The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-07-26
HEADQ'Rs WoMAN,s RELIEF CORPS,
AUXILIARY TO THE GAR,
DETROIT. Mich, July, 1SS

aged grandfather and the little grandchlld oil
few months; the soldiers widow and the father
less children; the army nurse of years of serv-
ice, not only in this country, but in the hos
pitfalls and ON the fields of the Eastern Continent.
Gen. Grants cOachman, John Flair, so well
known at the National Capital, with his wife,
was of the number All who desired were
driven about the charming drives of the island
through woodland and lawn; children played
and frolicked among the shady trees and upon
the grass so fresh and green. As the evening
drew on a substantial supper was served to all,
after which each one was provided with bas-
ket of provisions to carry home. Could every
Corps of our Order have seen the pleasure and
happiness this simple and easily arranged pro-
gram gave our guests, we are sure they would
say, 1t is good. Let us go and do likewise"
1t was a never-to- be-forgotten day by ALL
We would call the attention of every Corps
President and all concerned throughout the
length and breadth of our organization to the
following, that they may look well to the deeds
of the past, also to what they may do in the
future, that further errors and serious conse-
quences may be ayerted and avoided. During
the past 10 days from three different Depart
ments our attention has been called to the fact
that some member having asked for transfer
card has found upon presenting it to some
other Corps that she had been given visiting
card instead. Various complications, and seri-
Gus ones, have arisen either from Corps officers
and members not thoroughly understanding
the difference between the above (see X. and r.,
Art ", Sec. / and q or through gross careless
ness or because of lack of proper distinction
in the forms now in use. Requisition blanks
call for three kinds of cards-visiting, transfer,
and discharge, while in fact only the first one
is a card, the other two being sheets of paper.
There is nothing upon the visiting card to tell
what it is. In the new supplies, to be soon
issued, all three will be cards, each plainly
stating what it is by its name being printed in
large letters thereon. Each Corps President
and Secretary should carefully examine their
stock on hand, see what they have, and what
they may have issued, correct any errors made,
and see that none occur in the future. In re-
vising the written, work we have endeavored
to take into consideration its needs by taking
cognizance of such facts as have been brought
to our attention in various ways, and striving
to make everything so plain and simple that
no one can help but understand.
The necessity of extreme care being taken
by every Corps officer in ali that she does to
avoid errors is very apparent when one takes
into consideration the sum-total of the time
stationery and postage required to correct even
such an error as the above, when letters must
pass between members and Corps officers, Corps
and Department officers, aud then often be re-
| ferred to National Headquarters for analysis
and advice.
| Officers, look well to yohr work. If at any
time you are at loss as to what should be
done after having studied carefully all instruc-
tions in your possession, write to your superior
officers for information. Aspire to nothing
short of perfection.
! With the sweet must come the bitter things
! in this life; and while we have had much to
cheer and make us happy. our hearts have
/ been touched and drawn out in tender SYM
| pathy for those upon whom the hand of Attic
! ton has been heavily laid. We refer to our
| MrcG A
! Plummer, of Michigan, and Mrs. Mary S. Nc
| Henry, of Iowa, both of whom have been called
| to mourn the loss OF their dearly-loved mothers.
Of them it can be truly said they have gone to
THAT land, far away mid the stars, we told,
Where they know not the sorrows of time"
We regret to hear of the illness of our Ma
tional InstitutiDg and Installing Officer, Mrs
Sarah c. Nichols, who has been obliged to leave
her home and go to New York for medical adj
| vice and treatment. We trust we may soon
| hear she has been greatly benefited.
We would congratulate the Department oil
New York She has been wide-awake and al
work, for already II Corps have been organized
since their Convention. May each Department
be as much in earnest in bringing in tho
sheayes.-ARMILLA A. CHENEY, National Sec
rotary.
TRIBUTE OF THE coMMANDER-IN-cH CHIEF.
The proceedings of the 4th annual COnven
ton, DEPARTMENT. Minnesota E. Stark
weather, Department President, takes on new
interest from the tribute of COMMANDMENT
Chief Rea who visited Convention and ad
dressed the assemblage as follows:
did not come in to make speech but just tC
| say to you that represent the Grand Army of tht
Republic, and that / ought to say something
What ! will say is this; That the Grand Army
through the length and breadth of this country
everywhere, feels to-day that it is under great oh
| legations to you, Just as the grand army - year,
ago felt itself under great obligations to the
hat mot
what / meant to say 1t not obligation. /
was feeling of obligation that the soldiers fel
toward the women. Il use that word because
like it better. 1t lisa stronger word 1t means more
lust as a man may be gentleman without being
man in the fullest sense OF the word.) During thu
war during the great struggle that we had III thi
country, many OF the men who were engaged nov
compose the Grand Army. IL was terrific strug
gle-a struggle that cost more lives, more mainet
men, more suffering, than any other conflict tina
the world has ever seen, sending at last the dawn
OF civilization into the world.
During that time tile first persons in this countr,
who comprehended the magnitude Of that struggl
when it came on, was the women of Americal No
even did the statesman. the scholar or the minis
ter comprehend the magnitude of that struggle "A
did these women. In many quiet homes OF thi
land the mothers had reason to comprehend
when they sent their sons into the army, and durn
the continuance of the war, from beginning end
l they understood what necessary to be done
They understood another thing; that they were (
make great sacrifice. There was place wher
/ | Ii WAS possible for women to aid that army 8
effectualIy as kindly ministering to the wants c
, the wounded ana SICK, anu dllnOuEn their OW
hearts strings may have snapped asunder, they Dor
it, and they bore ii III silence and they bore it alone
f and the sufferings of the men upon the battlefield
= | were as nothing compared with the suffering
of the mothers and the wives, the sisters aud TIA
e sweethearts. AND the men who fighting ia
|. battles of their country knew that among thes
same mothers and wives were the ones who sympG
thized with them the most. know that is Tn
sentiment of the comrades of the Grand Army
the Republic; 1t is the sentiment of the world
will be the judgment of history that during tbs
t, period during those days that tried the souls
men, the women to nights higher than wa
ever reached by the soldiers.
The Grecan mothers and matrons who sent the
;, to the battlefield desired only revenge, and a
ambition to have their sons attain record of glory
IS but it was sufficient for the American mothers
know that their sons did their duty. They did
grand work in the conflict that going ON, il
vovng all that worth loving IN life The
felt when they sending their to figi
their battles that they were sending their hear
and their lives.
AS the representative of the Grand Army of IL
Republic 1 thank you for the comrades who nee
the mnstering you give which man cannO
There is work in the world that you do Tia,
men cannot do.
GUARDING THE FLAG.
BY JULIA KNoWLroN DYER