The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-02-15

larger portion should b credited 30 care
ful iasnageraent OF the nnancial pns,ness
OF the Department.. The cash oslancs
termed over 70 the Assistant Quartermss-
tr-0eneral by his predecessor was t261.7
Tie balance In bank today 10 e50S. - aud
there are no outstanding bills against
the Departm emit. ] respectfully refer the
comrades 20 the reports Of the Assistants
Adjutsnt. General and tbs Assistant
Qlartermasts General 70. fall details Of
their re spectlvs Offices.
The Church is not the only orsaniza.
ton that has contributed, ana Is tt,ii
tontri uting, to the progress and civil "a
ton Of mankind. In our varied mofern
life o.te- bodies have their part 70 play.
And prom iusnt among these In our own
country Is the Grand Army OF the he
public, of whose present conditi1n and
past history the Citizen Of the United
States may we'll be proud. Behind 4,
lies tie strenuous endeavor OF soholsTs,
statesmen ana heroes 10 win liberty end
sqra' rights for all n en-. Behind 10 lies
the proclamation Of freedom TO tae slaves,
and the complete removal Of the shackles
Of cruelty and wrong from four mill IN
human beings. Behind 10 lies tie mo-
N entous struggle OF mers thaa two mil
Ion Union soldi srs warning Tor the
principles OF free government ana tie
rower OF united rspubli,. Behind u
lies the saos iics OF over three hundred
thousand men from 1851 70 1865. and tae
intense sutfe, iug In the prison dens OF
A ndersonville and Salisbury, within
whose loatt sSme walls twsniy-six ID
and of our troops laid down their lives.
Behind IL lie the names Of almost mil
li,n pensioners at an annual expense OF
tl3S t0o,Ct0 and n grand total for AL
causes since 1866 Of more than two thous-
ana mil io1 dollars. Bshind IL liss the
funl sure ader Of the Confederates at
Appomattox, and the bright appearance
of Il morning ttar Of . free and united
nation. whose nag has become the symoe
Of liberty and eluslity In every quarter
Of the glote
From such fou ce does our national CT
ganization draw Its life, and never have
there been stronger incentives to loyalty,
IN anhood and courage than the .deeds Of
the men who form the Grand Army OF
the Republic. Their history will OCCUPY
the nineteenth century.
PENSIONS.
It should be a source Of satisfaotion and
congrstul alton to every loyal citizen that
the country has beenlso generous to the
men who won their scars in defending
tie Stars AMI Stripes. We find enrolled
upon the lists In evidence Of nation S
gratitude the names Of about nine hun
lIei thousand pensioners Of the Civil
Way. requiring an annual appropriation
of nsarly $3.50, O. O,O00 No politician In
either OF the great parties dares 20 strike
against the itgk tsous laws by which the
government rewards those to whom IL
owes Its being; were any such attack
made. 1t would be overwhelmed by tbs
burr ing Indignation en- anating from the
hrui haarf nf n grateful nanT | = who
feel that the veteran and his far lily can
reysr be fully recompenssd. hi, sscri-
foes aud valiant deeds give them the
right TO command public aid for the
comforts ana neeessaries Of life. lie gave
his all to save for us the best govern
ment the world has ever seen. Were not
our soldiers faithful and true, even under
the most cruel and tstious sIfferingf
Lat Andersonvil,s a7d other souttern
prisons answer. The two hundred thous.
and Union prisoners who starved for
months In those filthy pens, had the
privii &c Of walking ut any time through
open doors, II they woold join the ranks
records OF the war show that at least one
hume rsd and ninety. six thousand men
preferred the prospect Of miserable death
to tIa,tt + Jus abandonment of their
own glorlcu, flag; and it 10 estimated
that seventy -ons thousand OF that loya,
tAst prison life from which they were too
faithful to escape. How can we refusl
tt pension the living representatives and
destitute families Of such heroes, now
that the evening CT their lives Is coming
on, and the murmur Of the waters OF that
river which all must crofs 10 sounding
10 their esrss There may be q few In
stances of fraud under our pension laws;
but even then 10 is better to reward some
undessrviug ones, than to ALLOW o single
honest veteran to be neglected.
SONS OF VETERANS.
There Is no source from which we can
replenish our lessening numbers. Our
only consolation is the hope that the sons
who ara bound to us by the strongest
family ties will take our places, defend
our principles, honor our memories, and
hand down - future generations the
glcry Of our achievements, thereby per
pstuat n , that free and independent gov
ernment "of the people, for the people
have preserved. Upon them and their
posurlty will rest In a large measure
the responsibility that this government
does not pass from the earth, The Sons OF
Veterars form an organization which
should be very dear to us. AMI 1t Is lifting
taat We should aid our children to ss-
tiblish an Order that shall in duo sens IN
take the place OF our own and become
like it tourishing and great and ttrong.
LADIES RELIEF CORPS.
Among the elements that have CON
triDuted most prominently to this success
and prosperity Of the posts Of the Grand
Army are the State and National Relief