Evening star., 1897-08-26
WELCOMED BY BLACK
New York's Governor Extends Cordial
Greeting to Veterans.
REPORTS OF NATIONAL OFFICERS
After Season Of Festivity the En-
campment Takes Up Business.
CLARKSON IN COMMAND


to the thirty-first national encampment
| marched to Music Hall this morning from
| the Iroquois Hotel 20 the music of bands
i and tle cheering of their comrades Wis
| itors and citizens.
| The lavish decorations of the building
| were such as to appeal to the patriotism.
| proscenium arch was drape1 and fes
| tooned In the national colors, surmountcd
| by the coat of arms OF the United States.
| tipped with a golden eagle crest. Beneath
| the arch flags of all nations formed n
| brilliant cluster. The sides of the arch
were Of satin banners bearing the arms of
the state of New York
| The balcony was covered with maroon
silk plush hangings. Pictures of Wash
| ington, Lincoln. Grant and Garfield oc-
| cupied prominent places.
| Guards with crossed bayonets barred
| the doors to the hall. Only comrades with
| the password were admitted to tine gal
| leries. and only delegates with credentisl Is
| were admitted to the main floor. Only the
| preliminary session of the encampment was
| open to limited number of press repre-
| sentativeS
l. Star Chamber Session
The executive session was absolutely
| secret.
| Gen. Clarkson, ommander-in chief took
| the platform at 9:30 o'cle ok and vas cheer
ed by the delegates and the gallery.
General Edgar B. Jewett, mayor of Buff
| falo, was among the next to come on the
| stage. He was welcomed by General Clark
| son and cheered Many delegates were late
in arriving. having evidently missed the
! main body as it marched to the hall. The
| belated ones came in in groups and caused
| considerable confusion
Grand Army politics were discussed in
1
| assembly at 1O:12, when a hush fell over
| the room.
| Bugler e. II. Rexford rendered We're
| Tenting Tonight ON the Old Camp Ground" ;"
| At the last note deafening applause rose
| throughout the hall.
| General Ciarkson then called the encamp-
I ment to order. In a few words he asked
| the delegates to assist him in his desire
| to conduct the business CT the encampment
l. with celerity. AS he was speaking Gov
| Frank s. Black was escorted to the stage
! The delegates rose and cheered him. Il
| introduce to you gentlemen said General
| Clarkson. the governor of the great en-
| pire state
| Welcomed by Gov. Black.
After paying high eulogy to the COM
| mander who led the Union army to vic
tory and particularly to General Grant
| he concluded by saying:
ITO every brave and honest soldier,
| though his fame be less his countryrnen
| extend the same full measure of esteem
! and to every soldier here, whatever his
| rank may be, l extend the cordial welcome
of the state, remembering that they who
| do not wear the badge Of office may still
| wear the decoration of noble service well
| performed. For power is not proclaimed
by title, nor heroes made by stars or epau-
| lets.
| There is one soldier here in whose well
come every citizen will join with unequaled
| zeal and fervor. Not alone because he
holds the highest Office in the world but
because his character, unspotted through
| all his years, his impulses strong and high
| his whole life, by its unobtrusive power
has enobled and enriched the Office which
| he holds"
Report of Gen. Clarl5son.
The annual report of CommaEder-in-
Chief j. S. Clarkson was in part as fol-
| lows:
Comrades: Once more we have assem-
bled in annual encampment to render an
| account of our stewardship, to renew oil.
| tiers, to legislate for the nresenr
10 plan for the future. We meet in fra
| ternlty. cnarlty and loyalty, and nav all
| our hearts unite as cne in sustainirS tta
| great objects of our order
| Ihank God, we still live to enioy increase
save. PNo ~
have given the entire year to the worl
M ol me tne ofder, have travelled somewhat over
ooVoo miles, have visited every denart
men. that l could reach at their encamp-
| menus some at other than their encan1i.-
| Heht dates, besides very many posts ana
reunions, end have been splentiiGly recen,
ei everywhere by veterans ard all other
| ciilzens, and by reason of these visits h,,a
| oeen greatly impressed with the snir;.
and enthusiasm of the comrades and the
very high position the order occuoies IN
the hearts of our people
| may be permitted to make speciaI -,
| iGsion to my visits in the southern Genart
n!ents, where made II a point to come in
contact as much as possible with the men
VINO wore the gray ard their friends Nv
| reception there will ever be A warn, snr.
IN my memory; my conception of Americas
niahnood and American bravery has been
grea.y grean N magnihed: ag l met no warmer
! grasps, no heartier God-speeds in patriotic.
| work than from our once enemies. now
| friends. l found Old Glory floating as
| nlsh, her stars as bright. her stripes as
| broad in the southland as at home NV
| sentiment, "One country, one flag. one peo
pie, one destiny" met hearty a respons.
! In Georgia as in Massachusetts. and more
than once after my public receptions
| there, repeated to myself, over the work
OF the g. A. r. in that country the dox-
| ology, Praise God from whom all bless
irgs fow" The Grand Army of the Re
! pubic can do no grander work for their
| country today than to strengthen in those
| good people their devotion to the land we
| SO dearly love-to help blot out the resent
| ments of the past.
| secured the Prcsfdent's Presence.
| set out early in my official year to Sc
cure the attendance at this encampment of
Comrade Willipm Mckinley, believing that
| his presence would add much to the inter-
est of the occasion and to the high posi-
| ton occupied by our order. HIS acceptance
OF my invitation was prompt and cor
/ dial. and he entered into every detail with
such apparent pleasure to more than
| ever convince me that there is no tie so
| strong as that of -comradeship welded in
4 the fire of battle. His presence here has
| been an inspiration to us all, and we hail
| with delight the dawn of new era of
prosperity which breaking on all
| sides. The beginning of the end is in sight
| the day of smaller things is upon u.s. We
are far past the meridian individually and
as an order the stream is running rapidly
/ down the hill. Age and poverty are maxi
ing great fnroads into the ranks. Suspen-
sions are npmeroNs, charters are being
1 surrendered. Owing to the steady decrease
/ In the membership and the very small bur-
den imposed by the national per capita Of
2s cents. I believe that the best interests
of the order would be subserved by an I'm