The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-09-09

Fifth. For the establishment and de-
fence of the late soldiery of the United
states, morally, socially and politically,
with a view to inculcate a proper view
Of their services to the country, and
to recognition of such services and
claims by the American people. (The
Encampment Of 1868 added But this
association does not design to make
nominations for office or to use its in
fluence as a secret organization for
partisan purposes.D
Afterwards the Encampment for
1866 also adopted the following from
the constitution of the Loyal Legion:
Sixth. The maintenance Of true alle-
glance to the United States Of America,
! based upon paramount respect for and
fidelity to the national Constitution and
laws. manifested by the dscountenanc-
ing Of whatever may tend to weaken
| loyalty, incite to insurrection, treason
or rebellion, or in any manner impairs
| the efficiency and permanenCy of our
| free institutions, together with a de-
! fence of universal liberty equal rights
| and justice to all men.
In the fall of 1886 the members of
! Springfield Post, No. ., presented a
| gold headed cane to DR. Stephenson.
| bearing this inscriptions From the
| sons of the G.. A. r. to the father"
! General orders, No. /, Department of
Illinois, of date April g. 1866. appointed
the following staff to the Department
| Commander: Colonel Jules G. Weber,
| Chief of staff Major Robert NJ. Woods,
! Adjutant General; Colonel John NJ.
| Snyder, Quartermaster General; Cap
| tain John NJ. Lightfoot Assistant Ad-
| jutant General. and Lieutenant John
| S. Phelps, Aide-de-Camp. All hands to-
| gether Immediately started in vigor-
ously to arouse the attention of the
disbanded soldiers of Illinois to the ad-
vantages of the organization. July 12
! was the date fixed for holding a State
| Convention to formally organize the
! Department of Illinois, which was set
! on foot by a formal call signed by
! prominent veterans of the war in all
| parts of the Commonwealth.
GROWTH OF G. A. r.
The idea presented by Chaplain Rut-
| ledge and formulated by DR.. Stephen
son had taken root and was spreading
by the date of the State Convention
thirty-nine posts had been chartered
| in Illinois, and the convention was very
| largely attended. The department of
| Illinois was firmly established, q, COM
| prehenSiVe declaration of principles
| adopted and a deserved tribute paid to
DR.. Stephenson. to whom was mainly
| due the success of the undertaking
| Major General John NJ. Palmer, after
! wards governor of Illinois and United
| States senator, was formally chosen as
the first Department Commander, to
succeed Stephenson, whose tenure was
| wholly informal, and Major General
| John Cook assistant commander.
The good work which began in the
Praire State was taken up all over the
| country. AS early as the fall of 1866
departments had already been organ
lied for the States of Wisconsin, Iowa.
| Indiana and Minnesota. They We're
many posts in Ohio. Kentucky, Mis-
souri,, Arkansas, Pennsylvania, New
York and Massachusetts. Soon every
state in the Union which had contri-
! buted troops to put down the rebellion
was represented by thriving posts Of
the G. A. r., and most of them were
departments.
DR.. (Major) Stephenson, though new
er elected by a Grand Encampment,
was on sufferance Commander-in-
Chief. In October, 1866 he issued a call
for the first National Encampment to
meet at indianapolis November 90, 1866
Each post was to be entitled to one
representative for every 100 members in
excess of a hundred. The committee
on credentials reported the following
! lists nalppota
14S; Iowa, s; Wisconsin, Z; Missouri
3; Kansas, l; Kentucky, 3; New York
L.. Ohio, Is; Pennsylvania, 3; District
of Columbia, l. Total, 22S At this In
dianapolis meeting, which invigorated
the movement and gave national scope
n number of changes were made in the
constitution and ritual. The title of the
whole was changed to Rules and Reg
| ulatiOns." 1t was resolved that nation
al enCampments i'm future were to be
composed of one representative at large
from each department and one repre-
| sentative for every 1000 members
therein. The chief department officers
We're to be eX-officio members. The
principles embodied in the declaration
! printed above We're endorsed in stirring
resolutions, and the President and 9TH
| elS III authority were called upon to
! provide positions, if available, for
! manned soldiers. The G. A. r. was
now launched as a national organiza-
ton.
! FIRST PHILADELPHIA ENCAMP-
MENT
| The second Encampment met in
Philadelphia. January Is, 1868. lat this
Encampment twenty-one departments
were represented In addition to those
| represented at indianapolis in 1866,
there were delegates present from the
state departments of all New England
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts,, Rhode Island, Connec-