The Washington critic., 1890-02-05
MILITIAMEN In SESSION.
MEETING or THE NATIONAL GUARD
ASSOCIATION THIS MORNING.

Maneuvers of tho Regular Army
President Wingate's Address.
Eighty-two delegates, representing
twenty five States, two Territories and
the District Of Columbia, assembled in
the tea room Of Willard's Hotel
this morning for the pur-
pose of attending the meeting of
the National Guards Association of the
United States. General Wingate Of
New York, the president of the associa-
ton, presided, and, after calling the
meeting to order OF 10 o'clock, stated
the object of the meeting in his opening
address.
GENERAL wfNeATE's ADDRESS.
After referring to the opposition, the
apathy and the indifference with which
the National Guard had had to contend
for years, General Wingate said that
decided change had taken place, and
sinccthe last conventional in 1885 they had
been able 20 induce Congress TO increase
the annual appropriation for the militia
from 5000 600 to $400, ,900 He next
| referred at length TO the importance Of
the National Guard, and the great SER
Vice 1t has rendered to the country. II
was reproach to our system Of gov
| ernment that men who, without com
| pensation, leave.their families and busi-
ness at the call Of duty, and endure
wounds and even death, should be
treated with the GOODNESS and indiffer-
! ence which Is their usual reward
! He believed that II wise, conserva-
tive course be adopted there Is but lit
tie doubt that important reforms can be
accomplished at the present session of
| Congress. In conclusion, he said:
| We must not forget, gentlemen, that our
meeting upon this occasion is not en-
| tirely to discuss questions Of Con-
gressionar legislation. We are here
| to learn from the experiences Of
| the different States everything that
we can, that will tend to elevate the Ma
tional Guard of all. With true American
enterprise the bright, energetic officers Of
the different States, not tied to precedent,
but able to know good thing when they
| see It, are constantly trying new methods,
and frequently with brilliant results.
Now is the time and place for us to hear
from them, and / have no doubt that the
| discussions upon the subjects that have been
proposed will be of substantial value in our
attempts to bring the National Guard OF the
| entire country into such an efficient cOndi-
tion that both the States and the nation
| may rely upon 1t with confidence as a safe
protector in time Of need.
GENERAL oRDwAY's MOTION.
A motion by General Ordway of the
District of Columbia to appoint com
| mittee of five to examine and recon-
mend any changes deemed necessary in
the Henderson bill, gave rise to long
and animated discussion. An amend
ment by Gen. Burchard Of Wisconsin
to increase the committee to five was
lost. General Dalton of Massachusett:
offered an amendment that the com
mittee consist of one delegate from
each State represented. After quit,
number of speeches for ant
against this measure, the amendmen
was lost, and General Ordway's motion
prevailed. The chair then appointed
the following committee: General Ord
way, District of Columbia Colone
Rice, Illinois; General Porter, New
York; General Hastings, Pennsylvania
and Colonel Jones, Alabama.
GENERAL PECK RISES.
Adjutant- General 7. S. Peck of Yer
mont moved that an invitation be ex
tended to the President and Vice Presi
dent, the Secretaries of War and tn,
Navy, the Chief of Ordnance, the Quar-
| termaster. General of the Army, and tn
Governors of the States who may be il
the CITY to attend the meeting of tn
association, and that they also b,
elected honorary members. Carried.
Another motion by General Peel
which was adopted was one invitin!
all officers of the U. S. Army and Nav,
in the city to attend the meetings of tn
association.
THE HENDERSON BILL.
General Rogers called attention to th
fact that there were before Congress
two bills of great interest to nationa
guardsmen in addition to the Hendel
SON. bill, namely bill to defn
and establish sea-coast reserv
and one regarding appointments to tn
! army from civil life. He moved tina
both of these be referred to the Com
mittee on Legislation. Carried.
On motion of General Anthony o
South Carolina the following CON
mittee of five was appointed to nomi
| nate officers: Generals Glenn, Mort
Carolina; Peck. Vermont; Kenny
Delaware; Cole, Nebraska, and Colone
Cowper, New York.
General Maury of North Carolin
, moved that resolution of condolenc
in his recent bereavement be forwarde
to Secretary Tracy. This was unan
imously adopted.
TOPICS DISCUSSED.
The first topic of discussion, as al
nonnced in the call for the meeting
was then taken up. 1t is as follows
Assuming that Congress passes tn
bill providing for volunteers from tb
militia participating in the annui
practice rules of the army, how man
. men would be likely to volunteer frol
your State? What method would yo
: recommend to select and organic
themY'
Col. Jones, Alabama, said there wa
great Indifference regarding the que'
! ton in his State, and 1t would be a
most impossible to get any respectabl
! number to volunteer. h
Major Burnett, Connecticut, said til
matter had not been canvassed in Ii
} State, but he thought, no doubt, tiy
, companies conld be got together for
national encampment. ~
> Adiutant. General Kenny, Del
| ware, said that out of the 900 or 81
militiamen in his State 1t was safe
say that 100 men might be found to vo
J unteer for this service. The great diff
lculty was that most of them would fin
il difficult TO leave their employment.
Il Colonel Curtis said Montana would
1 always ready to furnish its.full quota
It General Vance, Illinois, thought h
? State would probably furnish muC
t larger number Of volunteers than
+ quota.
S | Colonel Turner, Illinois, stated tn
/ 80 per cent of the Illinois militiam'
f would be ready to answer to the call.
J. General Gleason, Iowa, spoke to Il
4 / snlnn nffnct rnmardinm his State al