Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-09-29
VETERANS IN SESSION
Business Meeting of the National
Encampment, @. A. r.

Business Meeting of the Nationa
Encampment, G. A. r.
Statistics of Msmbcrship--Ind lana II,
Selected for Next Years Meeting-- Other
Gatherings and Reunions.
| WASHINGTON, d. G., Sept. 22 Bust
ness sessions of the national encamp-
ment, Of the g. a. r. were held ycster,
day in Albaugh's Opera House, which
was handsomely decorated for the occa.
| sion. Commissioner Douglass of the
District of Columbia, delivered an ad.
dress of welcome, and COMMANDMENT.
chief Palmer read his annual address.
/ ADJuTANT.GENERAL' REPORT.
The report of the Acknowledgement,
Fred Phisterer, begins with the state.
ment that when COMMANDMENT chief
Palmer assumed office there were practi-
cally no funds on hand to carry on the
business of the Acknowledgements, except
| $4,000 in United States bonds, which
it was not deemed wise TO sell. No in
come was expected until after Decem-
Der 3lst last Consequently the most
rigid economy was necessary. The
| total expenditures Of his office during
the fiscal year aggregate Sill 800, and,
as the per capita tax of two cents per
member produces an income of but
$4,000, the Acknowledgment says that
the tax is glainly insufficient and should
be at least three cents per member per
annum. He says that semi-annual re.
turns from posts and departments are
unnecessary, and that annual reports
will suffice.
| STATISTICS OF MEMBERsUIP.
/ During the last calendar wear, as
shown by the report, there was gain
| Of 229 in the number of posts, making
the total number 1868. During the
| calendar year there was u gain in mem
bership of 64,40l but the losses were
66,lo9, leaving the number Of members
IN good standing December 3tst last
4OIiSl, an apparent loss Of Los. This
loss Is said to be apparent because in
one department it was found that nearly
5000 had been added without authority
aud the returns previously made were
| incorrect, so that there was actually a
gain of about 1900 in the total strength
Of the organization. During the year
the deaths numbered 6,40A; honorable
discharges, l,S29; transfers, 9,460; sus.
pensions, 34,36T; dishonorable dis
charges, 467, and delinquents, 1852.
The adjutanttseneral comments shortly
on these losses and says
| "Practlcally it may be said that the
membership Of the Grand Army is row
at its highest point. 1t no doubt will
remain about the above numbers for d
few years TO come, when necessarily it
must decrease and tile decrease will be
rapid"
The report closes with statement
compiled from departmental returns
| that from July LIST, 1891, to December
3lst, 1891, $96,Oll was expended by the
| various posts for the relief Of unfortu.
| nate comrades, soldiers widows and
| orphans, and the total expenditures on
| mat score from July list, 1871, 10 June
3Oth, 1891, was %2, l3l ,7Oi. The adiu-
tant-general believes that these figures
arc not correct, and says that there is no
doubt the actual amount was larger.
IN tNDIANAPoLIs NEXT YEAR.
The most important, and in fact the
only interesting feature Of the afternoon
session Of encampment was the selection
Of indianapolis as the place where tho
next annual encampment will be held.
Lincoln, Nch., announced that she would
not make contest, and after Governor
Chase of Indiana had made an address
eXtolling the advantages OF indianapolis,
that place was selected by acclanation
The exact date Of the encampment will
he fixed later on by the council of nd.
mlnlstratlon. Tho encampment then
adjourned till 0 o'clock this morning.
oTliEH MEETINGS.
Tho Irni1r Not,r,nrt IT,,I.., ,5. ,
5. ;. loder Of Ohio, commandpr.in.
chief, met and heard his annual address
as 10 what had been done in caring for
the widows and orphans and keeping
allye the memory Of their participation
in the war.
The 23d Army Corps held its reunion
IN Meade tent, and after speeches hy
General Styles, Henderson, Schotield
and Foster and Colonel Brownlow
which brought up old recolections to
inc veterans present, permanent
organization was effected, with General
j. NJ. Schotleld rs chairman.
The Fourth Corps had Jolly time in
Grant tent, where several hundred per
sons assembled. General o. o. Howard
made Il speech and speeches were also
made by General David Stanley, Sena
tor Henderson and others.
The Engineers Brigade met and au-
thorized a committee TO employ histor.
ian to write the history of the corps. and
the date Of the annual meeting Of tbe
brigade was changed to the third Thurs.
day III August.
Brigadier-general Nathan kimball
presided over the meeting Of Shields
Division and General s. S. Carroll read
history Of the division.
WASHtNGToN, Sept, GA G. Weshert
OF milwaukee,, Wis, has been chosen by
reclamation Commander-in.chief If TIE
" 4, IL, to succeed General Palmer.
me ehcampment has also, by an over
whellnlng vote. defeated the proposition to
deny HE membership in the enGampment
10 past grand officers and cx-post com
nanderS.
The national encampment of tho Grand
army o. the Republlc completed its work
AT Washington Thursday and adjourned
SINE die. The principal business Of the
day. was the election of officers. A, a.
NelsSert OF milwaukee,, was elected com
hahder.lh-chlet BY acelanation his chief
competitor for the honor withdrawn IN
his favor. The other officers chosen We're
senior Nlce.commander, X. II. Warfield of
IAN francisco; Junior Eicc-cOmmander
l'cter Il. ASars Of Delaware surgeon
general, Dr. w. G. Weyl Of CONNECTICUT.
and ChaPlain-in.chief, y. Il. Lowell III
Kansas, The cncampment rejected 1
proposition to deprive national and depart-
ment commanders Of full membership.
:, The annual eneampmcnt of the Onion
Veterans Union Was also in session, and
reelected General 5. s. Soder commander.
in-chief. Meetings of the Union eX.pris
oners Of war, the Woman's Relief CORPS
and other auxiliary organizations we're
also held, besides many corps and resi.
mental reunions.