Morning journal and courier., 1891-04-07

 usefulness was hampered and it's good name compromised.
 ssThe first Memorial day exercises were held on July 4, 1868, instead of May 30, as had been intended, in obedience to the famous order of Commander Logan; but certain of the comrades had objected to the date. The services were appropriately ar ranged and assisted in by the good people of New Haven, as they have ever since ob- served this Festival of the dead'
 ''The social gatherings of the post were an early cause of discussion. In 1S69-70, it resolved itself into a debating society and settled (at least to it's own satisfaction) many vexed questions in love, war and kindred arts. On March 3, 1870, a woman's auxiliary was formed, which proved great help in the charitable work, but as differences of opinion arose, in few years it was dissolved.
 tsThe finances were from the first looked after. The post veterans did not al ways prove financial successes. The nota- ble exceptions, lecture of General Kill l patrick in 1868 and the presentation of war drama entitled "The Drummer Boy of Shiloh" in 1871. After this the fortunes of the post went from bad to worse, | money had to be borrowed and projects were unsuccessful. Two quite successful 1 balls were given in 1873 and 1876, but | they only suficed to assist in paying the debt. From this time interest Jagged, % the furniture had to be sold and | things were at a wonderfully low ebb: but in 1879 those few who ! had still labored on succeeded in interesting many who had withdrawn and quite a number were reinstated. 9th CTS joined by original muster, and Decem- Der 4, 1880, unanimously elected Frank D. Sloat commander. To him they rallied, and they gathered together band of zeal ous comrades so thoroughly imbued with the principles of the Grand Army as to in- sure the final exclusion of every question finances on firm basis and gave the post better standing in the community. From 103 members they passed to 283, and from 8 debt of $1 ,653. AS they passed to @ small surplus during that year.
 "1SS2 witnessed the appropriation of | $50, ,000 for the soldiery' and sailors monu- ment. In 1883 The Chimes of Normandy was successfully established, our Woman's Relief corps organized and Nathan Hale camp No. 1, Sons of Veterans, established. A very successful fair also netted $2, GIT ,27. The year closed with 400 members and surplus of $3, ,000. In 1884 the post show ed the scope of it's charity by sending to Robert E. Lee camp of Confederate Vete- rans donation of $10O to assist in estab fishing home for disabled Confederate veterans. This was criticised to some ex- | tent, but to my mind no nobler example of l patriotic benevolence has been given. Our | defeated friends, the enemy, receive no aid | from the nation, and but for the generosi- | ty of the G. A. R. could not now have the l benefit of such home for their disabled l comrades, whom, we are assured, ,are almost l universally loyal to our reunited country. | Their gratitude is we'll shown by the fact that Grand Army badge admits it's wear | CT to their camps
 l "In 1885 the post attended the funeral 1 of General Grant, and Commander Sharpe instituted his successful Savin Rock pie nics. 1886 witnessed the laying of the corner stone for the soldiers monument, a large delegation to the meeting of the national encampment in San Francisco, a membership of 629 and $3,736.96 in the l treasury.
 1 Except 1881, the year 1887 was per haps the most memorable in our history. | It witnessed the muster of our late illus trious comrade, General A. H. Terry and a reception the same evening attended by l Generals Sherman, Sheridan, Schofeld, Hawley, Greedy, Darlington and others, and thousands of our comrades from all parts of the country, who assisted the fol- lowing day (June 16) in the dedication of the soldiers monument; also the most suc- cessful fair of our history, which netted SIC, ,518 15 to our post; 1SSS-9 were years of comparative quiet. December 31, 18S9 steps were taken to enable the post to at tend the twenty-fourth annual session of the national encampment to be held in Boston, and though the results were not as satisfactory as expected, over 800 com rades attended, and the reunion was such as all look back on with pride. The year closed with 856 membership and grand total of s15, ,35790.
 s'This brief review would be incomplete without an acknowledgment of the obliga- tion we are under to the loyal citizens of New Haven, to whose assistance is due much of our prosperity. The papers of our city have given substantial support to our efforts, overlooking our sometimes cranky denunciation of deserved criti- cisms, and always applauding our honest endeavors, not only by advertising our social gatherings, but in the honest ''money of the realm" To name all our benefac- tors is beyond my scope. Surely, nowhere in our land are more loyal hearts or will
 may be pardoned for noting one instance, since he has joined the great majority that of the late General Stephen R Smith,
 ''I am proud to think that the conserva- tive stand always maintained by the post in pension matters has done much to place us in favor with our fellow citizens. We have looked upon indiscriminate pension ing with disfavor.
 'I should not feel that my duty for this occasion had been performed if I did not chronicle the fact that of the original or ganizers of the post only one has retained continuous membership till the present time; who has followed it's fortunes through evil report and good report, the records showing that it's charter would un- doubtedly have been surrendered during the dark days preceding 1879 but for his untiring labors and kindly deeds. Let us all unite in honoring our comrade, John Mccarthy.
 Bearing in mind that the help 8 that which parades itself before the world will only say that our recorded expenditures for this purpose aggregate $13,943S0, not including the help of auxiliary societies and private gifts
 Looking back over these twenty three years, my comrades, you and I see rising before us many familiar forms that are not with us in the column tonight; from the brave leader, the true gentleman, so many of us learned to love during our first campaign, while others of us fol | 1oWco ulul uuCll ulS udIlo WAS pldCeu IlSu upon the roll of fame, to our tent mates and companions, into whose faces we looked in times which tried mems souls, and on whom we knew we could depend-I do not need to name them It only remains for us to fill up the very few re- maining years left us with deeds which Get us hope) may leave 8 memory as sacred, record if more humble equally honorable, to foster and strengthen in the rising gen eration, so far as our opportunities allow, that genius so perfectly exemplifed in our comrades who have gone before, and most fittingly described by an eminent soldier of the Sixth corps, as genius to make the American sailor famous everywhere, and the American soldier respected by all nations, genius to advance civilization with grander, more sub- stantial, more rapid strides, than have ever before all the nations of the earth combined. A genius to suffer, to endure and toll, that the wilderness may become 8 garden, the forest farm, the barren rocks storehouses of untold wealth: a genius to separate the pulpit from the state, and sustain worship free to each mans conscience; genius to elevate the bread-winners to the level of the best of men; genius to determine the law and enforce it; genius that commits to