The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-04
HENRY ). SHELBY
 CANDIDATE. FOR COMMANDER
Elias Howe Post Endorses Photographer For Head
 of Department.

|
 No. 8, G. A. R., at afternoon meet
 ing yesterday endorsed Henry J. See
 ley as their candidate for department
 commander in Connecticut. The de- l Darttment encampment to chose a
 successor to Charles Griswold of Guil- 1 ford will be held in Guilford April ? l and 13. It is years since this sec l tion of the state has had a depart i ment commander and the members
 of Elias Howe post believe the honor should come here now. Letters have 1 been sent every post of the Grand
 Army in the state announcing the
 candidacy of MT. Seeley.
 MT. Seeley is a photographer and 1 considering the years of his busine ess l life he is the oldest in business in me city. During the Civil War he served l in an Indiana regiment and came here to establish business at the close
 of the war. He owns the property
 where his business is located in Main l street. He is 8, charter member and l past commander of Elias Howe post ! and at present it's quarternaster.
 During the term of Judge Albert B. 1 Beers as comnaander-in-chief of the
 Grand Army. MT. Seeley was his ad- | jutant-general MT. Seeley is widely known and liked throughout the state
 and his comrades in Post 3 are san i guine of his success although he has 1 for an opponent for the position John l L. Sake of Waterbury, the present de- 1 partment patriotic instructor of the l order, who is also widely known and l popular.
 MT. SeeIey's candidacy was proposed l yesterday afternoon by Past Comman-
 der Francis M. Wilder, father of Dep l uty Judge Frank L. Wilder. In pro-
 posing MT. See1ey's name Past Com
 rnander Wilder paid a deserved tri- l 1 of the Republic and his ability as an
 execHtive officer and his service as
 soldier.
 1 Rev. James w. Davis, former pastor ] of the Advent Christian church and
 former department chaplain of the
 order endorsed Mir. Seley's candidacy and prophesied his election. p l Following the meeting yesterday aft l ernoon the veterans were given a 1 chowder4 party by the members of 1 Elias Howe Wonen's Relief corps, No. i 53. l. Commander Frank Miller was
 toastmaster at the banquet. Past l Commander William Barnun made l the address of thanks to the Women's
 Relief corps for the party and Miss I Sara Boudren responded for the corpss i In his tribute to the Womeu's Re l lief corps Past Commander Barnun 1 said:-
 1 Post Commander. Comrades and l Ladies: know voice the sentiment I of every member of the post when I 1 say we are thankful there are no bar i riers between us and the Women's Re | lief corps and we can all meet here at 1 this festive board as one happy family. | And when I look around me and see I go many of your heads silvered with
 the frost of years, memory carries me i back to that grand Women's Relief ] corps of the long ago, for there was
 one then.
 1 When President Lincoln sent out his call for help, it was the loyal wom-
 en of the North that buck1ed the
 knapsacks on their boys shoulders and sent them to his relief; and they were
 as proud that they had the boys to
 send as the boys were to go. And 1 when they were ordered to camp for
 drill it was their mothers warm kiss 1 that was last upon their lips, often for
 the last time, as with a smile upon her
 face she said good bye. You saw the
 smile, but you did not see the tears
 down in her heart. And when she Fwent back into that empty home, you
 know what those old New England
 mothers did, she went into her little room and there alone with her God, she prayed for your safe return. And
 who among you dare say today that
 many of you sitting here are not the living answer to those feryent pray | CT And when Lincoln listened for the
 
 rythrnatic tread of marching feet from every hill and dale all over this broad l land, and on the pu1sing air his ear caught a sweet refrain that increased and grew in volume till the whole air was filled with one grand peon of song, and from it he caught these words,
 We are coming, Father Abraham. three hundred thousand more. from Mississippi's winding stream, and old New England's shore.'
 "Yes, boys; old New England, be proud of her, for she was ever in the van, when Iberty's clarion call rang out for help. And those three hun dred more was another offering of the Women's Relie& corps of the long ago at the altar of their country. The refnorseless hand of time has removed them from our presence now, their names are inscribed upon a scroll of fame.
 ''Nos marble bust of any of them rest in niches of our temples of fame, but in the heart of every boy that over wore the blue, was inscribed the name of one of them in that one sweet word, Mother. Where are they now? There never was but one word ever uttered or pennned by God or man that was good enough for their final resting place, and that one word was heaven, and boys they are all there today. have no fear of that or no regrets that they are gone. And you, the Women's Re lief corps of today, could be naught but their worthy successors, for you are the daughters and granddaughters of that grand old relief corps of the long ago.
 'HThes upheld and cheered us when we were in the full strength and vigor of our youthful manhood. You hold out the helping hand now when the purple shadows of the evening of life fall across our pathway. And by your cheering words and gentle minis trations in our hours of sickness and distress make every man that ever wore the blue say from the very bot tom of his heart, God bless the Won- ems Relief corps