The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-09-19
THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENr.

THE NATIONAL ENCAMPMENT.
The Presidents death turned to bitter
sorrow one of the greatest and most thor
oughly enjoyable National Encampments
ever held.
The crowd in attendance far surpassed
expectations, the weather was unusually
fine. and the people of Cleveland splen-
didiy hospitable. Everywhere they acted
as if they were really glad to have the
veterans come, and took delight in wei
coming them.
The comrades assembled with the shock
of the Buffalo tragedy still depressing
them. but the hopeful bulletins soon up
lifted them with assurances that the
President was rapidly recovering, and on
the parade in the Campfres, and in the
first day of the Encampment they were
all buoyed up by this, and carried them
selves with their usual joyous spirit. They
proposed to put into the proceedings Of
the second day a vim which had not been
seen in the National Encampmcnt for
many years. But Oh rising on Friday
morning they were confronted with the
doleful change which had taken place in
the Presidents condition after midnight
and their hearts died with them.
They wisely decided that the only thing
to do was to close the Encanpment i'm
mediately and dispense. They could not
transact business with momentary aP1
prehenson of the news Of their distin-
guished and dearly comrades
death.
The selection for Commander-in-Chief
was eminently satisfactory. Everybody
liked him, and was glad to have him, if
his own candidate could not be elected
There was no man in the Order more fit
for the office than ne. He comes from
loyal stock, and enlisted at the beginning
of the war as a private soldier, and won
his promotions, one after another, by good
conduct in each grade, until the close Of
the war found him a Captain. He is a
lawyer of high ability, has made a good
record on the bench Of Minnesota, and
has been q Jealous G. A. r. man from
the first organization Of the Order. He
| is scholarly, cultivated and deserve--J
popular with all who know him.
| Comrade James O'Donnell, of Illinois,
who was elected Junior Vice Commander
/ in-Chief, served through tho war in the
/ 7th H., which is good enough record for
any man. He is now in business in Chi
cagO.
elected Chaplain-in- Chief, is an eloquent
divine of Pittsburg, Pa, and thorough
going G. A. Il. man.
Dr. w Il. Thrsll, of Cincinnati, who
was elected Surgeon-General, is a lead
ing physician.
All the business before the Encamp-
ment was turned over to the Council of
Administration, which, at a subsequent
meeting, disposed of it. Ali matters re-
ferring to pensions were referred by II
to the Commander-in-Ch Chief and Commit
tee of Pensions, with instructions that at
such time as the Chief
might see fit, the whole matter should
be brought to the attention OF the Presl-
dent of the United States.
The place Of holding the next Encamp-
ment was referred to the Executive Coun'
ell, the intention being TO invite proposals
from various cities and railroads, and Sc
cure precise terms before making the Sc
lection.
: a long step forward was made toward
DtlIeF IcldllOHS Win tue 1oOHS Oh vet
Grams, an invitation being given to their
Commander-in-C Chief to hold its sessions
, at the same time and place as the Ma
tiOnal Encampment, and the Committee
on Rules, Regulations and Ritual was in
structed to report to the next National En-
campment a plan for admitting Sons as
visitors to the Posts, on the same basis
that comrades now visit Camps Of the
Sons.
The most intense sympathy, loyalty,
!. and eemfadely feeling for the stricken
Chief Magistrate dominated the Encamp-
! ment throughout.
! Everyone, led by the Chaplain-in-C Chief,
Joined in the heartiest thanksgiving to
God, when the President was reported to
be certain Of recovery, and there could
be no more impressive spectacle than that,
when the direful news came that the
President was dying. Of the entire as