Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-04

Mrs. Prentice. the Presidsns, States the Corps
Side Of the Case.

/
ACTION At VARIOUS NATIONAL CONVENTIONS RE.
sPEcrINa THE cHARTER-So DISSOLUTION OF
RELATIONS WITH roronAc CORPS EvEn AsKEr
~ THx DEPARTMENT OF THE POTOMAC, o. A. T.
| To the Editor Of The Evening star:
In justice TO the organization which / repre-
sent statement Of the facts In regard to Poto-
mac Corps seems necessary.
| This corps was organized - auxiliary 10 the
Department Of the Potomac, G. A. r, by the
| direct request of the then department COM
mandef, ]. b Burke, and 8. s. Burdett who waa
commander-in-ctief at that time, think II
| ''H." will carefully read the following extracts
from the proceedings If the fourth and fifth
| national conventions she will have no further
doubt in regard to the special legislation"
Fourth national convention, San Francisco,
| Cal, 1886 Page "a. Special Legislation
lit has been the constant purpose Of the
national president 10 strictly enforce and ad.
here to all previous decisions, one being the
requirement that all corps must be auxiliary
| regard to any wishes Of the members Of said
corps. 1t became my duty to refuse o charter
| &c ladies of Washington, D. c., who made ap-
plication for charter to be auxiliary to all the
posts Of the Department Of the Potomac
| which are all within the limits Of that city. A
the fact that all those posts act through one
general committee on relief its members
being composed Of representatives. from
each post, and the commander suggested
ganized efforts Of women in the relief
work Of the Grand Army there, that the
corps be auxiliary to the department, making
its reports to tho department commander in
stead OF post commander and its relief COM
mittee acting under advice from the general
90 aa n ats ta1 thor in
the only case that can ever come to US whereby
we should bs warranted in making such de-
partnre from our rules and regulations, l
would most earnestly recommend that this con-
vention pass a special act authorizing the
national president to grant charter for a
corps that shall be auxiliary to the Department
of the Potomac, to be known as Potomac He
lief Corps, No. 2. making its reports to the de-
partment commander and paying per capita
tax to national headquarters"
Page l48 i'll report Of committee on presi-
dents address: "(S). As the voice of the conven-
ton has acted upon the authority TO grant a
special charter to the depar tment corps known
AS the Department of the Potomac, it is not
necessary for your committee to take further
advice upon the matter"
Also extracts from journal Of the fifth ma
tionM convention, st. Louis, 1887, page 2s2:
The national president read memorial from
Potomac Corps, claiming representation in
national convention by virtue Of the fact that
the posts by special action of fourth national
convention as department corps, and asking
that No 2 be taken from the name and that
they be known simply as Potomac Corps.
Moved by Mrs. Turner. seconded by Mrs
Rodgers, that on the principle OF no taxation
without representation that every detached
corps in good standing in states where no depart
mentS have been organized and reporting d-
rectly to national headquarters shall be repre-
scented by the corps president and in her abb
sence the senior or junior vice president. Car
ried.
Moved by Mrs. Sherwood and seconded by
Mrs. Brown, that in. view of special privileges
having been bestowed upon Potomac Corps by
national convention that We grant the terms OF
the memorial and direct that the number be re-
moved frcm the corps and that it be simply
known as Potomac Relief Corps. auxiliary to
the Department Of Potomac, q, A. X. Carried.
"On motion of Mrs. Sherwood. seconded by
Mrs. wittenmeyer, the following resolutions
were unanimously adopted.
Whereas the national president, Elizabeth
Darcy Kline, has rendered decisions in con-
nectioI with Potomac Corps in accordance with
rules and regulations governing our order; and
Whereas the special legislation of fourth ma
tional convention bestowed privileges upon Po-
tomac Corps withou. defining its status in the
national order, therefore
'Iesoived, That We sustain the national presi-
dent in her decisions and at the same Tins re-
port such recommendations to national con ven
lions as shall. provide for future representation
in national convention by Potomac Corp..'
Mrs. Peck says: In refusing to come into the
department or attach itself to post it (Poto-
I,i.c Corpse violated the fundamental laws OF
OF the order"
70 show that the corps was not invited to
join the Department W. II. c. and consequently
If the law was violated 1t was not by Potomac
Corps will take few extracts from letter
written by Annie Wittenmeyer. the then ma
tional president. to lose L. Fcrree then presi-