The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-08-30
From Morning Till Night They La.
bored With Numerous Reports I
From Various Officers.
NO OPPOSITION TO RASSIEUR
For Grand commander-Report Of
Pension Committee May Excite
Considerable Debate. s

sponsiblllty ofattending the position ofa
delegate to the convention OF the
Grand Army. IT was a day for any
thing and everything but business.
From morning until night, the convent
tion labored at Its work in Studebaker
hall. listening to numerous reports from
officers and committees. while the vast
majority OF the old soldiers went to
the parks. took boat rides upon the
lake and those who had not seen blood
enough In their younger days, accepted
an Invitation from the packers to visit
the stock yards. where they beheld
more slaughter than had taken place at
the bloody angle" at spottsylvania.
and in the bloody lane at Antietam
combined.
The convention opened at 1850 and
from the start business was pushed
with energy. The opening session was
entirely OF a social character and was
open TO the public. The afternoon
meeting was Of an executive character.
/: Opened With Prayer.
\ General Shaw announced that the
meeting would be opened with prayer
by Chaplain Granin. The audience rose
and remained standing during the
prayer.
Mayor Harrison then came to the
front OF the ,cstrum to formally vel
come the soldiers to Chicago. His ad-
dress was happily received.
Commander-in-chief Shaw, OF the
Grand Army, replied to Mayor Harri-
son for the members OF his organiza.
tIon, expressing the thanks OF the army
for the hospitality shown them.
Z AS General Shaw resumed his seat, j.
NJ. Longenecker, commander OF the
department OF Illinois, rose to greet the
visiting veterans in behalf OF the SOL
:diers OF Illinois. He made happy
-iitlIe speech, which evoked much aps:1:
plause. General Louis Wagner, who
responded for the members OF the army,
was no less felicItous in his reply, ex-
pressing the gratitude OF his comrades
to the men of Illinois
Held an Informal Reception.
This closed the meeting of the morn
ing, ms, Immediately after the conclus-
ion OF General Iyngner's address. he.
Commander Longenecker. Mayor Har-
rison and General Shaw, held an in
formal reception, lasting half an hour.
When the convention met in the az.
ternoon the arst thing taken up was
the report OF the pension committee.
This would contain. It was generally
thought, some warm statements, but
there were none. There was not In the
report n specific declaration or RECON-
mcndation upon any subject
The report argued at length against
the statements that have been made by
the pension office, in reply to the orIgl-
nal criticisms made by members OF the
Grand Army. but offered no sugges-
tions as to q direct line Of policy to be
pursued. The report was ordered print
ed and will be the special order OF busi-
ness tomorrow morning at o'clock. to
which hour the convention adjourned.
Silver Services Presented.
After the pension committee had pre-
sented Its report, silver services were
presented to Adjutant General Stewart
and Past Commander johnson, as to-
ken OF the esteem in which they are
held b" their comrades.
The committee which had taken the
annual message OF Commander-in-ch
Shaw under consideration, reported ap-
provnl OF all OF his suggestions, with
the exception OF that relating to the
change OF the date OF Memorial day
from May 30 to the last Sunday In May
On this the committee reported ad-
verselyq and their report was adopted
by the convention.
An adjournment was then taken until
tomorrow.
It Is expected now that the work OF
the encampment will be over by to-
morrow noon, unless there should be q
protracted debate over the report OF
the pension committee and this Is not
considered probable.
Clear Field For Rassieur.
No opposition has developed to Judge
RassIeur. OF St. Louis, In his candidacy
for the position of chief.
and It Is practically certain that he wifi
be elected in the first vote. There has
been very little talk regarding the
place OF the next encampmcnt, but two
places. Denver and Salt Lake. having
been mentioned.
The chief feature OF the programme
Tomorrow outside OF the business
meeting. will be sham battle In
Washington park. In which dctach-
mcnts OF the local militia will take
part.
The womcn's Department.
At the seventh annual convention OF
the womnn's national association of
Union ex-prIsoners OF war the follow
Ing officers were elected for tho cnsu-
Ing year:
president-Mrs. Charles p. Sheriff,
Allegheny City, Pa.
Senior Vice. Presdent-Mrs. Benjamin
Mccall, Allegheny City, Pa.
Junior Vice Prcsldont-Mrs. John
Horne, steubenvilic, Ohio
& i =. . II {.