Excerpt from Extracts From Address of Department Commander Samuel S. Burdett, at the 15th Annual Encampment of the Department of the Potomac, Grand Army of the Republic: Held at Washington, D. C., January 30, 1883 If it were an open question, it wotlltl be worth while discussing the point as to whether or not the badge, and the badge only, is not a satfieient designation for public as well as Post occasions. Many prefer not to uniform, and many hesitate to incur the cost, (small though it is.) But it is not an open question. It is set tled. The rule is that we are to wear on proper oeeasions a pre scribed dress. On all accounts, therefore, every reasonable effort should be used to induce all comrades to supply themselves. There is some objection to wearing the cap, some preferring the hat. I see no serious objection to permitting eaeh Post to settle that question, and I suggest the wisdom of considering as well whether it would not be advisable to assess a small per capita tax to form a fund to be offered as a prize to the Post that shall, during the coming year add most largely to its uniformed mem bership. The fund oould be used to aid comrades in straightened eirenmstanees to pay for their uniforms or otherwise, as the win ning Post should desire. These are suggestions which the E11 eampment may well consider, and Which are perhaps worth the attention of a committee. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.