Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-02-16

RUTLAND, Feb. 1.-THE Goth annual
encumpment of the Vermont department,
Grand Army of the Republic, opened In the
city hall in this place this morning with
very large attendance. Department Com
monder Hugh Henry of Chester presided and
prayer was offered by the chaplain, j. Z.
Bod well of Lyndonvle. The presentation
of the reports of department officers occu-
pied the morning session.
Tho annual address OF the department.
commander was delivered by Commander
Hugh Henry in substancs as follows:
Address of Department Commsuder.
Comrades Another 12 months has rolled
hack ward in the march of time: another
year less awaits our passage down LIES
pathway, as together we come once more to
clasp the hand, look once again into each
others eyes, and mark the empty spaces
where when last we met some now departed
stood. 1t was with many misgivings III
with proud and grateful heart that ac-
cepted al your unanimous CALL year ago,
the responsibilities, the duties-and | had
almost said tho trials, (6ut your kindness
has biotted out that world Of the high posi-
tion to which your suffrage called me.
However lily | have met your expectations
is the fault alone of the head and not Of the
heart and tho kindly devotion you have
given me has been met measure by m easure,
at leaat in the warm purpose Of my desires
fer your good and up-building
1t is with deep regret to me that private
business interests and other duties of the
genera! public, which l could commit to no
other hands, together with the vast
amount of correspondence entaied by the
Washington encampmont, has deferred mo
from personally visiting creator number
of the posts during my term, and from
meeting, face to face, all of the comrades.
If however, those | have visited are fair
index of the others, feel that the order ia
in safe koeping and that its record will re-
main intact.
Ii is the firm belief of your retiring COM
mander that no post can enjoy its best de-
gree of prosperity, financially and socially,
without ths aid, counsel, encouragement,
restraining and eevating influence of a
Womau's Relief Corps as its auxiliary. AS
in Times of war we won't to depend
upon aud cherish the kindly aid sent TO us
IN the field from the homes OF loyal woman
hood; SO in Leace we need her inspiring aud
elevating aid and presence, her judgment
and discrimination in the distribution OF
charity to the needy and destitute wards of
our Grand Army; and to no other hands,
not even our own, can this work be safe.
ly trusted rs TO the Woman's Relief Corps
ne OTkuuiL9LlOn mas Deen very successful III
its work i'll this department during the past
year, and in its continued prosperity we can
rejoice.
! bould be derelict in my duty as com
rade and false to the gratitude of my heart,
did l not commend to your kindly recogni-
tion and earnest encouragement and aid
that organization Of our kinship known as
the Sons Of Veterans. In no other hearts
hope the spirit OF loyalty and pa
trio.ism to more fegvently boat than theirs;
and when we have all finished our fight and
laid down our arms our hope as we go hence
Tor the perLetuation OF what we hold most
sacred aud dear, must rest primarily in our
fai.h IN them. Ii should be ours, then, to
aid then, in every way possible while We
may, and to rejoice in and help sustain the
prosperity Of their order in this depart
mert.
Supplemental TO the Sons OF Veterans
agi in q sense auxiliary TO them (as is the
omaDs Relief Corps - u.s., is a new Or
Gau!zation, The Ladies Aid Society. p"
With their work your commander is not as
familiar as he could wish he were, but their
announcement of principle a such as he can
we'll commend, and es he is given Gssuranc e
that their work keeps pace with their faith,
he bespeaks for tAen your blessing and
benediction.
human heart, gratitude is the quickest to
die. The aggressive warfare against
the pittance a redeemed government is doi-
ing cut to its crippled saviors, so strongly
developed with Il The last year; the open
a,anu!ts OF many OF the rsws papers on the
pension roll, and the half-hearted and apol-
oGetic defence made by the others eviden es
tbat gratitude IS fast disappearing in the
American heart. It that be so, let us SEQ to
it that they do not forget justice and honor
Is well, FOR true 1t Is that pension benefac-
ton has not yet exceeded, nay, has not vet
even reacned the redemption of the pledges
that tao people OF this land held out to these
men when the country's need was
soro, ana the nations peril imminent.
They have no shadow of excuse for hesltet-
Ing in this redemption OF their honor. The
need that Wo keep closer together is now
Present with us in the preser vat ion of our
just rights, and let US, in all things, stand
by those who stand by Us, and give neither
1alth, aid, encouragement or support to our
open enemies, or yield one jot or little to the
rengthenns of the hands that stay us up
Report of Assi,tant Adiutant-Ganerni.
Co:nradc Hugh Henry, Department Com
mandsr.
Conn le--ln compliance with the duty
devo.Ylng upon me assistant adjutant
general, nave the honor 10 herewith sub
INIT the following report of the business OF
this office.
Ine strength of the department as shown
by the report OF my predecessor was liz
posts aud 1iij members. There has been
but one now post organized during the year,
William Wells post, No. ll3, of Williams
tcwn, with Is charter members
10 betier illustrate the condition of de.
n cOSa nj ha 1
herewith submit u recaptulatlon of gain.
and losses:
GAINS.
Posts Members
an sooa stahulh' Dec a. l'S'''ll2 5,iE
Gained by muster in.....,..... "a
Gained by transfer. ............ 81
Gained by rclnstetene ent...... 80 Az
ll1 j,o1
LOSSES.