The National tribune., 1886-04-01
OFIaI0NS ON GRAND kRMY RULES.
By PAST OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES r Rr.r

| By PAST CoMNASDEE-IS CHIEF r. B. BEArH
lNoTicE-lnquiries on Grand Army matters Of
/ answered IN this column by Past Conmandsr-In-
Chief Beath. Ii will be of course Understood thah
i are simply personal or in the way of
| other. Questions requiring official answers must
be submitted to the proper authorities.l
CONSOLIDATION OF POSTS
When two Posts are consolidated do The post
/ Commanders of the Post losing its number retain
membership in the Department Eucampmcntf
| They do in such Departments rs admit Past Post
Commanders TO membership They are practically
transferred to the older Post as Past Post Conn
manders
! PERsoSAL-In the pressure of business during
the past two months some inquiries may have been
overlooked. Ii such is the case request the conn
rades to send n copy of their queries to THE NA-
| TIoSAL TRIBUNE.
| APPLICATION AND LOST DISCHARGE.
| eoinrade in Altoona, Oak presents the follow
| ing:
person makes application for membership In
the GAR, stating that he has lost his discharge
anu mas no certificate from the Adjutant- Generals
| Oihce OF the state from which he enlisted Is he
Would the fact of his having a pension certificate
be sufficient evidence to warrant admitting him?
The Rules and Regulations do not require the
| applicant TO submit his discharge papers, but the
| Committee is directed to make careful investga-
tion of the facts set forth in the application; they
Shtiil see applicant IN person, and shall
mend his election or rejection" The responsibility
OF deciding on the eligibility of applicant is thus
placed directly upon the Investigating Committee
| while the manner of procedure of arriving at a
conclusion is left to their own judgment.
In the absence of the discharge the statement of
comFade in good standing that he knew of his
| own knowledge that the applicant was honorabIy
mustered out, because they had served together
| and were discharged at the same time would be-
wi Il ~,
testimony as to that fact. They might also be con-
Vinced II shown the applicant is pensioner and
! presume from that his service and honorable dis
| charge.
| This matter, however, Is so important that no
| Committee should feel warranted in accepting any
| statement from the applicant not corroborated by
| proper certificates.
| 1t may be assumed that any one who has waited
all these years before joining the Grand Army will
| not be injured by waiting few weeks longer until
application can be made to the Adjutant General of
the State or Of the War Department for the proper
| certificate. While under the Rules the Committee
is permitted to judge of the facts for its report the
| safe r'ie is to demand the documents in all eases
| Observation-Disclosures on NIGHT OF MAKING
APPLICATION.
j. IL man deserted from the ReruIr service he
fore the and enlisted i'm the volunteer service
at the outbreak of the war, and during such enlist
Inent purposely shot off part of his hand and also
/
2. Can u committee on application report the
applicant eligible and have hiln mustered all In one
| meeting night!
L. The mans desertion before the war; or shoot
Ing his wife during since the war do not affect
his eligibility to membership in the GAR
His self mutilation might certainly have affected
his eligibility by preventing his honorable dis
charge, but it must be assumed the alleged facts
were not proven and that he received an honorable
discharge. If so, he is eligible.
1t does not follow, however that every ono
technically eligible must be admitted The mere
Statement in the Post room that such things
could be said against applicant would render his
election impossible 1t is not conceivable that any
Post would elect such one to membership, and 10
Is easier to assume that the comrae may have been
totally misled as to the allegations
2 The mustcr-in of applicant on the night
his application is presented is roid unless dis
pensation had been duly granted by the Depart.
ment Commander but that is not precisely the case
presented though assume it was so intended.
The committee could present their report and
the applicant be mustered on the same evening"
referred at previous meeting.
DETAIL BY P. C.
Jersey" asks: Has z. c. the right to detail
comrades to serve in positions when the regularly
elected officers are present and ready to perform
their duties?
On general principles the p. G. has no such au-
thority. He may detail all officers and committees
not otherwise provided for and could temporarily
provide for any vacancies