Birmingham age-herald., 1895-09-14
For the Grand March of the Bril-
 liant Ball
THEENCAMPMENT WAS0VER
It Was an Overwhelming Success in Every Respect-Text of the Pensions
 Committees Report.

nlSht, When the bugle was sounded TOT the grand march of one of the mest bril- liant balls ever given in the south, the Grand Army encampment of 1895 passed into history. Eight thousand of the lead ing citizens of Louisville and visitors from abroad participated in the function, and the array of beautiful faces and gor- geous toilets combined to create an en- tra ncing scene. Colonel Lawler and Mrs. John A. Logan and ex-Gov. simon Buck ner and Mrs. Wallace of Chicago gave a reception to the encampment officials and delegates while the festivities were in progress. The exodus of visitors was on in earnest all day, but thousands, whose faces are turned toward Chatta- nooga and ChicRamauga, will remain over until Saturday and Sunday.
 In every respect the encampment has been an overwhelniin success. When the delegates reassembled today several hundred had to respond to the roll call, and the abSentees were roundly scored by Colonel Lawler who objected to the drudsery of work being left for few. The report of the committee on pensions, composed of one representative from each state and territory, was listened to with profound attention. In part it was as follows:
 
 national encampment convened speaking not in it's own behalf, nor in any wise for its own interests, but for it's worthy. needy and suffering comrades, who, in the days of their youth, gave to their distressed country all that they had and all that they hold dear in order that the union might be preserved intact, and that the sunlight of liberty might shine undimmed throughout the whole land they loved, appealing to the whole people fTt fy,-tf tfox s,l1A .,,1r policy which would deprive, diminish or impair the liberal provisions made dur ing the past thiry years for the men who had borne the battle and for his widow and orphans. In recognition of the sacred trust imposed upon them by the immortal Lincoln and the unselfish service rendered, a grateful people has striven for third of a century to meas ureaby relieve the sufferings of it's dis tressed veterans and make recompense for the trials they had endured and the services they had rendered. Wise and liberal construction. had prevailed, in ac- cordance with recognized legal principles applicable to remedial legislation so that the remedy sought to be provided should be furnished and the trust so imposed and recognized fully and faithfully car ried out; but as the years have passed, the smoke of battle blown away and She war itself become a memory and passed into history, a generlS<ton has come or that knew not Joseph" and in some quarters the old soldier has come to be looked upon somewhat in the light ot a burden instead of a patriotic privilege, as he should still appear when viewed in his true character.
 Referring to this view, wholly unwor thy of a great and patriotic people, con structions have been given to laws, wise and just in themselves, by and under which burdens and restrictions have been imposed upon those i'll able to stand up under them. and the just pro- visions have been doled out as though laws passed in the interest of the pen eioner IS a just recognition of the obliga tionS of the country were criminal laws, to be strictly construed, and the benefi- charles thereof were public enemies or parasites, seeking unjust admission to the treasury of the United States.
 The representatives of the people. in congress assembled, recognizing the deep sentiment of gratitude which justly per vades the entire community when re- moved from the insolence Of office, sol emnly declared that pension once granted on acceptable and accepted eVl- dence constituted vested right or Whlch the possessor could not be deprived eX- cept by due process of law. and we in sist that this salutary and patriotic pro- vision shall be carried out with the ut most good faith to correspond with the high character of the obligation recog- nzed as owing
 Exceeding from no position heretofore taken. reaffirming all our previous dec larations on the subject, We specially de- mand a liberal and just construction or the laws passed for the benefit of the pensioner to the end that his declining years may not be harassed with doubts born of distrust. or the difficulties thrown around him by rigorous and restricted construction of the laws passed TO re- lieve his necessities.
 Comrade Semple of Pennsylvania de cided that the report did not go Tar enough. The encampment should de- mand the restora tion of every veteran dropped from the rolls with the payment to him of every dollar Of which ne hao been unlawfu1ly deprived. This senti- ment was cheered, but the report was unanimously adopted.
 There was a spirited debate over reso- lution submitted by the Department or the Potomac. praying congress to pass law imposing penalty for violation or the veterans pension law The commit tee reported against the resolution.
 ballot was demanded and the com mittee was defeated, the resolution being adopted by a large majority batch or resolutions went through with little dis cussion. One declared against civil ser vice discriminatio tions against veterans on account of age; another 1aVoreu an III. crease of present pensions allowed to the widows of ex-soldiers and sailors to the uniform figure of SIP. and still another condemned the violation of section l745 of the revised statutes by the removal of veterans dn government employ.
 The proposition to establish military park at Vicksburg was approved, and also a resolution declaring that the stars and stripes should float from every school house. -t-ef
 The encampment voted in favor of a celebration of the organization of the Grand Army.
 A resolution demanding an amendment to the interstate commerce laws prohib- fling railroads from making discrimina- tions in the matter of rates against vete- rams to future encampments. and another inkiorsing a project for the establishing of a national university of patriotism, were reported upon adversely and the ac- ton was sustained.
 The matter of admitting to the Grand Army of the Republic the members of the Sons of Veterans was reported favorably by the committee.
 The discussion of the resolution showed so much opposition that in order not to kill it entirely it was referred to the com tnittee on rules and regulations, to be re- ported upon at the thirtieth national en- Datl