The National tribune., 1892-02-25
THE GRAND ARMY,
News From the DepartmeRtS---NeW
Pests. ETC
MINNESOTA ENCAMPMEMT
The Good Showing Mad by the Departmental. NJ.
LANCE the New Commander,

stole Euoampment ~ lhe Order, the interest flows
Bt Good tide aud the soldier stands King
The Department Of Minnesota iHs been suhlee'
90 many trials bal through all zeal las not ahhlcd,
determination TO suTmouut nl obstacles has hol de9
out. enthusiasm for tiIc Order las never entered
iutot the dnnEcrou. field OF apathy and today lhe
Grand Army of the Republic in ans SNte y IN
splendid organization, a strong, powerIul ofaer,
potent for good citizenship, FOR good morals lof
good Government m
Tic Eacanpment was held in Harmonic Hall,
quite large hail, in the center OF Inc city ne
attendance from all over tle Stale WAS large. lhe
Dpeuiug session was marked 10y the presentation OF
many repurte. They were iull OF interest ana
were important NOT only for their current value
hut fnr tncir value when compiled Into TIC pup
lshcd form Tor reference.
Commander O. d. Parker presented quite long
bu; "a thoroughly interesting report lt was iuli oil
sound sensible suggestions, with just such keen
aud vigorous ideas ar illc members oil me orueI
have learned 60 expect from Their much huhlleu
Chief Do rcguTd Ca the true purpose ana scope OF
the Grand Army 81 the Republic The speaker salu
" ID suot, assume suppose, "a mere matter al sen
timeuL 10 D. tie noble aim Of dlildslug among
oar soldier citizens aud their sons, VINO last h
inc their places that spirit nl true patriotism ana
frRitv 10 Republican institutions without which 40
republic has strength OF length OF days. ~ y tie
greatest civic organization known 90 ile world
lrp0u its roll of membership may Ice found more
than 100000 houorHhly discharged soldiers Rnd
sailors Who during The term Of their service ranked
from tlp General 81 tiie army ihe huhioiest
aud most obscure private soldier. " ithn tue
eaCred precincts al our POst-Tooms st side by size
thc merchant prince aud his clerk, tue HllhonRlre
and the day lRbOTcr, and men OF nearly al nRioh-
Hlities bound each 60 the other and known now
90 each other simply aud only as comrades
The Commander tieu pnssed 10 the consideration
81 The work done in the Department oi Minnesota
during his term Of Office. The condition oi the
Department both numerically and financially was
shown 10 be strong aud healthy.
During the year ~ District lsncampments were
held u the months Of june and July
These Eucampments, said tie tonmRhder,
are sources of great good 10 the Grand Army Of
the Republic ia this Department, n well ns o grent
pleasure 70 The comrades "nd lheir families pgr.Gn,
minnesota Il. with perhaps one or two exceptions,
the only State holding these lsnoRmpmehis: be-
lieve in them most thoroughly, aud think they
should be encouraged by the Department Oihceis,
and bv every comrade who loves hs fellow com
Tade Rud has tle Interests OF the Department al
heart"
Mich Aug g 10 81 1891, was referred to, aud com
plimentHry ~ rds said both Of It's work and the
treatment received 40 the hands u ihe people Of De
troiL over SOD comrades attended from Minnesota.
ION 90 Washington said tie Commander, Il
now tle Cry. and with favorable transportation
arrangements il b believed THAI more comrades
will again touch elbows in marching broad Penn
sylyaniR avenue than have ever stood shoulder 10
shoulder upon any other occasion since they
marched down the same avenue willie passing In
grand review Ht tIe close 81 the war ln lehJ only
the one who las hcea permitted 10 attend these
National IucHmpmenis caH know the pleasure eN-
peIieuCcd iy even the anticipation, 20 say nothing
OF tIc reality, OF meeting face 20 faoe n comrnds
who perchance shared hs loys aud his SORROWS hls
coffee aud his hHrdtHck for four long years. u ls
earnest desire THAT every thhltUAt 40 Aillh be~
partment who has never bad this experience may
live long enough and he possessed al tic where
Withnl 10 enable linn 10 have u Ht Washington
Referring othe sons Of eterans Dee noted the fact
that june 30 1891 tie roster Of the organization
in Minnesota showed A. Camps and %. members.
Jan D, 1892 tins number was increased 10 Oh Camps
and .618 meuibers, showing gain during the last
ala months Of 1891 Of 10 Camps and 351 members
On the question Of tie Sons OF Veterans growth
the Commander Eniu.
awhile Ills was credilable increase, aud
showed proper zeal and energy on tie part OF The
officers - tie organization, ihe growth aud mem-
beTshp would seem 10 be far short 81 what u
should he " the members Of the Grand Army ~
ths Republic took aE much interest in their boys
car they should take. With about 5000 old sol
diers iu thc State Of Minnesota. aud between 5000
and 10000 81 them upon the rolls Of Use q AR, the
membership Of the NouB al Veterans should be
1000 instead % 600. From personal observntiOn
in visiting GAR Posts during Tie year, Know 81
many towns iu ilIe State where strong Camps could
be organized and sustained, aud j believe b Is
largely from lack OF interest on the part Of the
brothers that every such town b not ln possession
Of Camp. believe most emphatically la
the present and prospective usefulness 81 this
organization aud do not hesitate 10 urge the rep
TcsenlHtlvcs Of every Post here assembled Whose
Post is not already allied g. Camp, 10 70 home
and see that one D. organized immediately. Facts
are stubborn tlilHgs aud try we may to convince
ourselves aud others tIat we are not growing old,
the haltiug step and tie gray heads are constant
reminders u the fact la we are no longer the boys
81 'Gl With these reminders constantly before as,
the question us 10 who will carry forward the work
81 oar cherished oTgauizBtio when the last old com.
Tade shall have passed on naturally presents
liscli Tor our consideration But one answer %
this question presents itself 20 my mind and doubt
less 10 yours. Our boys. Then let assist and
encourage them in their GRIND work in every way
possible, sud may God bless the boys Of ~ IA thC
work Of tle ycnrs that DE before them even lie
blessed tie hoys 81 o. so say we ali f"
Commander Parker presented letter from
Chairman Annie Niticnmyer 81 the National
h0mHu's Relief Corps, giving history ~ thC
organization, with points ~ interest about tht
work Tie growth 81 tie financial element 81 tht
Order noted tile letter from tIFg Time when
there was nothing in the treasury 10 last year
whcr there WAS expended in cash aud turned Ovei
10 Posts Slsi.sg92l, S30O75gl being the exac
amount turned over 70 the Posts. During the frs
eight yeRrs tie society has expended nearly hHl
million Of dollars, and las acquired property a
Madison, O., worth over $4,000. Mrs. Nilcn
myers letter was fun az patriotic enthusiasm fo
the Order she loves 20 well. She noted the FAC
that tie amount oi money 10 DC handled in th'
meat few years By the Relief Corps would be some
thluu enormous
Assistant Adjuiaut General Joe T. Brigham pre-
scented clear and buaness-liile report. lie Shove,
the number OF legal votes iu the last Eucampmen
10 be SZs, wits a total Of 354 present. The follow
ing data wac given Rf 60 membership:
Total membership, Dec 81, 1890 5 20l: gained 81
muster irrl term, 1891, $685. transfer So roiustato
meut, s8t delinquent reports, 49, Total gain rs
torn. lV,, with lose By death CO honorable dis
charge "a transfer, JOB suspension 81 dislIou
orabie discharge. . delinquent reports ~. Aioln
loss 81 sJl, leaving Ia good Standing June 81, 1851
la Tie second term the gain by muster was &c
hy traneier, bgi reinstatement 242; delinquent D,
port 2l3 q total gain % SCI with a loss by deaf
~ So 10y honorable discharge 20 transfer DO,
suspension, $50 dshou0rBlc discharge. A. dclir
qutl reports Ut total lose during thc Eccou
term ~ 1871 u 80, leaving Tie number iu goo
standing Dec 3l 1891, h3l2 gain Of l4l over al
year lss with lS5 on thc suspended list again
IDOL Boo 1890
About 5000 was expended ga charity during n
wear Tile Assistant AdjHiaul General delJile
ale held work Of the Department during The yea
showing ihc attendance upon Reunions, Campfire
IuustcT-, etc.
TIC Bey. Henry s. Bible. OF West Dulutl
fhHpIuiu 81 tle Department. lu BILE report rpDl
earnestly 81 tlIc almost unanimous attention
pHla 10 Memorial Day aud Memorial sabbath. u
spoke 81 tle great Interest shown iu these dpVs u
only uy illy veterans themselves but by the Won
hhr ltetiti 'orps, TIE suns % Veterans. the 4.
lteEulhTr, Nua tliC Minnesota National GuHrd D
~ the l5y Posts reporting ln response 60 nc Clat
lame circular letter lhs Posts observed NIsmori
bay us 0IgauizeG bodies aud - attended sefyis.
oh sac Sabbath. Speaking Of another phase q h
Observance, Chaplain Bible sI.ls
"Of tHe p SO members oi thc g. A n az furnish,
% circulars returned 10 me, Zss participated
Memorial Day exercises boy marching iu iin
while or attended church ou tle SnbBat
Incuty-uHc thousand five hundred aud si1 Ga
dreu took part Do decorating Comrad.ri grave
1913 citizens marched with tie boyr: BIS Gem
ferries were visited, and 5GA graves were dec
rated"
The proceedings % tie Encampment were fulI
Interest % every point. The iiist day WAS devoted
li.e hearing ~ reports, which have been fully at
llned. The second day tle officers were elected
follows:
Department Com, T.. M LANCE Marshall; :.
- John Dag Smith, Minneapolis; J. v. G., A
Pitch, AnokR; Chap. Rev H. q Bible ~,
Duluth. Medical Director. d. IBissall Ijcb6el
q M.-Ocn., j. n. leuVeus Iaribault.. AdVl.l;.
Joe ]. Eigham, ~. Paul.
Tile touHcl 81 Administration was chosen
folloWE. Thomas Montgomery - Peter n
d .Hat FFH rNrHrHA H.HH