The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-04-08

| DELAWARE
Peter b. Ayars. Wilmington: Please allow me the
privilege OF replying to the wonderful article oil
w. 3 McNair's in your issue OF March ., 1856 No
one regrets more than this whole controversy and
the fact OF having to continue it; but your 2OnoU
readers must be enabled to judge between US and
that they might do riChteously, now append
the following facts. McNair tips his hat to the
readers of THE TRIBUNE rs Gen. w. s. McNair,
the frs: Department Commander OF Delaware, and
go he was; and he might have added the last tinie)
FOR Billy never VIII be again lie further tells you
that he Assistant Adiutan General for the Pro-
visional Department Commander Rob't G. Frame,
and he was and declare through this office he
foised himself upon the Grand Army of Della
ware as their first Department Commander How?
Mr.. Frame, a lawyer by profession. perfect gem
teman, with hosts of friends personally and poti-
cay had long the necessity and the great good
that would accrue TO the eX-soldiers and sailors OF
Delaware to have Thorn organized together where
their interests being idcnticall might be better
cared for Mr.. Fraimes warm heart for the sol
der had often been touched by their Appeals 10
him in their sorrows and troubles He had for
some time previous to his own Post NO. u being
organized been in correspondence with the late
Gen. Earnshaw, then Commander-in-Ch Chief OF the
GAR, concerning the organization of the Order
in Delaware. Commander Earnshaw gave MN
whatever instructions were necessary and advised
him to have Gen. Wagner, then Commander OF the
Department of Pennsylvania, muster in Post NO.
l, which he did little over five years ago Com
mander Earushaw at once commissioned MN
(Fraimel Provisional Commander OF Delaware, IN
which capacity he served most faithfully Tor 10
months organizing in that time Posts Nos. i, 2, "a,
and g. more than enough to give usa Department
in own little State and they stand to-day the best
Posts of the Department. 1t seemed to be an under
stood thing that for this splendid service Comrade
Frame should be the first Department Commander,
because il was n well known fact that the title OF
Provisional Dept Commander brought with II no
voice right in any particular in the National En-
campment. Delegates were chosen, the time ana
place named, and our first Encampment was held
At the nomination for Commander to the surprise
of the city delegates McNar's name was placed In
nomination This man had come among us from
somewhere up on the backbone Of the Mountains OF
Pennsylvania. entire stranger. He presented
himself at the preliminary meeting of Post No. l.
and went down on their charter. On that same
night he made his stercotyped speech, captivated
the big heart of fraime and he made HIM ms AS
sstant Adjutant- General; and for thus bringing
him out of obscurity, thereby giving him some
status and standing in this community, he now
arrayed himself against him, and by intrigue,
chiCauery and secret dealings with the dele
gates outside the city, he was made the nrst
Department Commander OF Delaware. The En-
campment Disguised This is the man who
says " Comrade Ayars 4. /. q. Of Delaware, tries
feet Off the ground. The trouble, Mr. Editor
with him is that like the ordinary gamn OF our
streets, he has flown his kite too high; he
has got her up in the tree-tops, and pro-
pose to help him get her down. The lit
tie Bantam is great stickler, and he stcks
TO il that his report of the proceedings OF the last
Encampment of this Department Is n paragon
of perfection. Let He declares to you that
Past Department Commander Ross offered reso-
luton calling attention to the fact of the nisrepre-
sentation OF the Assistant 1nspector-eneral In his
report TO National headquarters, and that alter an
Acknowledgement by Comrade Ayars that 1t was
misrepresentation, he (Ross) Withdrew his reso-
luton. Now, sir, on the honor Of soldier, de-
clare this statement to be utter fasehood. The
minutes do not show anywhere that such resoiu-
ton was offered withdrawn. No man who
at that Encampment, who cares a straw Tor
his reputation, will ayouch its being a fact; and
defy McNair to produce the resolution. What
was done was this: Mr.. Ross Past Department
Commander, came 10 me a few days before the
Eucampment and asked me If did not think 1t
reflected somewhat against the Past DepaTtnent
Commander, and frankly said thought II did. "a
man with an eve and a half shot out could see that
/ then told him that had thought of doing
them An injustice, but that had simply answered
n list of II questions submitted to me by the
Inspector-General and that as an honest man
l was forced to answer them honestly, as L found
the answers at Headquarters which did. At the
bottom of these Il questions this request viz
"If you know of anything else that would be OF
interest to these Headquarters, please state it, At
the Encampment Coinrade Ross stated that he had
this talk with me, and that he did not believe that
] wanted to do him any other Past Department
Commander wrong; and held slip OF paper IN
his fingers, saying that a resolution ought to be
offered, that something ought TO be DONE to set
them straight at Headquarters. then asked the
privilege of making statement, which was grant
ed. turned TO page 81 of the Proceedings OF the
18th Annual Encampment and read the synopsis
of my report as il appeared, and frankly stated
that never intended the two letters to thus APP
pear; but that the Past Department Commander
had been Department Commander. Assistant Adj
iutant- General and Assistant Quartermaster-Gen-
eral. ready to prove, not that these officers
not qualified TO perform their dnties but they
them, or show how well they could perform the
duties of their offices furthermore stated to the
Encampment that l would write to Headquarters
and say TO them that / intended nothing personal
against any Past Department Commander, and
that did not mean to include the Council of Adj
pinistratiop, because any man having an idea
above an oyster, knows that there certain du-
ties devoving upon the Council of Administration
that they must pass upon in the Department, and
thatthey cannot be ignored by the Department Com
mander. whether he would or not. So the matter
ended. McNar taking no part in the case, only to
say that he did not feel badly about 1t, and had
never given it any Thought indeed, did not CON
slider the matter worth talking about How Billy
has changed his mind since thenl 1t has risen be-
fore him, imagine, i'll his dreams and, like BAN
quo's ghost will not down.
FLORIDA
We have received the roster of this Department
for 1886. 1t is neatly printed and gives full inor-
nation in regard TO this young and vigorous De-
parinent, which now embraces Ill Posts.
ILLINOIS,
II. Woodwork, Moline: Post No. 3l2 at its last
meeting mustered i'll Is recruits, running up its
membership to 80 comrades. After the mastering
ceremony very enjoyable time was had by the
comrades who partic pated in banquet.
H w. NJ" Mnquon: In january last we Or
gained Post No 5o2 a; this place with - charter
members. The mastering ceremonies were per-
formed by Comrade j. w. Burch, of En1wood,
| sisted by other comrades We have every prospect
OF first-cass Post in the near future The follow
ing officers were chosen: Commander, l.. J. Dawdy;
S.V. C., }. II. Gay; J.V. c. III. NJ. Richards; o. d.,
Thomas A. Clark; O. G. 1 David Bartlett; Surg
Hereinafter: Adj't, ii. w. McRin; S. NJ, Adam
Kinsor; @ NJ. s. VIM. G. Sergeant.
INDIANA
Geo. T. Jenkins, West Fork: Officers of Russell
Post, No. 55i: Commander, Geo. Il. Jenkins; S. v.
G., Jacob Iolley; j. v G.; John A. Chopot; o. d.,
VIM. NJ. Sprinkle; q. NJ, VIM. III. Armstrong;
Chap, James ii. Eaton; Adjt, James w. Duflin;
Surg, VIM. H. Ballington; s. NJ, Ebenezer M.Van
Wrinkle; o. Co. Benjamin f. Wseman; Q. NJ s.,
Absalom Carr.
IOWA.
John L. Swartz, Iowa Falls: Officers of Charles
! Payne Post. No. i'll: S. V. c. Z. X. Cakins j. v.
c., c. A. Bliss; o. D.. L. N. Norton; Q. NJ, T. J.
| O. Mc(iowan; o. g., ID. s. Downy Chap, A. NJ.
| CALDWELL Commander r. J. Evans; Adjt, John
! J.. Swartz; S. NJ, l.. f. Stoddard; q. NJ. ST. J.
! Brewer.
Joseph Morris, Montezuma: Officers of Wisner
| Post No. l27: Commander, John w. Wilson; >. "
c., W. J. johnson; J. V. C., f. A. Wheeler; Surg,
| J. W H. Vest Chap, Fred Zorn; q. NJ, A. r.
| Reyburn; Adj't, A. T. Underwood; o. D., George
w WIItse; o. G., Joseph Morris; q. NJ. s.. A. NAL
comb s. N, A, A. Bryan.
KANSAS
J. +. HoaeIand, Whiting: Officers of n. p. Page
| Post, No. 1873: Commander. j. +. Hoagland; >. V.
| e., Stephen Bremen; j. " C., George Il. Stoner ;
| Adit John Lentz; q. NJ James Fritz; o. d., G. b.
| Hayes; o. e.. stephen III. -
MASSACHUSETTS
! w w. Reed, South Peabody: Officers of Union
| Post No. 80: Commander. Frank Il, Farnum; s. "
! C., 7. Il. Jackman; J. V. c., &. II. Linehan Adjt
| Geo. +. Barns q. NJ, VIM. +. Sumner; Surg, Dr.
| C. G. Pike; Chap, j. X. Cole; o. d., S. q. South
wick O. O., john Mcdonald; y. NJ, g. i. Hutch
inson; q. NJ. s., ED. Macon.
MISSOURI