The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-20
GRAND ARMY OF rns REPUBLIC.
Samuel L. Miller the New Depart
nent Commander.


OF the Grand Army, continued its session
yesterday forenoon. with the same large at
tendance as Wednesday. The business Of
the forenoon consisted OF routine matters Of
private nature. The chaplain. Rev. Chas.
A. Southland, made his annual report, giving
an elaborate account Of the observance Of
Memorial Day.
Resolutions 10 the memory Of General
Sherman, Admiral Porter. General Devens
and Department Commander Tobln OF Mas
sachusetts were read and accepted.
In the afternoon the Encampment was
called to order soon after the city bells had
ceased tolling during the funeral hour OF
General Sherman. The first business trans
acted was the election Of officers. The vote
for Department Commander resulted:
Whole number OF votes ........2s5
Samuel Miller Of Waidooero had ....224
Isaac Dyer Of skownegan had......... 81
| The election Of Mr.. Miller was made unan-
imous. Other officers were elected as fol-
Il lows:
Senior Vice Commander = Franklin Adams,
Junior Vice Ommander-GeOrge W. Reynolds
Of WaervIlle.
Chapkin-Rev @. o. southard OF Biddeford.
Medical DlrectOI-Joslah Y. Day OF Springvae:
Council OF Administrati0n-C. 3. Emerson OF
Auburn, A X. Devereux OF Ellsworth, 9. .Wads.
worth Of Gardiner.
A letter was received by state Pension
Agent Purlnton, from Commissioner OF PEN
sions Green Is. Raum. stating that under the
law OF June 25th. 1890. the number Of claims
| flied from the State Of Maine to date were.
invalid applications. 57Os. widows applica-
| tlons, 1883; total, 7456.
Messrs. A. Z. Nlckerson and z. K. Buck,
| Of the Council OF Administration, held over
from last year.
Samuel L. Miller, the new Commander Of
the Department Of Maine. was born In Wal
doboro March 70, 1874. He was educated In
the common schools Of his native town. and
at Warren Academy. lie left his studies in
Augusli 1862. to enlist as private In Compa-
ny E, 10th Maine Regiment. In which organ
ization he served till the close Of the war.
being promoted to Quartermastsr Sergeant
and Lieutenant of Company A. When he
was 10 years old he had acted as reglmental
| quartermaster and adiutant, and had COM
manded his company, besides performing
many other important duties. 10 1869 he
was appointed postmaster Of Waldoboro by
President Grant. a position which he held
under successive presidents, including
Cleveland, until the first OF the present
month. Since 1873 he has been the editor
and publisher Of the Lincoln County News,
nourlshing local newspaper. In the Grand
Army he has always been very active COM
rade. He was first mustered into the organ
| izatlon In 1867. HE has served his post two
terms as commander, and Is Its present adiu-
tant. In the Department Of Maine he has
| filed the position Of Senior Vice Command
er one term. He is a member Of the 10y al
| Legion aud prominent Mason.
Mrs. LegrOw. Of the Woman's State Relief
Corps, on being presented to the Encamp-
ment, made an address, In which she said:
1T has ever been our object to adhere
strictly 10 the principles upon which our or
| der 1rst was founded, and perhaps In no
| way can better illustrate TO you our frater-
nifty and loyalty to the G. A. X. than by tell
| ing you that our charities bestowed only up
ON soldiers families with additional dona-
tions Dy which to commemorate our heroic
dead, have within the past seven years
amounted to more than $4,000; in addition
to this. we have raised and expended thous-
ands OF dollars by which to carry on our
work successfully, which figures | am una
l Bile TO give. We have at present remaining
In our treasury about 5000. Comrades, do
| gree, Of satisfaction, mingled with feelings
OF pleasure and pride. to be able TO render
this account 70 you? DO you wonder that
we have been truly loyal to the q. A. X!
The following comrades were elected as
delegates aud alternates from the Depart
ment Of Maine to the National Eneampment;
Delegates-w william II Green, Post 2; j. p.
| Cushing, ~; simon :. Andrews, 14S; j. Z. Ashe
~; Isaac Dyer, ee; A. X. Lincoln, l56; Hanni-
bal hamln, c. A: soutna5d. 49,.
Phillips, 81; j. O. Chilcott, So; II. E. Sellers Il;
| John 4. Rand. IS; sewall II. bagieY, 2; ]. w.
Black, 30; A. B. Sumner 1888; +, >. Walls, VIII.
| Delegate at Large-Frederick Roble.
Alternate at Large-Charles d. Rounds, "a.
Many cases of Past Commanders we're dis
posed Of in the afternoon. by action Of the
Encampment or by ruling Of the Command
| or; changes OF. location and other causes had
| placed quite a number Of these officers in
| debatable position. and this action Of the de-
| partment relieves their positions from all
! doubt.
Another question which has caused good
deal Of discussion was also settled. The
territorial Jurisdiction Of posts for memorial
purposes Is new. by the action today, made
co-extenslvo with the towns and cities In
which. and for which, they are established.
i subject to any agreement which may be
mauo tOotWoth pOSbcs Au piaCCo Wnoto uV
post exists, the nearest post may take juris-
diction, in Its discretion, and where posts
are equi-distant from such places, seniority
| Of charter determines the right; this may
also be subject to agreement.
/ Strong ground was also taken by the de-
| partment against amusements on Memorial
Day. especially by colleges in this state.
This twenty-fourth session OF this depaIt-
ment will long be remembered In the order
/ as working one; no amusements Of u pub
| lie character were enjoyed. but every man
| entitled to a seat In the Department got
i down TO solid work from the opening. Re-
markable unanimity existed In sll Its action.
| and all were intent for the best good and the
| good name Of the Department OF Maine.
Soldiers have been accused by some as being
| grasping and self-seeking, but when any
l thing was proposed which would take, II
carried out, burdens from soldiers which are
imposed upon other citizens, the response
was quick and decided: ave still have du-
ties to our country; all Of US who are able
want to share in the duties of supporting
the government"
Last evening the ladies Of the Woman's
State Relief Corps had a very agreeable en-
tertalnment at their quarters In the Alder
mems room, City Building. consisting Of
singing, recitations. etc, and brief remarks
were made by Mayor Melcher and others.
| At the headquarters of the National Wom-
ans Corps. In Congress Hall. there were
many callers Of well known comrades. and
1 lrrxa