Report of Lewis E. Griffith,
Senior Vice Commander.

Jere T. Dew, Adjutant General.

Troy, N. Y., July 29, 1908.

Dear Comrade: I am reminded that a report is expected from the Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief, of the operations of his office during the year. But for this reminder, I would deem it unnecessary to make a report, for I have performed no function which obtains to that office. I have attended encampments, camp-fires, reunions, and other pleasant gatherings, and am grieved that I was obliged to send my regrets to so many that I could not attend. I have been ready at all times to assist the Commander-in-Chief by counsel or otherwise, and feel sure that if he needed help I would have been requested to assist.

By the provisions of Section 2, Article V, Chapter 4, of the Rules and Regulations, I am a member of the National Council of Administration. I find, by a resolution of the National Encampment in 1877, the National Council of Administration is directed to meet immediately after the adjournment of the encampment, and select a smaller number to act for the Council during the interim. This has been called an Executive Committee. I did not receive a notice of the meeting of the National Council, which was held immediately after the encampment at Saratoga, and for that reason was not present. There has been no meeting since, and I am unaware and uninformed as to what has been done in the administration of the affairs of the Grand Army of the Republic, except that which has been conveyed to me in the General Orders. I believe that Section 9, Article VI, Chapter 4, of the Rules and Regulations, should be amended to embrace the resolution of the National Encampment of 1877, providing for the selection of an Executive Committee, or a smaller number to act for the Council of Administration, when the National Encampment is not in session. I believe that this Executive Committee should consist of the five officers elected by the National Encampment and four other members of the National Council of Administration, to be selected and appointed by the Commander-in-Chief. My reason for this is that the elective officers should be in close touch with the work of the National Administration. The Vice-Commanders should be aware of the state of the order, 30 that if an emergency arose by which their services might be called for, they could enter upon the discharge of duty with some knowledge of the business of the administration, and there would be no halt or hesitancy in a continuation

of the policies laid out. As it is, I had the very great delight of meeting the officers of the National Encampment, elected at Saratoga, at the time of installation, and from that time until I reach Toledo, it will not be my privilege to meet them: While I have not been called upon to perform any duty as Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief, I am happy to say that I have not been entirely idle. At the request of the Commander of the Department of New York, I continued to serve as chairman of the Committee on Legislation for that Department, which requires some care and attention during the sessions of the State Legislature, and have also given my services as Judge Advocate of the Department, with the privilege of rendering all such service "without money and without price."

I could not make a report to the National Encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, if I did not make grateful acknowledgment of the very great honor conferred upon me by the Saratoga Encampment. For thirty-eight years I have been a member of one Grand Army Post, and for fifteen years its Commander. I have served in my department in various capacities, and have striven to the best of my ability to keep my obligation, both in letter and spirit, and when I realize the great honor which was conferred upon me by my comrades, I feel that all the efforts and all my work of thirty-eight years is appreciated and is like the bread cast upon the waters.

I have never met or labored with a grander or more grateful body than the Grand Army of the Republic. I am proud of my membership, and express the hope that I may continue to be worthy of the esteem of my Comrades.

Sincerely yours in F., C. and L.,

L. E. GRIFFITH.

Report of Wm. M. Scott,
Junior Vice Commander,

JERE. T. DEW,

Adjutant General.

Comrade:

Atlanta, Ga., July 4, 1908.

My report will cover the point in which I have taken a great deal of interest, and to which I have devoted much time in correspondenceof interest and to which I have devoted much time in correspondence— our dead who lie on the battlefields of the South, gathered together in National cemeteries, three hundred thousand, who gave their lives that the country might be saved. Scarcely a home in the North that is not more or less represented by them. Think of it! Three hundred thousand graves to be decorated every year, which work has until now, been done by the small and scattered Posts and kindred organizations in the South.

The cemeteries-very many of them, are remote from the Posts, 20 to 140 miles. The time will soon come for the question: "Who will do this work when the Grand Army is no more?" Who will see that a flower and a sympathetic tear are dropped on these graves each returning Decoration Day? Not the Grand Army, for they will be gone!

Let me paint a picture for you: On the 26th day of April, in the city of Atlanta (Confederate Memorial Day by Legislative enactment), every bank closed its doors, stores closed, schools closed, and the children, one and all-children of Northern as well as Southern parents, all expected to be in the parade, each carrying a little Confederate flag; all the militia, secret orders, college cadets and other civic organizations, and at the head of the procession was a Colonel of the United States Army and his staff with his regiment following, then a regiment of National Guards, and other bodies-all to pay homage to their dead. I honor them for this devotion and loyalty.

Our dead! What of them? In Atlanta on the 30th day of May, we gather together, charter cars, pay excessive rates and with our families go to Marietta-twenty miles away. We gather and buy sufficient flowers to furnish a little tribute to each of the twelve thousand graves, have the appointed service, listen to a patriotic address, and return to our homes saying to ourselves, "again we have done our duty." Committees in the meantime, see that other graves in our city cemeteries and the McPherson Monument are cared for.

The 13,000 graves at Andersonville are cared for by the two Posts from Fitzgerald and the new Post at St. George, Georgia, who travel each way 90 to 140 miles to do this work. This same work is, so far as I can learn, faithfully and loyally looked after in the same manner throughout the South.