Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1893-09-14
JACK ADAMS.


AAAssachusetts Man Elected Commander.
tn-Chfef Of the Grand Army Of the re-.
puDite-He Ii Fifty.Two Years of Age
ana Has Good War Record.
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind, Sept THE
grand army people will probably fin
ish their business and leave for home
this evening. Already the jam
at the Union station of people leaving
has begun. Seven train loads were
taken out within half an hour yesterday
afternoon, without making a hole in
the crowd. The encampment proper
shows disposition to rush through
with its business. The selection OF
officers was brought up yesterday,
and the three following were elected,
practically without opposition: John
J. Adams, of Massachusetts,, comman-
der-in-chief; Col. /. N. Walker, of In
diana, senior vice-commander, and j.
c. Bigger, of Texas, junior vice-com-
mander.
The new commander-in-chief,J John
J. B. Adams, or ''Jack" Adams, as he
is called at home, is one of the most
popular veterans in New England. For
years he has been identified with the
-
and influential members of the depart
ment of Massachusetts,. No considera-
BILE assembly of the grand ARMY is
complete without him. Above all
things he has record that any man
may be proud of. In 1861, before he
was 90 years of age, he enlisted
as private in the battalion which be-
came the nucleus of the Nineteenth
Massachusetts,. He served through the
war, rising step by step to the ranks of
captain. When not disabled by wounds
he participated in every march and in
every battle of the Army of the Poto-
mac in which his regiment took part
At Fredericksburg he saved the reg
mental colors from capture after eight
color-bearers had been shot down. He
was severely wounded in the second
days fight at Gettysburg, and second
time before Petersburg. where he was
captured, and suffered the horrors of a
southern prison. Not infrequently the
old wounds take him to a bed of pain
for days at time. He is member of
Lander Post, of Lynn, Mass. the sec
ond in membership in the country. At
the campfire as well as in the council
Comrade Adams has no superior in New
England. He can bring unerring judg-
ment to the solution of the difficult
problems which arise. No man in
Massachusetts has received more fire.
quent or more generous recognition of
the people. Nothing has Seen too good
for Jack Adams, and Jack in turn has
met the expectations of his supporters as
postmaster at Lynn and as deputy SUI
perintendent of the Concord .reforma-
tory. He now holds the responsible
position of sergeant-at-arms of the
commonwealth of Massachusetts,. Last
year his ardent friends presented his
name to the republican convention for
the candidacy for 1ieutenant-governor
and without canvass of organization
his name called out a large vote.
Capt. Adams friends claim for him
large and enthusiastic following. He
was one of the most effective depart
ment commanders the organization in
Massachusetts, has ever had. He
will be 50 years old in October.
The address of the old commander-in-
chief comprised over 5000 words On
the pension question he said:
Pensions are paid by all civilized nations.
and are the natural results of war. They are
recognized in this country by enactment of law,
and they are granted under law on complying
with certain requirements, and when the re-
quirements have been fully complied with,
and the pension certificates issued, it was
supposed. and justly believed. that was final,
and that the pensioner was not subject
to the whims or caprice Of officials Recently,
however, we find scores of worthy veterans,
some above the age of three-score and ten-yes.
four-score years-many suffering from wounds
received on the battle field or disease incurred
while in the service OF their country, or disa-
bilities which are covered by law. cut OF from
the pension roll without first receiving proper
By q large majority the Fifty
first congress passed what is known as
tho disability bill. which was supplementary
to previous enactments Of similar nature.
The vote was one which convinced everyone
that the country wanted the bill to become a
law. 1t received the signature of the presi-
dent. and became law on the 9th day OF
June. 1890 The law was considered a wise one.
and has given general satisfaction. AS you
are aware, during the past three years,
some OF those who were not the friends
Of country during that mighty contest
from 1861 to 1855. have taken every means
within their power to create public Senti-
ment against pension laws and pensioners. I:
Is hardly necessary to state that many OF those
who were. and still are. the most bitter in their
and abuse do not confine them
selves to facts. and most of them were not in
10 arm are i Al