The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-08-07
COMMANDER PALMER
A New York Man Chosen Chief of
the Grand Army.
THE CoLoRED QUESTION SETTLED
There VIII be no Separate Department-De-
mands Of the eX-Prisoners Of War
Interesting Speeches.

| DETROIT, Aug. 6.-To-d day closes the
business session of the Grand Army of the
Republic reunion. but even now the veter-
ans are fast leaving the clty. No less than
eight national organizations are in session
or have adjourned. and the encampment in
its many innovations has certainly been a
greater success than an any of the proceed
ing ones.
A aensation was created by the address
of the president of the National Associa-
ton of ex-Prisoners of the War, E. H.
Williams, of Indiana. Referring to the
treatment accorded ex-prisoners the presi
dent says: "As an organization and in
view of the great and peculiar hardships
and suffering endured as prisoners we be
lieve special compensation is due us. For
number of years bills have been
presented in Congress looking to
such masures as we felt due US,
but SO far all appeals have avalled US moth
ing. For twenty five years our govern
ment has never SO much as given US a vote
| OF thanks for the sacrifice We ma0e.n Thi S
portion of therpresident's address was for
mally approved by the association.
Among the reports committees made was
one embodying bill to be presented at the
next session OF Congress on behalf OF the
soldiers who were in prison for period of
not less than sixty days or more, providing
they shall receive - for every day of their
confinement from the government.
Stephen NJ. Long, of East Orange, n. j.,
was elected president of the society known
as Comrades of the Battlefield, which in
cludes blue and gray. The society met and
effected a national organization by the
election of Major General Cation, of St.
4 xr-,1n
hold its next meeting in Chicago.
O1he sixteenth annual reunion OF United
States veteran signal corps showed u mem
| bership of SIP. j.. x. FortiscIe, of Phila-
delphia, was elected president.
The Ladies of the Grand Army of the
Republic" held a very successful meeting.
The order is purely charitable and social
institution and was called into existence
| for the purpose Of taking into benevolent
working patriotic association all men oers
! of soldiers families. Its total mem Dership
Is between Ii, 900 and 20, 900, and the presi-
| dent states 260 new circles were chartered
the past year.
DR.. Bryant, a colored ex-soldier from
Chicago, is here soliciting subscriptions for
the erection OF a monument in jackson
park, Chicago. to the colored soldiers. 1t
is intended to raise $50, 900, and about S5i,-
| 600 has been secured so fam
A resolution was adopted at the Michi-
gan reunion of Mexican war veterans that
an effort be- made by the officers to invite
the surviving veterans of Mexico TO meet
the American survivors of the Mexican
war at the next general encampment at
Washington, and that Congress be asked
for an appropriation therefor.
Immediately after the meeting OF the en-
campment this morning the election of q
commander in chief was declared the first
business. There were four candidates:
John Palmer, of New York; A. g. Weis
sert, of Milwaukee; w. p. SmedDury, of
California; S. II. Hurst, of Ohio, Benia-
min Z. Bryant, of Wisconsin,, placed Weis-
sert in nomination in an eloquent speech.
Weisserts nomination was seconded by
Illinois, Iowa, Indiana and Kentucky.
Corporal Tanner, of New York, placed
Palmer in nomination and Massachusetts,
New Jersey and Pennsylvania seconded
the nomination.
j. j. Hollingsworth, of Ohio. nominated
Hurst, and w. h. l.. Barnes, OF Califor mia,
nominated Smedoury. The latter's nomi-
nation was seconded by Nebraska, Kansas,
Oregon, Washington ana Alaska, New
Mexico and Idaho. Just before the ballots
were opened S. II. Hurst asked for recog-
milton. "The state of Ohio" said he. "be-
lieves in justice and fair play and recogni
ton TO all departments of the Grand Army
of the Republic. Applause. 1t has been
conceded for years that whenever New
York became united on a candidate this
state, which gave more men to the great
army of the union than any other state,
should be entitled TO the commander in
chief. New York has now united on a can
didate and desire to withdraw my name
and second thu nomination OF Palmer, of
New York"
The election was by secret ballot The
announcement of the first ballot with
Palmer far in the lead indicated certainly
his ultimate election. Great enthusiasm
was manifested by the New York delegates
during the second ballot when Palmer led
from the start AT the conclusion when
the result was still somewhat in doubt
the California delegation changed its
entire vote to Palmer. Prolonged cheering
greeted this announcement, which meant
SmedDury's withdrawal and Palmer's cleo
ton. An enthusiastic delegate at this
juncture moved that Palmer's election be
declared unanimous, and IL prevailed amid
the widest enthusiasm.
Captain John Palmer, the new com
mander-in-chief, was born on Staten
island, March -, 1872, and has a splendid
war record. He served during the war in
the Ninety-frst New York volunteers,
taking part in all its engagements. Since
the war he has been engaged in the fresco
painting and decoration business at
Albany, n. Y. AS member of the Grand
Army of the Republic he was for many
terms commander OF the Lew Benedict
post, No. B. and was elected commander of
the New York department, and in 1879
elected senior vice mander-in-chief, all
OF which important positions he has filled
with credit. He is said to be forclble
speaker and model presiding officer.
For senior vice commander in chief
there was but one candidate, Henry NJ.
Dufield, of Michigan; being chosen by &C
clamation.
L. S. Garrison, of Nebraska; Peter b.
Ayers, of Delaware, and Albert L. Sholes,
vice-commander-in- chief. Clarkson won
on the first ballot.
For chaplain there were three candidates,
S. b. Payne, of Florida; ID. c. Miner, of
Kansas, and A. Il. kendrick, of Iowa
Payne was elected. ufgeon-General
Stevenson, of Connecticut, was re elected
by reclamation. Post Commander Chief
William Warner, chairman of the commit
tee on address Of the commander-in-ch chief,
reported resolutions, which were adopted,
peuitioning Congress for legislation pro-
viding for the custody and care of Mount
McGregor cottage, and for amendments to
the revised statutes providing more ex-
plicitly that preference shall be given old
soldiers in government appointments and
employment
The vexed question of the "race prob
lem'' came up In the encampment this
afternoon and was effectively settled for
all time. The special champion Of the
negro race was ex-Congressman William
Warner, Of Missouri, past commander-in-
chief, and he is tonight receiving the
tribute of the colored veterans, whose
cause he so eloquently espoused.
The matter came before the convention,
when Warner, as chairman of the COM
mittee on commander chiefs recon-
mendations, presented the following re-
oorf. ssYour com uiffea haa carefnll,r