The National tribune., 1886-08-19
WORK OF THE NATIONAL ESCAMP-
MENT.


Ii requires no effort TO accept and applaud
all the Legislation of the Twentieth National
Encampment, for it is all thoroughly in
accord with a common-sense view of the re-
quirements of the Order.
The first question the Encampment Crap
pied with was that of seats on the floor,
which was precipitated by the unpleasant
condition Of matters in the Department Of
New York. A bitter struggle and burning
discomfort was avoided by the conlmon-sense
decision to give the regularly-elected Dele
gates and Alternates seats rs far as they were
present and then 10 ill the vacancies by
those elected by the Department Councils of
Administration.
The comrades in the Southern States were
gratifed by having the limits Of time for
holding the National Encampment extended
so as to allow its being held at any time be-
tween April and November.
A merciful rule was adopted to allow the
withdrawal Of an application for member
ship in Post before il was voted upon, if a
majority of those present should agree 10 it.
THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE has urged that
the rule he changed so that when Memorial
Day falls upon Sunday the preceding Satur-
day be celebrated, and this was done upon
the recommendation Of Comrade Gibson, of
the Department of the Potomac.
The vexed question of suspensions was
settled by the adoption Of a rule which pro-
vides that comrades eight months in arrears
for dues shall be suspended from all privi-
leges of membership, unless relieved on &C
coun; OF sickness or misfortune; and when
il months in arrears shall be dropped, unless
relieved, and can only be reinstated by q
two-thirds vote and upon payment of such
sum as the Post may assess; but comrade
whose application for reinstatement has been
rejected may, upon payment of all dues,
receive from the Quartermaster certificate,
which shall state the cause of his being
dropped, whereupon he may make applica-
/ tion to another Post and be received as re-
cruit. The proposition for Retired List
was defeated
The Committee On the Commander-in-
Chiefs address paid well-deserved encomi-
ums to that able paper, and the report was
adopted. This carried with it commenda-
tons of the Woman's Relief Corps and a
strong Endorsement of the Veterans Rights
Union, all of which will be strongly approved
by the great mass Of comrades.
Adj't-Gen. John Cameron and Judge
Advocate General C. H. Grosvenor were very
deservedly complimented upon the manner
in which they had performed the duties of
their Offices
A splendid approval was given the Ma
tional Pension Committee, and this was
merited 10 the utmost. 1t has discharged its
duties with an earnestness tempered by
wisdom and deserving of all praise. 1t
would have been impossible to find in the
ranks Of the GAR, or anywhere else, five
other men more capable of doing wisely and
well all possible TO be done for the country's
soldiers than Comrades Merrill, Wagner,
Kountz, Tanner and Linehan.
The ght-dollar-a-month plan was fully
discussed, and the Encampment listened
patiently to all that its supporters had to say
in behalf of it, and then voted it down by an
overwhelming majority. Conrade Loring
who has been the most conspicuous agitatoi
of the scheme, was so indiscreet as TO ask for
the ayes and noes. and was amazed TO find
that he had only Sc votes TO 327 against
him. This probably puts quietus on that
scheme.
The Order can be proud Of the Twentieth
Annual Encampment In the character and
ability Of its members it has never had {
superior among the great assemblages in The
history Of the country, and its proceeding
were marked by dignity, patriotism, genuine
fraternity, and practical wisdom. The Crane
Army Of the Republics standard has beer
advanced in the eyes Of the whole people
and the Nation is to-day more proud of he
defenders than she ever was. They were no
only valiant beyond all precedent on th
field of battle, but in such gatherings a
these they show themselves TO be of tn
highest order Of tizenship-thoughtfu
, earnest, able, patriotic men, second to n
other men in the Nation in brains and char
2 acter.