Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-04

extend % thus disfing uiahed soldier and
statesman, our iIiustious comrsde, a most
cordial and fraternai greeting
A. each Of the posts viii receive . copy
Of the journal Of proceedings, do not deem
it necessary to call your attention TO the
legislation Of the National Enesmpment
except to ,vo matters Of very general IT,
teress- First. Hereafter only five members
will be required to make . quorum in posts
having less than fifty members. Second,
Sec. Act " Of Chapter V Of the rules
and regulations vas amended by striking
cut all after the word "reinstxted" At the
end of the fifth fne and aiding. lin any
Post upon application duly made. referred
And reported upon, and on payment Of the
amount due his former Post At the date Of
his being dropped, wh,eh shall be forwarded
By the Post receiving him. IL the Pos, of
Of sach d,cppe5 member has been dis
banded, the amount of such arrearayes shall
De retained by the Post electiBz him 1t
will be observed that dropped members
hereafter reinssated will not be required 10
be reoolizated-
The next national eneAmpment will be
held in Boston, commencing August l2ih.
It is probable that the attendance of com
rsdss viii be the largest in the history OF
the GRAD Army. On account Of its pro1-
Unity and the improbabiliGy that an0,ber will
ever be held 60 far east. the Attendance of
comrades from this department wilt an
ioubtediy he large, and the Interest which
vii thus be Awakened We mas we'll hope
<iil stimulate enlistments in many of our
posts II seems to me that II will be Wise
to take advantage of the interest thus
awakened To add to the uumber of our
co1nty Organizations.
These Organizations have proved of great
oene ts in other departments. They al ord
rails wing paint. and more frequent reunions
Of comrades Our STATE 10 extent Of teri
tory Is So large that the success of q semi
annual encampmeDt is always prcblemat-
zeal. Owing 10 the same fact it is practl-
cslly impossible for the department
commander to yi.it many posts without
sacrificing his entire time. But | am sure
every department commander would deem
Il a pleasure and a duty to vis. every county
organization it he could there meet com
-aies from all posts in the county | com
neni thIs suffice, to your constie,-tion.
MEMORIAL DAY.
This day Of consecratiou for the living
and coronation sor the dead was very gen.
orally observed throughout the State. The
patriotic impulse CT our own hearts tie
ties of comrsdeship, ani the regulations OF
our order, impose upon ia the grateful and
sacred duty of CONNIE morating the memory
If cur departed comrades, those who laid
Town their lives during the war, and those
sho have since gone TO rest in soldiers
graves This service, it seems TO me
wisely is becoming more and more both
commemorative and instructive, seeking
alike to do honor to the memory of our
noble dead and making plain the righstul-
ness of the cause 10 the defense of which
they pc rformed the deathiess deed which
renders then immortal and will forever en-
title them to the highest honors from their
grateful countrymen.
/ am glad, too, to believe that this day is
yearly becoming to be regarded asd OBJ
served by all of our citizens as holy, pa
,riotic, consecrsted day. rather than holt
day, given up to sports. The fact that
Memorial day was established to common
)rate the m mory of more than 300 900
loyal men who died in the defense of our
national flag and that the nation might hive,
ought To sober every citizen and ensure his
grateful and reversnt observance. But
whatever others may do or fail to do, no
true eomrade of the Grand Army en- fail
10 observe this day in the spirit in which it
was established.
FLAGs FOR SCHooLHorsEs.
| desire to call your attedtion to the re-
cent practice of placing the Union flag over
the schoolhouse. This patriotic action hsd
its origin in the Presentation of flags to
pubic schools by posts IN the
department of New York. The matter
was commended by the last National
Enc ,mpment. The Grand Army of the
Republic in The Institution of Memorial Day
did our country great service in yearly
presenting TO the children of our land a great
object lesson of patriotism. If 10 this the
Grand Army can add the custom Of having
the national fsg raised over the school
house during term time, it will again p ace
the nation under lasting obligations to our
beloved order. Let the children be taught
the lessons of patriotism and loyalty. Let
them from infancy learn the story of their
country's flag; let their eyes be gladdeued
by its beauty as they learn the noble deeds
performed in its defence, and every school,
house will become a recruiting station of
loyal men and women. Several Of the
posts in this Department have already in.
aug,raten this work, and | trust it will be
continued by the remainder until every city
and town where there is post shall have
one or more flags floating over school
house.
BArH MILITARY AND NAVAL ORPHAN
ASYLUM,
The orphans of our DECEASED comrades in
arms are the special wards of the Grand
Army of the Republic, and the comrades of
this department are particularly interested
IN this institution. The State recognizes
this interest in the practice by the Governor
of appointing your department commander
a trustee of the asylum Governor Bur
leigh ntinued that usage the past year,
and am able to report to you in regard to
the mana cement from official knowledge.
l am happy to inform you that the affairs
of the asy um are in good condition. II
is more than an asylum, it is in fact
"home" with home blessings under the ma
ternsl care of Mrs A. Stetson. There were
in the institution Jan. !, 1889, G5 orphan
children of deceased soldiers or sailors,
gathered from all sections of the State
thirty have been added during the year
making 50 who have been inmates some
portion of the year OF this number 81
have been provided with good homes or re-
turned to their former homes, leaving "a
now present. The health of the children
has been good and they have only good
words for the management. | believe the
asylum deserves our support and eneour-
agement.
WoMAs's RELIEF CoRrs.
need not in this presence euiogize the
noble part which women took in the great
struggle for the preservation of the nation
for who of W can ever forget or exaggerate
the praise or honor due those who, on the
field of battle bound up the wounds of the
wounded and comforted the dying and car
ried into the military hospitals the tender
tonch and sympathetic love of the mother
and wife, whose very presence sent healing
through every ward; who cheered the sick
and sick hearted, soothed the dying, and
with their prayers accompanied them to the
pearly gates, and then with hearts over
flowing with sympathy and love. penaei to
the mother or wife the farewell words Of
the dead hero.
Nor need rehear-e to you for you know
and appreciate it full we'll. the value
of her helping hand aid ministry to US
since the war In our great work of charity.
But | am sure you will be glad
to learn of the prosperity of
their auxiliary corps during the past year
as officially communicated to ME. The
president of the Womans Relief Corps,
Mrs. Grace f Howe, informs me that the
number of corps in this department is tor
ty-hve, and the membership in good stand
ing fifteen hundred and two The amount
expended for relief s6i5 II; the amount
Of cash turned over 10 Grand Army posts