The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-06
ment of the encampment seems to /
against the departments.
CONVENTION ORGANIZED.
Commander-in-C Chief yeazey Presents the
Color Question.

DETROIT, Aug. 5.-Ihe twenty-ffth an
nual encampment of the G. A. X. met in
formal session this morning at the man,
moth hall that had been set apart for the
business deliberations of the veterans. All
that art and cultured taste could do to make
the building attractive has been exerted in
the decorations which adorn the interior of
the hall. At the head of the hall over the
platform was large q. A. K. badge thanked
on either side with American flags and in
the rear the grand seal of the United States
was also set between flags. From the cell
ing hung clusters of the flags of all the
republics in the world. The side walls
were draped with cream colored bunting.
and the windows bore curtains of lam
brequins. The balcony was decorated
with garnet silk plush, embroidered
with silk gold and tapestry fringe.
The plush was studded with numerous
suits of nickel-plated ancient arm0r, sur
rounded with the groups of American flags
of the army and navy and by. American
shields. with silver wreaths of lanrel. On
the two band-stands were suspended blue
silk banners. known as the presidential
banners, being the especial emblems OF
honor hung out upon visit from the Pres
ldent of the United States The sides of
the trusses of the building and the walls
below the balconies were hing with
creaIo-cOlOr6u bunting, on winch were
placed the seals of all the States and Ter
rltories, each surrounded by silk flags and
gilt eagles. At other appropriate points
were numerous flags and Cther decorations.
AT the bottom of each truss were clusters
or lncandescent lamps which, when
lighted, gave rare effect To the interior.
Despite the immensely of the hall. it was
crowded to it's utmost capacity by the null
titude of veterans attracted by the mo-
mentous questions to be settled at this en-
campment of the order. 1t was fully un-
derstood that the race question might be
precipItated in the deliberations at any mo-
ment and become the su blect of acrimonious
discussion, and this impending problem,
together with projected revision of the con-
stitution, combined to heighten the general
interest In the proceedings. few minutes
before the hour of opening General NeaZey
and his staff entered the hall and were es-
corted to the grand stand: The appearance
| of the cOmmanGer-In-chief was the signal
| for generous applause, and minnie later
the two bands burst forth in an inspiring
| military air. IN harmony with the
| martial scene. Rapping the assemblage
| To order. the Commander in-chief an
| nounced the formal opening of the
Twenty-fifth Annual Encampment of the
| G. A. II. and directed the acknowledgement
| to call the roll of departments. Every
| State ana Territory in the Union-nOt
even excepting far Oft Alaska-was repre-
sented, and the roll showed the fullest at
| tendance of delegates in the history of the
| organization.
The opening address of the Commander
| in-chIef was listened to IN rapt attelti0n
by the assembled veterans.
THE OPENING ADDRESS.
Comrades" said General Veazey, "this
Is the silver anniversary of birth-not of
| wedding. Abraham Lincoln celebrated
| the marriage nuptlals. Columbia was the
bride. Her vesture was the Nations flag.
The pledge to re-establish that flag over
the domain of secession was the price
of her hand. The pledge was gradually re-
| deemed through the bloody strife, through
suffering and death, after the victors had
placed ON the brow of the bride a new dia-
dem, whose gems were honor, valOr. fame.
| liberty untainted with slavery. country
| reunited aud free. The fruit OF that mar
| riage was the Grand Army of the Republic
! An offspring worthy ot its roy al parentage.
| The date OF the birtA was Aprll6 1866,
| The observance OF tins silver anniversary
began on the 9th day of April, of this year.
| In every town and city IN ell this broad
| country. where posts existed, the comrades
| assembled In open meetings, which the pub
| lie attended in thr0ngs beyond the capacity
| of the largest halls, and. all at the same
hour. united IN praise ana thanksgiving to
Almighty God for the great blessings he
| had vouchsa fed to our country and the
men who haC fought its battles aud had
| since labored faithfully on the lines
of good citizenship. and had cultivated the
Christian and patriotic principles of fra
ternity. charity and loyalty"
| Reference was then made by General
Veazey to the increasing esteem in which
the g. A. r. was held by the people gener-
ally and comrades particularly. A touch
ing allusion was made to the numerous
deaths in the order during the past year.
I'm the official circles" said he. Senior
| Vice-commander-in-ch thief Richard +. Fa-
! bian was the first to answer the call. Then
quickly followed Past Commandment chief
Charles Devens. The period for the dis
| play of mourning in honor of COmrade Dew
ems had scarcely passed before the retired
General of the army and Admiral of the
navy, Sherman and Porter. died on sue
ceeding days. Both were comrades of the
| q. A. X. They had been through their
long careers in their country's service, even
to the end of life. as close In their friend.
ship as they had been devoted as patriots
and distinguished as commanders. The
great General had testified his appreciation
of the order by his never-failing presence
at every national encampment for many
years. Now, within the month an
other. ex-Vice-president Hamlin, whom
the Republic trusted and bonored. whom
the comrades loved and who faithfully
stood at the great Lincoln's elbow through
the four fierce years of his administration,
has joined his chief on the bsttlements of
heaven. These splendid leaders have not
gone alone. A numerous guard of COM
rades. soldiers. sailors and marines of every
grade have gone with them"
| TRIBUTE TO SONS OF VETERANS.
A passing tribute was paid to the present
and prospective usefulness of the Sons of
| Veterans.
"The organization said he. "has had q
| rapid growth the past year. more than &C, 600
having been mustered in since June so, 1890.
Thirty two States aud Territories have
been organized as divisions. with more than
twenty-five hundred subordinate corps"
The Southern question:" or negro ques.
ton. as affecting the G. A. R., was touched
upon by General NeaZey as follows: 1.-The
present administration encounte tered the
same al Is turbances in the department of
Louisiana and Mississippi that had trou bled
my predecessors. TIE difficulties there had
existed ever~since posts . to IT, inclusive,
of that department were chartered and or
lsganlZed. This was in 1882 The charge
has always been from different sources
that the organization of these posts was
so tainted with irregularities as TO be
utterly destructive of their legal exist
ence. Our rules and regulations provide q
plain procedure for department to pur-
sue in order to test the validity of such
charges AS the Department of Louisiana
and Mississippi has never SO far as l am
informed, resorted to that procedure.
have held. in dealing with those posts, that
they must be regarded as having a LEGAL
existence until otherwise regularly adjudi-
Gated.
prior to 1889 the comrades of the then
existing posts were nearly all and, per-
haps wholly, composed of white men. The
of 10 WI ol mr.