Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-08-18

this year the annual encampment of the
Grand Army of the Republic at Boston
1t is with the most genuine regret tina,
l find that it is impossible for me to De
present.
| "One Of the memories which / shall
always cherish is the occasion two
years ago when ii was my great good
/, fortune 70 drive along the line of the
| Grand Army and afterwards from the
stand to greet it as it passed in review.
1t is no disrespect to any other pody OIL
! our citizens to say that the men VINO
! fought for the Union in the great civil
war have a claim upon all Americans
such as no other men in the couttr!
can have. 1t is to you we owe the lac'
that we have a country at all. ana eE-
cry American, today, is under DEBT ol
personal obligation to you ana your
| comrades, who in their youth ana cary
manhood in the supreme hour or the
nations need, rallied to the can Oh
Abraham Lincoln and, after lour
weary years, saw the triumph OF the
armies commanded by Ulysses :. Grant.
/ There have been other crisis in the his
tory of this country, but not since It's
foundation has there been any other
in which the existence of the govern
ment itself was at stake. Therefore 1t
fell to the lot of you and of those VINO
stood with you from 1861 to 1865 to rem
der the one service which was vital, not
only to the well being, but to the very
| life of the nation.
Four years ago, when your former
comrade, my revered predecessor
President Mckinley, being unable TO
attend your encampment, sent MS
greetings. he used these words: Your
| patriotic spirit still inspires the people.
| 1t led the volunteer armies Whlch en-
| listed in the Spanish War to valiant
service in Cuba, Porto Rico ana the
Philippines, and inpelled the brave
men who, under your comrade, Mac
Arthur, are now maintaining American
authority in the Philippines and those
under your other cOmrade, Chaffee,
who have carried to our legation and
| to our citizens in China the protection
! of the flag.
| what Mckinley wrote then is true
now. Under the lead of your comrades
the Philippine Islands We're won for the
cause of civilization. Of civil liberty.
| and of peace and justice. At this time
| il is only under the American flag that
the people of the islands can preserve
the public order. the individual free
dom and the material well-being which
have come to them as the direct con-
sequence of the deeds of your brothers.
in-armS of Il younger generation. The
work which has thus far been done
will not be undone. for the nation re-
mains true to the memory of your own
great deeds.
AS the representative of all our peo-
| pie bid you God speed. and send you
this expression of the honor and es-
| TEEN in which the nation holds the en-
campment and their comrades through
| out the country.
| "Sincerely yours,
| (Signed) Theodore Roosevelt.
| General William w. Blackmar,
| - Commonwealth avenue. Boston,"
Col. Charles II. Mcconnell of Chi
cage. senior aid on the staff of the COM
| mand"rin chief. presented Gen. Black
| with Il diamond studded G.. A. r. badge.
| At the same time Mrs. Black was given
a framed testimonial containing verses
repeated by Col Mcconnell in the
presentation speech to her husband. A
gavel and box. made of historic woods,
also We're presented to COMMANDMENTS
Chief Black by IL committee from the
Woman's Relief Corps and the Grand
Army of the Republic, representing
New England veterans as we'll as some
| other parts of the country.
|
adjutant general-in-chief and the quar-
termaster general-in- chef We're dis
tributed to the delegates.
In course of business which followed
I motion that the election of officers
be hell at p. NJ, today, was voted
down and a motion was adopted tc
meet at 10 A. NJ, tomorrow, for thc
election of officers and to name the
place for the next encampment.
; Adjournment was taken until P. NJ
Luncheon was served in the building
by the WOman's Relief Corps.
Upon reassembling late in the after
noon. 4 large amount of routine bust
ness was disposed of. The only impor-
tant matter which came before the
session was a resolution referring f
: the employment Of veterans by he gov
= eminent after they reach the age OF
20 years. According to proposed legis-
Iation in the House of Representatives
= at Washington, employees shall retire
, after he reaches that age. The en-
campment, today. adopted resolutions
recommending that veterans he eX-
, empted from this provision. After the
passing of this resolution an adjourn
ment was taken until, tomorrow.
WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS.