composed of dele
gates elected by the various posts in
the department. Generally two meet
ings of the state departments are held
each year. The posts are governed by
uniform rules and laws, receiving their
authority from and being under the
Jurisdiction of the state department,
who in turn hold the same relation to
the National Encampment.
AS has been said, fraternity, charity
and loyalty are the guiding principles
of this order, hence in some respects it
has the appearance of a charitable as
departments and posts, a fund is set
apart for charity called the relief fund,
from which the necessities of the indi-
gent and suffering soldiers and their
families are relieved, and many IA bat
tle-scarred veteran has had reason to
thank heaven for the kind ministra-
tioms of the G. A. II. These charities
are bestowed without parade or Osten-
tatiOn by the relief committee which Is
a part of every branch of the Organiza-
ton, who are also the agents of the re-
spective posts to report cases OF sick
ness and need among soldiers or their
families. and to see that the sick have
proper care, that the hungry are fed
and that the naked are clothed. The
amount of money yearly expended by
the order in such charities is very
large, but it's charities in many cases
have taken a broader scope, resulting
in the establishment of soldiers homes
and refugees by means of which much
good has already been accomplished,
and the outlook in this direction has
never been brighter than to-day. Much
is to be expected from this movement
in the early future, in fact much has
already resulted.
The post meetings bring into familiar
companionship former comrades in
arms, and thus their mutual interest
in each other is kept alive and their
friendship cemented. This certainly
is a source of pleasure and II cause for
self-cOngratulatiOn to the members of
the order Old memories are revived
by our camp-fres, to which the public
are welcomed and mutual entertain
ment and pleasure is the result.
BY the @. A. r. the custom of OBJ
serving decoration day has been in
augurated. Growing from n small be-
ginning it has come to be a national
custom. Exercises are held in all sec
tiOns of the country on this day in
honor of our dead comrades, their pa
triOtism is extOlled, their memory re-
vered, the young and rising generation
are thus instructed in their duty to the
country, loyalty and patriotic devotion
are inculcated and encouraged. [ be
lieve we can hardly Over-estimate the
influence of these public hOnOrs yearly
paid the nations defenders in creating
a spirit of emulation and sentiments of
loyalty in the young men of this gen
Grafton, which would manifest itself
most nObly in such an exigency as the
of this influence upon the public mind
is a safeguard about our country's tran
guilty and peace, greater than the
standing armies of the nations of the
old world. For emulating the devotion
and patriotism of their fathers, tens
and hundreds of thousands of young
men would to-day rally to the defence
of home and country if need be.
Organized in 1866, composed of the
material of which it is, the G.. A. r.,
from the very nature of those facts
must be but a temporary organization.
The youngest veteran alive is now in
middle life and many of our comrades
are far past the meridian, indeed in the
past year from our ranks more than
D, 900 have answered to the final roll
call and mustered out they have left
our ranks to jein comrades gone be-
fore. Each returning year leaves its
marks of havoc on our order, a few