The Republican journal., 1909-06-17
THE MAINE C. A. r.
Annua, Encamnment in Portland.

when they gathered here for the And
annual encampment Of the Department
of Maine, Grand Army of the Republic,
and the annual convention OF the State
and National Relief Corps and the Ladies
of the G. A. R. The meetings of the
veterans were held in the auditorium,
while their affiliated bodies met in Far
rington block.
Department Commander Woodbury. K.
Dana of Westbrook presided over the G.
A. R. encampment. The first business
was the reception of reports of the Of
ficers. The day was devoted to the tran
saction of routine business This evening
at the auditorium camp fire was held at
which time the members of the allied
patriotic bodies extended greetings to
the veterans.
Department Commander Dana, in adj
dressing the Ladies of the G. A. R. in
the course of his address said:
"a prominent man of the United States
army, captain Of battery, received an
order by the hands of young lieutenant
to take his battery into action, and was
told the young officer would show HIM the
place. They rode together along the line
of the battle though there were many
shots and bullets passing over them. The
Young man was able to give him con-
else description of the battle. When they
came to their destination he pointed and
said: You will find plenty of good fight
ing anywhere along there.
7'This young man was William McKin-
lev, who afterwards became our Presl-
dent. Though the other auxiliary corps
are active and prosperous, yet l say to
you, You will find plenty of good work
to do.
In concluding he said, in part:
eve of the North have always Won
dered at the secession of the South. How
thev justified the act, what provocation
they claimed, we could never understand.
That representative men of the South
shared in our feeling is not perhaps gen
orally known; but it is undoubtedly true
that Alexander H. Stephens, shortly to
become Vice President of the Confed-
eracy, voiced the sentiments of many
representative Southerners when he de-
livered his remarkable speech in the Sc
cession Convention Of Georgia in which
he said:
This step--secession- once taken,
can never be recalled and all the baleful
and whitening consequences that must
follow will rest on this convention Tor all
coming time.
Assistant Adiutant General William
H. Holston of Westbrook reported l49
Posts, loss of one for the year, and
total membership Of 504S, a gain of 1871.
There We're Psi deaths. The average age
is 50 wears. The names Of the deceased
comrades were read, after which all pres
ent stood in silence with bowed heads for
full minute.
The Ladies of the G. A. R. have total
membership of 1851. a net gain of 81. The
fifth annual convention opened IN Far
rington hall at 10 a. m. with the follow
ing officers in chairs: Pres, Mrs. Harri-
cite G. Burr, Auburn; S. v P, Georgi-
anna Payson, Thomaston; J. V. F., Mrs.
George Wilson, North Arson; patriotic
instructor, Mrs. Augusta Maloon, Au
burn; inspector, Mrs. D. E. Marsh, Bath.
Mrs Burr read her report which was ac-
copied. Council of administration, Mrs.
Anna Coburn, Auburn, Mrs. Mary r.
Tarbox, Fryeburg, Mrs. Maria Kennard,
Portland Mrs. Clara N. Sawyer, ma
tional councillor, was present. The re-
port of S. V. P. Mrs. Georgianna Pay
son, was read and accepted, also most
excellent report from Mrs. Georgia E.
Wilson, J. V. P, North Arson.
The National Woman's Relief Corps
observed the 25th anniversary of the in
! SGltuGlOil VI d u6pdl llilSllC III ludlilS. IC
present membership is 2759, a gain for
the year of 721.
The Woman's State Relief Corps, the
only State organization of the Woman
Relief Corps in existence, as Maine is
the only State having such body, held
it's 9th annual convention. Thirty-eight
corps were represented at the conven-
ton. The organization has member
ship Of 2475.
At the morning session Thursday Of
ficers were elected and installed as fol-
lows: Dept Commander, Augustus w.
McCausland of Gardiner; Senior Vice
Dept. Commander, B. F. Whitney of
Gorham; Junior Vice Dept. Commander,
Cyrus T. Wardwell of Oxford; Medical
Director, ohm H. McGregor of West En-
field; Dept Chaplain, Rev. John W.
Webster of Newport; Council of Admin
istration, Charles H. Mitchell, James E.
Parker, L. B. Comins, George w. Cap
pers, G. W. Golding. Delegates and al
ternates to National Encampment at
Salt Lake City next August were also
elected. There were two candidates for
commander, Col A. S. Bangs of Angus
ia and Augustus W. McCausland of Gar
diner. The latter candidate was elected
by vote of 229 to AS and on motion of
COHlrdue bangs the elecIloH Was Hldue
unanimous by a rising vote.
At the close of the morning session the
veterans enjoyed a trip to Peaks Island
and sail about Casco bay as the guests of
the retiring department commander,
Woodbury. K. Dana. It was his personal
entertainment to the G. A. R., an act
of hospitality which is regarded as the
GROWING act Of an administration of the
affairs of the Department Of Maine
which has been characterized from the
beginning by similar demonstrations Of
public spirit. The appreciation of the G.
A. R. for Mr.. Dana's career in Office
was shown Wednesday when the encamp-
ment adopted unanimously the resolu-
lions which had been drawn up by Gov.
Frederick Robbie, who supported them in
characteristic speech. The resolutions
adopted were as follows:
| "Resolved, The veteran soldiers of the
encampment Of the G. A. R., District of
Maine, recognize with great delight the
many instances of the soldiers of the
Southern Confederacy renewing their
attachment and fidelity to the future
power and influence of the Star Spangled
flag of the Union, with complete assur-
ance, that one flag, one constitution and
one destiny are to be the future of q
united country. While the grand prin-
| cin1ea which entered infn tho rocorf cnn.