Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-03-31
.sx-ssLDiEas in COUNCIL.

pisn Of 0Eieera. afc,
Redield Dakota, March 39--Speoial
correspondence-The fifth annual en-
campment OF the department of Dakota,
Grand Army of the Republic, assembled
In this city on Tuesday OF this week. Tue
various posts of Dakota. 1856 III number,
are represented by some two hundred
delegates Many Of the delegates were
late In arrlying,on accounted snow block
AIDES, and the business of the encamp-
ment did not begin until Tuesday eve
ming. During Wednesday the only bust
ness OF importance was Commander
Alieu'e Hnnual address and the selection
of q place for a Dakota soIiiers' home,
the recommendation of the cncempment
relative to the home to be rendered to
the next legislature. IL is supposed
tibet this recommendation will be en-
dorsed by that body, as it vas asked for
IN. q semi-oficlsl way aud legislative
action thereon deferred until the Grand
Army could be heard from Alter about
two hours OF Discussion, in which Hot
Syringe, Watertown and Jamestown
were the leading candidates for the To-
cation of the soldiers home, Hot Springs
won by q decisive majority and will be
recommended as the place for ID ,keta's
soldiers home.
The first important business before
the ~eacampment for Thursday morning
was the selection of q place f the next
annual encampmenf. In this choice
Yankton became the ~favorite in the
canvass which preceded the vote upon
the location, Aberdeen being the prlnci-
psi competitor. Yankton's delegates
telegraphed home for a formal invitation
to the department for the next
annual encampment aud in response re-
eelved the information that Yankton
did not want She encampment. ~,
| when this order of Business CANA on,
Yankton's lame was not presented and
Aberdeen was unanimously chosen as
the place for the next annual enaamp
meat of the depart mept. These par
~ticulars are given as indicative OF the
good will of the department towards
Yaokton. There va u general desire
to visit the southern metropolis of the.
territory and at the same time strike q,
warm spot for next years de%liberatlou
OF the Grand Army,
Folio wing the selection of q place for
the next enoampments came the annual
election of Sdepartment officers. THIS was
an exciting episode of the enoarnpment.
For The position of commander Judge
O. s. Palmer, OF Sioux Falls, was the
andenbsed fayerite, Bas Judge Palmer
declined to entertain q proposition to
place him in tbs chief department
position and his post presented the name
of Colonel b. Z. Campbell. also of Sioux
FallG. Still there was d lingering desire
among a majority of the comrades to
call Judge Palmer to the place and the
Judge innocently enough played upon
this feeling through a recital OF the
manner IN which he went into the army
and served as q soldier. It seems he rep
represented his brother throughout the
war This brother had enlisted, but as
be wsa the main stay OF dependent
parents, Palmer after reflection cour
WINGED the family that his removal FROM
their midst would result in hardship to
the family. So Judge Palmer, several
years younger, reported IN his brothers
place and went through she war as his
brother aud is SO known upon the
records. In his brothers. name he was
discharged. Technically Jadge Palmer
never was a soldier, though he gave his
tcountry thrse years of srduous service.
This recital worked upon the emotions
OF the comrades and in the face OF bis
protest he was elected unanimously
commander Of the department. amid
loud shouts and the throwing of hats.
But udge Palmer Immediately declined
and his declination was accepted and
the encampment proceeded to elect
q commander by ballot. This
process resulted in the choice of s. f,
Hammond, of FrankfortsS pink county, q
Igentleman who formerly held d similar
position in the state Of Wisconsin and
who is worthy and we'll qualified, SO this
writer happens to know through long
years of personal acquaintance. He had
for competitors Comrade silsby, OF
Mitchell. Oomrade Kellogg, of Woon-
socket and Oomrade Campbell, OF Sioux
iFaIis.
Ii will be observed that the twin
Identities OF. brown and SPHINX carried OF
the two leading honors-one got the next
encampment and the other the command
ership. This was accomplished in the
name of that somewhat uncertain guam
tity known as central Dakota. Sometimes
central Dakota places her arms around
the robust neck of north Dakota and
sometimes she sits in the. plenteous lap,of
TSouth Dakota. At other times she is d
maiden coy and shy, h~astuating betwixt
the two charmers and in a mood to be
happy with either were the other away.
Then again she is grimly and rigidiy
neutral, as she was this, tlme-knowine
40 oorth, no south, but adhering to q
well defined principle for the central za.
ton of territorial power. | head a lady
relate ct the dinner table to-day that
one OF the members Of the relief corps