The National tribune., 1900-10-11
in ANNUAL SESSION.
Fifteenth National Encampment
of the Union Veterans Union.

The Union Veterans Union met al
| Washington, ID. C., last week for theil
18th Annuul National Encampment. The
| Division of the Potomac, A. Nj. Legg
Commander, escorted the distinguished.
| looking body of delegates from their ho
| teis to the Encampment hall, the Ma
| tiOnal Rifles ArmOry, on the morning oi
Oct. 2. They We're bade welcome to the
| city by Hon. Henry B. +. Macfarland
| President of the Board of Commissioners
governing the National Capital. In part
he said:
II offer you the welcC ne Of the Capital
of the Nation that you helped to save
The hospitality of this city could not be
offered by its official head to the repre-
sentatives of the Union Veterans Union
in perfunctory manner. The very name
reminds us of the greatest war of his
tory, of all its heroism and sacrifice. and
of its great results.
mo better soldiers ever fought than
those Of 1S61-65, and, when the fighting
was over, no better citizens ever labored
for their country. After seeing the great
est army of soldiers ever assembled In
historic times transformed without jar
into citizens again, it seems absurd, with
out reference to politics, to talk about
the dangers of miiitarism in this country.
We cannot seriously think of one of the
veterans of our civil war as a possible
think of the Republic as an empire.
Gen. Robert st. George Dyrenforth,
Commander-in-C Chief, returned thanks to
the Commissioner. He said his comrades
had been rather amazed at the beauty
of the city, particularly those who had
visited the struggling Capital, with its
wretched tenements, of war times.
"The Capital of a Nation is it's glory"
he said, .'and from its Capital is to be rec
nc N1ti in world
From Washington we can all see the
grandeur and the power of our glorious
and beloved country; and l want my COM
rades to see everything here and thus be-
come additionally impressed with the dis
tinction and honor of being Americans" :"
Much was due to the energy of the citi-
zens and good Government, but it should
never be forgotten that the city might
not have been to adorn had it not been
for the work and sufferings of the nervy
men gathered there-so kindly welcomed
and their companions.
Gen. A. NJ. Legg, of the Division Of the
Potomac, followed Gen. Dyrenforth and
expressed the qualification of the local
members Of the Order at the interest
which the citizens in general had taken in
preparing for the visit of the comrades.
Mrs. Addie l.. johnson referred to the
hearty welcome received, and said that
she and her comrades We're intensely de-
voted to the flag and honored the men
who had fought under it for the defense of
the Nation. She said she was sure those
whom she represented and the veterans
themselves, would go away with grateful
feelings toward the people Of Washing
ton. n s3l
After these speeches Commander-in-
Chief Dyrenforth appointed the Commit
tee on Credentials, consisting of Gen.
Hugh Stewart, of New York; Gen. j.. w.
Morgan, of Illinois, and Col. G. f. Foote,
of Washington. 1"America" was then
sung by the audience standing.
All business sessions of the Order are
secret, and the one held in the afternoon
was no exception, the meeting of the
Womans Veteran Relief Corps conduct
ing business in the same manner.
Gen. Stewart reported for the Creden-
tials Committee that Ill regiments, with
562 delegates, each representing 200 COM
rades, were in attendance, and many more
were expected before adjournment at the
end of the week. After the report of the
Credentials Committee had been read
Gen. Dyrenforth read his annual report
as Commander-in-C Of the organjza-
ton.
In the evening Campfire was held,
which the veterans and members of the
Relief Corps attended Patriotic ad-
dresses were made. The meeting was un-
der the auspices of Lincoln and Green
Clay Smith Commands.
Gen. Robert st. George Dyrenforth, of
this city, was next day reelected to sue
ceed himself as Commander-in-Ch Chief of
the Union Veterans Union, and the Of
fees of Deputy Commander-inC Chief and
Second Deputy Commander Chief were
filled by the selection of Gen. l.. NJ. Long
staff, of Iowa, and f. B. Hutchinson, of
New York, to succeed Gen. G. A. Ludlow
and Gen. Walter l.. French, respectively
AT the morning session Gen. Dyren-
forth completed his report. A resolution
was unanimously adopted about the time
of the election Of officers which set forth: ::
Resolved, That we indorse most heart
lily the past two administrations of our
Commander-ir-Chief, Gen. Robert st.
George Dyrenforth, because we recognize
in them the highest order of true patriotic
craftsmanship. He has increased this
magnificent Order of Union battlemen ten
fold, and has established its perpetIity for
a hundred years. He has made it Ma
tional power for not only continued 'fos-
tering Of patriotic National sentiment, but
the rekindling Of the waning spirit of graf
itude due to the saviors of the greatest
and best Republic upon earth. He has
harmonized the anita agonsm Of the Grand
Army and all other Union soldier organi-
cations by convincing them that one of the
culeI ODJectS Oh tHiS OrUer Is Inelr ma
terial welfare, as well as-our own He has
labored night and day for the past two
years for the welfare, prosperity and po-
litical recognition of his old comrades,
both inside and outside of our Order, and
in his unanimous reelection for q third
term we recognize the appreciation of his
magnificent work for the past two years,
and the continued advancement and pros
perity of the Union Veterans Union"
hn tfnar L..
man: John NJ. Luckett, w. p. Pierce and
J. Vaudeville.
After this there was a grand Reunion
at the National Rifles Armory, the ladies
of the Woman's Veteran Relief Union be.
ing escorted from their quarters, at Typo
graphical Temple by committee ap-
pointed by the Commander-in-C Chief. Gen
Dyrcnforth welcomed the ladies of the
auxiliary and paid tribute to thei
worth, and response was made by Mrs
Ada b. johnson, President of the w. V.
II. U. At the close of the session a groul
picture of the, veterans and the ladies of
the auxiliary was taken.