The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-05-27
VOICE OF A PATRIOT.
Commander Graham's Stirring Address
at New York's Encampment.

The 3lst annual Encampment OF the Depart
ment of New York, which convened in Roches-
ter Tuesday of last week, WAS one of the largest
Warner opened with speech of welcome
Commander Graham covered wide field in his
address, He said:
81 cannot commend the spirit which seeks
another and more pretentious test of comrade.
ship than an honorable discharge from the
Union service and good citizenship"
The boy who time and again pressed the
Surgeon for examination until he finally sue
ceeded, toward the close of the war, in entering
the National service, had seen relatives and
friends come back torn and shattered by bullet
and shell, or emacated victims of the prison
pen, and knew better than those who went out
at the first call to arms that the war for the
Union picnic or holiday excursion.
The 100-days men who left their serried dead at
Petersburg are com rades, entitled to all that
We may claim.
"The flag floating over every schoolhouse
and the correct teaching of the history of our
country in every school is the aim of the Grand
Army, and this influence upon the generation
soon to succeed the present one in control of
our country's destiny cannot be other than
salutary.
:" Death is rapidly thinning our ranks and
we need the comradeship of every honora ably
discharged soldier aud sailor of the late war.
To this end our united and harmonious efforts
should be carried on in that broad and c0mpre-
hensve spirit which looks beyond present con-
ditions and differences in life and goes back to
the days when every loyal hand and heart that
offered to grasp and uphold the flag was vel.
coined to the cause So let us in seeking to
reinforce the ranks OF the Grand Army feel
that an honorable discharge aud good citizen
shi is all the evidence required to warrant us
in extending the hand of fraternal welcome"
The report of the Assistant Adjutant. Gen.
eral showed the number in good standing Dec.
81 1855, was 81 629 number in good standing
Dec. 81. 1896. 36.503; mustered since Jan. /,
1897, SIS; total at date. Sc, sos. Commander
Graham suggested that the dues of suspended
comrades be RENTED when the member was
found worthy
The rights Of veterans to preference in pub
lie employment formed an interesting part Of
the Commanders address. He said, i'm part :
" The new Legislature has from year to year
enacted laws providing that honorably-dis
charged Union soldiers and sailors who are not
in fact incapactated by age, loss Of limb. or
other physical impairment, and possessing the
| business capacity necessary to discharge the
duties of the place they seek shall be preferred
| for public employment. While many officials
! obey this law, / regret TO say that too many in
| high places seek every means of overriding it,
| lished, in defiance of this law, age limits for
several classes of State service. ] am informed
that this action had been taken in Difference to
| the wishes of the officials appointing public en-
| ployes; that Judges of our courts, who are
rightly held to be able to perform most arduous
and responsible duties up to three score and ten,
have urged that even hale and intelligent
vetera ceases 10 be able to properly fill a court
attendants uniform at the age OF &C."
Commander Graham urged the comrades to
encourage the Sons of Veterans. to appoi { com
mittees to organize new Camps and vi it those
already organized, aud to in every way assist
| the Order.
A resolution was adopted asking President
Mckinley TO revoke the order abolishing the
! Pension Agency at Buffalo. Other business
was taken up aud disposed % by the Eacamp-
ment. COMMANDMENT Chief Clarkson was pre- :
ent and made short address
At the second days session Col. Albert D.
| Shaw, of Waterfowl, was elected Department
Commander by vote of 394. Other officers
S. v. c., Maj. George Chappell, New York; j.
v. CO. N. Z. Thompson. Post 265; Medical Di