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FINANCES.

It is with great satisfaction that we are able to say that the National Treasurer reports for the year ending June 30, 1897, all obligations due the National Organization from the Departments and Detached Corps have been met, several of which have been carried from year to year. It is the first time in the history of the Order when it could be said that there is nothing outstanding for supplies. This is creditable alike to Departments and Detached Corps, as well as to the National Treasurer, who has guarded well the doors of our treasury. This most faithful officer has, by her devotion to her duties, been able to bring to you this splendid result, making it for the first time possible to say the Woman's Relief Corps is neither debtor nor creditor. Taking into consideration the very arduous duty of the National Treasurer, I make

Recommendation No. 14. That the sum of $50.00 be now allowed the National Treasurer for clerk hire, and the same amount be allowed annually.

OFFICIAL VISITS.

My first official visit was made to Buffalo, N.Y., where I went to arrange for the Fifteenth National Convention. There I had the pleasure of meeting with General Clarkson, the Commander-inChief of the Grand Army of the Republic, and several members of his staff. The Commander-in-Chief very kindly extended an invitation to me and the members of my staff who were in Buffalo, to go with his party to extend congratulations and pay our respects to Major McKinley, President-elect of the United States. The invitation was accepted, and the party went to Canton, O., where we were received most graciously by Major McKinley, who promised to visit the National Convention at Buffalo. En route to Canton, we were most graciously received and entertained in the city of Cleveland, O., by Army and Navy Post of that city.

Through courtesies received from the railroad officials I was successful in visiting in all, eleven Departments: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Potomac, Maryland, Michigan, Texas, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio. A very great effort was made to visit other Departments, but the time fixed for Conventions was so arranged that it was impossible to do so

without exceeding the amount set apart for that purpose.

With two or three exceptions the Departments visited were the smaller ones, and those that needed the encouragement given by the presence of the National President. The incoming National President will find that there is still work to do.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.

Words fail to express the appreciation of the loyal support we have received from the Commander-in-Chief, Thaddeus S. Clarkson. He has unhesitatingly endorsed our work, and, among friends and enemies as well, he has been our fearless champion. The Woman's Relief Corps has nothing to fear when such a man stands at the head of the Grand Army of the Republic! To Charles E. Burmester, Adjutant-General, and to J. C. Winans, Chief of Staff, thanks are due for the many courtesies received from them.

To Department Commanders who so promptly responded to their request to send with their General Orders Circular Letter No. 2, setting forth the objects, aims and work accomplished by the Woman's Relief Corps to Post Commanders and comrades, our thanks are especially due. Where all have been so kind it is almost unjust to mention any one in particular; but we will be pardoned for especially expressing our gratitude to James S. Dodge, Department Commander of Indiana, who in his General Orders No. 3, referred to the Woman's Relief Corps in language whose meaning could not be mistaken, viz.: "The Commander desires to emphasize the fact that there is but one auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic, and that is the Woman's Relief Corps. Post Commanders and comrades are urged to give this organization their earnest and undivided support at all times. If your Post has no Corps attached, endeavor to organize one and discourage the formation of other societies that tend to weaken and destroy the usefulness of the Grand Army of the Republic and our tried and trustworthy auxiliary, the Woman's Relief Corps." Brave words, bravely spoken.

All members of the official staff have been faithful and true. The National Secretary has been unswerving in her devotion to her duties. To her I wish to express my earnest appreciation and thanks for her loyalty and faithfulness.

CONCLUSION.

It has in many ways been a year upon which memory will love to dwell. I shall not soon forget the kindly messages that have come to me, and the assurances of friendship and love that you have spoken. Was it not the prayers that you have breathed, that health and strength be given me, that has enabled me to carry forward the work that was placed in my hands? It has been my sad duty to record the first break in the ranks of our Past National Presidents, and to bear to you the message of the death of your National Senior-Vice President. Thus, we have had the shadows with the sunshine. I now give back into your hands the trust that was placed in mine one year ago. The results I leave with you.

OWING to the very sudden death of Mrs. Marie Hasenwinkle, National Senior Vice-President, so near the close of the administration, no report could be prepared for Convention.

REPORT OF NATIONAL JUNIOR VICE-PRESIDENT.

OFFICE OF NATIONAL JUNIOR VICE-PRESIDENT, W.R.C.,
HAMPTON, VA., July 16, 1897.

MRS. IDA S. MCBRIDE,

National Secretary, W.R.C.

Dear Madam:

In obeying Rules and Regulations, I have the honor to submit my report as National Junior Vice-President Woman's Relief Corps for the year 1897 to you, and through you to the Fifteenth National Convention.

I am very grateful to the members of the Fourteenth National Convention for electing me, in my absence, to the office I now hold.

In October I visited Lincoln Corps No. 6 and Geo. A. Thomas Corps in Washington, D.C., and was received with due honors.

To find work to do, in the line of relief work in this vicinity, you do not have to travel far, for in a community like this, with over 4,000 soldiers, many of them with wives and children, there is plenty to do.

I have visited the hospital in the National Home here, as often as possible, attended the funerals of the veterans as they are "mustered out," sometimes two at a time, helped the widows put in their claims for pensions and written many letters to the Pension Office on behalf of them and deserving soldiers.

I have helped the comrades of the different Posts here in their camp-fires, installations and on Memorial Day; and when the Department of Virginia and North Carolina, G.A.R., held their Encampment in the Home in May, did what I could to help entertain the delegates.

I have done what I could for our detached Corps in Virginia, in whom I am much interested, having organized seven and reorganized three in the last six years. I was invited to install the

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