Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-02-22
EssrIRE STATE VETERANS.


4
BINGHAMToS, y. ", Feb 81 - The
twenty-third annual encampment Of the de-
partnient Of New York O. A. r. is in session
here, with headquarters at Hotel Bsnnett.
This is the third encampment Of the depart
ment held at Bipghamton since the organi
eaton in 1891, and the comrades remember
with pleasure their welcome ia the pa by
the Broome county veterans The first de-
partmeiIt encampment held at Binghamton
was in 1870, when Comrade z. b. Lansing,
of Rankin Post No TO- Brooklyn, was elected
commander, and the second IN 1881, when
| Conirade Abram Merritt was elected
| Among the prominent Grand Army COM
rades Of Binghamton are ex-Lieutenant Gov
ernor Gen. John c. Robinson and Lieutenant
Governor Edward r. Jones' Gen. Robinson
was Binghamton boy, of a military family,
and at the outbreak of the war in the
regular service and commanded at Fort Nc
Henry, Baltimore, during the riot, April,
1861. The fort was poorly equipped at the
I time, but the young captain made the best
show that he could and dcfiel the mob, which
first tried intimidation and then assault
"Captain john as he was called. at home,
/ held the fort, and in few days recruiting
Tor the Union army was going on under the
! protection of his guns
/ Gen. Jones was a citizen of Massachusetts
when the war came ON, and led the Sixth Mas
sachusettS regiment through Baltimore, fight
+, ing the mob. Gen. Robinson lost his right
leg at Spottsylvania and was plnced ON the
retired list as major general some years after
the war. He has been highly honored by the
veterans He served one term as department
commander and one Us commander-in-chief
of the Grand Army, and also served ms presi-
dent of The Society of the Army of the Po-
/ tomac Gems. Robinson and Jones We're
among the earliest to unite with Watrous
post, and Comrade Jones sits in the encamp-
ment as delegate from the post.
| Prominent among the measures before the
encampment are those for the relief of vet
Grams. The State Home for Disabled Vet
Grams at Bath, Steuben county, needs to be
enlarged, it is said This home was founded
by the Grand Army comrades and at pres
ent two-thirds of the expense is paid by the
| United States. Another measure is the SER
vice pension question. New York has de-
clared itself in the state encampment for
several years in favor of service pension
AT the last encampment, held at Syracuse in
February, 1888, Past Commander Charles A.
Wells, delegate of Abraham Lincoln Post, No
Is, of New York city, presented resolution
from his post offering to the encampment for
action a graded service pension bill The en-
campnont Endorsed the bill and instructed
the department delegates to the national en-
campnlent at Columbus 10 support the mea-
sure. Soon after the encampment at SYRIA
cuse q national association was formed by a
convention held ut Irving hall, New York.
March /, for the purpose of agitating the
bill from Lincoln post. This BILL known
fhs, II f.a1
sion bill, has been introduced in both
houses OF congress. Some of its features
were embodied in the pension bills reported
to the house at the last session by the COM
mittee on pensions. and also in the bill adopted
by the national encampment at Columbus
last September. The original bin from Lin
coin Post provides monthly pension Tor all
I veterans at the rate of one cent a
day for each day of service rendered
A soldier who served one year would
draw S3.65 n month service pension
and the amount allowed for any term of
service under or over one year would be at
the same rate. This service pension to be in
addition to any pension allowed for disability
incurred in the service. The bill reported to
congress by the house committee at the last
session provides that such pension be granted
to all veterans ON reaching the age OF 63
wears. ne OIL auOptcu at the national ell
campnlcnt at Columbus, and which the pen
sion committee of that body will bring before
the present congress, asks for pension of s.
month for all veterans, aud an additional
allowance of cent a day for every day
served above eight hundred. This is the
per diem bill as drafted by Lincoln post, but
restricts the pension of IS minimum. The
house committee BIZ is the original Lincoln
roSt hill linlita in ;DpiIcatiou fn vafarauS
over o. years of age.
During the year an act of the state legisla-
ture, secured by the Grand Army, provides
that INDECENT soldiers and sailors of the
Union service shall be assisted by the au-
thorities upon the Recommendation of the
relief committee of post of the g. A. R.,
and supe~iatendents of the poor are prohi-
bitcd from sending such cases to the aims
house except upon the recommendation of the
Grand Army. Another favorable act is the
bill providing meeting rooms for Grand
Army pests in the public buildings of the
state. Tho headquarters of the department
are now located in a state building at Al
bany, and the department commander has
begun the work of gathering memorials and
records Of the war aud of the Grand Army to
be filed with the archives of the state
News from Panama
SAN FRANCISCO. Feb 33--The steamer
Colinia has arrived from Panama. Purser