Morning journal and courier., 1891-08-06
GENERAL yEAzEY,s ADDRESS

Al the Grand Army Encampment at DetrOtt-Birth of the Organiza- ton.
 DETROIT, Aug. 5.-The opening address of Commander-in-Ch Veazey to-day was as follows:
 Comrades: This is the silver anniversary of birth, not of wedding. The we'd ding occurred when the bridegrooms, the youth of the land, enlisted in it's defence. Abraham Lincoln celebrated the marriage nuptials. Columbia was his bride Her vesture was the nations flag. The pledge to reestablish that flag over the domain of Secessia was the price of her hand. When the pledge was grandly redeemed through bloody strife, through suffering and death, and after the victors had placed on the brow of the bride new diadem whose gems were honor, valor, fame, liberty un- tainted with slavery, country reunited and free, the fruit of that marriage was the Grand Army of the Republic, an off, The date of the birth was April 6, 1866. The observance of this silver anniversary began on the 9th day of April of this year. In every town and city in all this broad country where posts existed, the com rades assembled in open meetings, which the public attended in throngs beyond the capacity of the largest halls, and all at the same hour united in praise and thanksgiv- ing to Almighty God for the great bless ings he had vouchsafed to our country and to the men who had fought it's bat ties, and had since labored faithfully on the lines of good citizenship, and had cul- tivated the Christian and patriotic princi- pies of fraternity, charity and loyalty.
 The pulpit and press of the country, attracted by this unique, widespread, sol emn service, were eloquent in recognition of the veterans, not only as preservers of the republic in battle, but as conservators of it in peace; not only as servants of the public in every grade of official position, but as builders of cities and states; not only as cultivators of the soil, but as di- rectors of the colossal enterprises which now fill the country.
 The man must be blind indeed who has failed to see in recent years, as time has impelled our column towards the river which all mankind must cross, that the G. A. R., as it has become better known, has been constantly marchingto to higher plane | in the estimation of the people generally, as well as of the veterans of the war; that the latter are seeking membership in greater numbers; that the true spirit of comradeship is continually taking deeper hold in the hearts of comrades, and that time has not diminished but quickened their pride of their service, not quenched but intensified the ardor of their love of the flag and all it represents, not dulled but enlivened the soldierly spirit which | they exhibited in the old heroic days. Any change to the contrary is an insult to the ! veterans as class and as individuals. The year now coming to a close has ! been one of marked prosperity in our or l order, but we have been saddened often | by the role of the muffled drum. A bril- | liant eulogist of one of our recently de- ceased comrades said: '"The soldiers of the Union are falling now under the dread artillery of time, almost as fast as they fell in 1869 and 1863, and 1864. To that fatal fire we are powerless to reply. | Against that foe our once trusty muskets are dumb"
 l From various sources of information that have been accessible to me, I believe that large majority of both white and colored comrades in the department of Louisiana and Mississippi are strong in the conviction that it would be for the best interests of all individually and of their posts and of the order to have a sep arate department in Louisiana and some of the other Gulf states, made up of such posts as may apply to come into it, and having concurrent jurisdiction with the departments already established in such states; concurrent in respect to the char tering and mastering of posts, but each department having exclusively jurisdiction over the posts which it may receive.
 My best judgment, after year of pains taking investigation, is that it would be wise to confer the authority upon my suc- cessor to create such a department. He may neither find it necessary or think it best to exercise the power if. conferred. am sure he will see objections in it, but he may also find it the best and perhaps the only shield for the full protection of the colored comrades. I trust need not say that no difference has obtained at national headquarters in recognition and treatment of posts or comrades, whether white ol colored.
 The official reports show that our order during the year now closing has iberally met the demand upon the relief fund. The amount paid from the fund alone is $685. 699.S5. It is estimated that nearly or quite comrades and not appearing in official re- ports. In addition the amount paid for the relief of distressed comrades by the Woman's Relief corps during the same pc riod, as officially reported, and not includ- ing cases of personal aid not so appearing, is $152, ,710.S0. Reports have not reached me from other auxiliary organizations, such as Sons of Veterans, Ladies of the G. A. R., etc. The figures given above show large increase over the amount of any previous year.
 The subject of pensions was taken up by the Fifty-frst congress at it's first ses- sion, and, after patient investigation by the pension committees of both houses, a bill was agreed upon, passed, and finally approved by the president on the 27th day of June, 1890. It is known as the disa- bility bill. It repealed none of the pre- vious enactments, but was supplementary thereto. The last national encampment passed resolutions thanking congress and the president for this law, but favoring service-pension legislation.
 Before the assembling of the second ses- sion of the same congress on the first Mon day of December, 1890, I appointed the ! usual pension committee of five comrades to present to congress and the president the views of the national encampment as expressed in said resolutions upon the pol icy of legislation that should be adopted. They consisted of Comrades R. w. Blue of Kansas, L. T. Dickinson of Illinois, Alvin P. Hovey of Indiana, Warner Miller of New York and Seldom Connor of Maine. The chairman, Comrade Blue, came to Washington during the second session of the last congress and upon his invita- tion I went with him to see the commissioner of pensions and the president to advise with them gen. orally upon the subject of pen sion legislation. We also appeared before the joint committees of the house and senate, and Comrade Blue vigorously pre- sented to them the arguments in favor of a service pension. The committee listened patiently, but said the whole subject had been exhaustively considered at the pre- vious session with the result above stated, and it would be impossible to obtain a reconsideration before the efficacy and operation of the last enactment had been tested. Under it, for some months past, pensions have been allowed at the rate of more than 1000 per day, and it is ex- pected that this average will be maintained until the docket of applications is sub stantially cleared.
 It would be out of place here for me to enter upon discussion of the controvert- ed question as to whether the policy of legislation adopted is the wisest and best. think that all agree that if the present enactment is not the wisest. it is liberal, and that the number who at first thought it too extravagant is rapidly diminishing as the provisions of the act become better