The Meeker herald., 1895-09-21
THE ENCAMPMENT.
wATTERsoN AND THE vsr.-
RAMS.

- Woedsrfa' Scene At Lealsvalle-Cosssss
walker Of Indianapolis fer Csnosa-
asr-fhs Ne1e Eneampasas - -
He'd At II. Paul.
Louisville, KY, Sept 1.-THE thir-
tieth national eucampment Of the g. A.
r. will be held In st. Paul In 1895, with
Colonel l. N. Walker of indianapolis n
commander-in-chlef.
The encampment proper, the Woman's
Relief Corps and the Ladies' Circle. all
began their proceedings today at 10 q.
m, and continued in session all day.
The gentlemen of the encampment al
most completed their work, while the
ladies' of the two auxillarIes did not get
much DONE
The total membership at the present
time, according to the reports. Is no.
774, or a gain of 35.698 members over
last year. The total number of corps Is
given in the report as 3,141, or net
gain of thirty-seven during the year.
The amount expended In relief is $84,-
e69. The total amount expended dur
Ing the year. including relief and cur
rent expenses, was $1ss,329, while the
total amount of relief furnished since Its
organization is $1,21OS9O.
In the contest for the encampment
next year the first ballot resulted:
Nashville, 33 votes: Denver, 103; Buff
falo, 226; st. Paul, 393 The vote was
made unanimous and Commander Law
Ter declared that the next annual en-
campment would be held at st. Paul.
Colonel Walkers election as COM
mander-in-chief was practically unop-
posed.
In the contest for senior vice COM
mander both the candidates were from
Kentucky. They were General e. H.
Hobson and Michael Minton, General
Hobson being elected. C. Il. Cosgrove
commander over J. o. Gregg of Mon
tana. Greetings of the Ladies' of the
Grand Army OF tho Republic were then
read.
The Confederate veterans. notably
General Gordon, General Buckner and
Mr.. Watterson. took part again In the
receptions and campfires. praising the
good will that had brought peace In re-
aiity as we'll as in name. After dellv-
ering welcoming addresses during the
day, Mr.. Watterson tonight delivered
his lecture on Abraham Lincoln, and to-
morrow night General Gordon delivers
his lecture on 1.-The Last Days of the
Confederacy," in both OF which the ex-
soldiers take great interest. General
Buckner is kept busy in answering
calls to address camp-tires.
Mr.. Watterson was called upon to
address the veterans. He said:
"Thnt promissory note, drawn by
the city Of Louisville. indorsed by me
and discounted by you in the city Of
Pittsburg year ago, has matured, and
! am come to pay 1t.
Except that historic distinctions
have long been obliterated here, 1t
might be mentioned that l appear be-
fore you as the representative alike Of
those who wore the blue and those who
combat which, whatever else 1t did or
did not, left no shadow upon American
soldiership; no stain upon American
manhood. But in Kentucky the war
ended thirty years ago.
"Here, at least, the lesson has been
taught and learned that
You cannot chain the eagle,
And you dare not harm the dove;
But every gate
Hath bars to hate,
VIII open wide to love-
"And the flag! God bless the flag!
Can you doubt the loyal sincerity Of
those who, from house top and roof
tree. have thrown it to the breeze? Let
some sacrilegious hand be raised to
haul 1t down and see.
"These are honest flags, with honest
hearts behind them. They are the sym
bols of nationality as precious to us
as to you.
"And why not? What is left for you
and me to cnvil about, far less to fight
about?
"Slavery is gone. Secession is dead
The Union, with its system of state
hood still intact. survives. 1t Is there
fore with kind of exultatfon that lift
ing open the gntes of this gateway of
the South. bid you welcome in the
names Of the people whose voice is the
voice of God. You came and we resist
ed you; you come and we greet you;
for times change and men change with
them. You will find here scarcely
sign of the battle; not refniniscene Of
its passions. Grim-visaged war has
smoOthed his wrinkled front, and which
ever way you turn on either side you
shall encounter, rs you pass those moul-
dering heaps, which remind you of
your valor and travail, only the mag
unanimous spirit of dead heroes. with
STuut Huu oHeilliuH duu 1uOLudS anu
Mcpherson and Logan looking down
from the happy stars as II repeating
tho words of the Master-'Charity for
all, malice towards none.'"
1t was impossible to describe the
scene that followed Mr.. Watterson's
address. The speaker himself was
overcome with emotion and left the
front of the stage. Men rose in their
seats and not only cheered by turns,
but hugged each other and threw their
hats. fans and handkerchlefs into the
air.
Mrs. John A. Logan was seated
short distance back of the commander
in-chief's stand, and as Mr.. Watterson
walked away with tears coursing down
his cheeks, General Lawler presented
him to Mrs. Logan. Neither could
speak, and the white-haired. motherly
looking lady took his hand in both of
An,. and ,1vhou aho fO,lnd her vOfcp