The G. A. R.

The secret exeeutive session of tbe notional encampment of the G. A. R., was held in Pi ;r land, Me., June 24. Frora the annual addrega of Commander Kountz we make th; followiDg extract: He paid that four years ago there was a membershlp of nearly 70,0(X); on Mareh 31, 15 ilicre wero88 dCDartments, 5 006 pcsta, aud 269.BS4 membcrp, whilfi the report of the adjutant general shows the meriiersti'p to be ■isr.iïrr. Thelarge number -f 52,393 rcported by the adjutant general as suspended dinne the yêar is due in great meoeure to tae nesligenee and Inefficency of post oüiccrs. 'Our nuances, " the commandèr-in-ehlef continuad, "u,re in excellent condltion. Wc have on liane! a cash balance of $15,224. ïlie question having been raised as to whether the lato Commander B. F. Stevenson of Sdringfield. 111., was really the first mover in toe organizatton of" th Grand Armv of the Republic, it is deemed bu glmpie justice to hls raemory as well as to hi. family and comrados tn state tliat all authentic rueorus confer upon him that very great honor. Durins; the past i-levcn m inths there have been issueifSl.OOO badges at a proíit of $0,630. l heartily liidorse the organixation hnown as the veterans' liffhts anión, the ojeet of whiil! is to secure to our comrades their rlghts and privileges. Under the revised statuti's of the United States the Union ursi(s as it rightfully raay and ought, tliatwhen other qualifications are cqual the soldier should be preierred, bc cause he was a soldier. I am opposed to the perpetuatiou of the Grand arm v, believing the mission of our prra t comradeship will have been f nllilled wheu the last eomrade bas joined the final musterout. Knowing that tliere is nothlng in. the Grand Army of the Republic inconsistent with most exacting personal duty or the strictest religión, I eemed it fu;1 tbc interest of the order to oppoint a special committee to lav its nature and workfngs I) iore the proper Catholic authorltles of the United States that they might know our organlzation has nothlng to conceal and that o ir pui'poses are commeuded by all vm understand [hem. The committee rèported, having tulfilled lts mission, that. af surancej liad been given bj Archbishnpi Bvan any öibbons lia nothing could be founá in the aims of the (rand Ar nj to prevent any good Catholic f rom beeomlng a member " The cofumander-ln-chlef deprecated parttct patiou In politics as an organiaation, and ur gently advocated the Mexiean pension bill and a bilí to grant (.isaWed soldlern a pension fron) the date of dlsabillty. He also urged that Decoration day be not de3ecrated by devotion to recreation and pleasure. The woman'a relief corps now has twentytwo permanent and three provisional dep irtments, with subordínate corps in nearly all the states w here the Grand Armv exlsts.