The report was as follows:

HOTEL LAFAYETTE,

LAKE MINNETONKA, MINN., August 14, 1884.

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Your committee appointed for the selection of officers for the ensuing year would respectfully present the following names for the consideration of the Society:

General Clark, chairman of committee to select time and place of next meeting, presented the following report:

HOTEL LAFAYETTE,

LAKE MINNETONKA, August 14, 1884.

GENERAL SHERMAN,

President:

Your committee to whom was referred the selection of the time and place for the next reunion of the Society, have unanimously agreed to recommend Chicago as the place, and the second Wednesday and second Thursday of September, 1885, as the time for the meeting.

It was also unanimously resolved by the committee to recommend to the Society that instructions be given to the local executive committee at Chicago, that it is desired, there be no parade or display of the Society included in the programme of exercises; but that the meeting be confined to the members

of the Army of the Tennessee and their families, for social intercourse and friendly greetings.

In making this recommendation, your committee on behalf of the Society do not fail to recognize our hearty appreciation, the royal welcome and generous hospitality of the citizens of the several cities in which the reunions have been held.

W. T. CLARK,

Chairman.

The President:-Gentlemen, you have heard the report of your committee on the selection of the time and place of the next annual meeting, designating Chicago as the place, and the second Wednesday and Thursday of September, 1885 as the time. That will make it in the middle of the week, convenient for coming and going. Are you ready to act upon this report?

Captain Lanstrum moved the report be adopted.

General Sexton:-Mr. President, I would ask if this report excludes members of sister societies. It sounded so to me as it was read.

General Clark, (chairman of the committee):-Of course those would come in upon invitation. They always come in.

The President:-The question is whether this intends to change the custom.

General Clark:-Oh no, sir; by no means. You will find the words "kindred societies" scratched out; they always come in by invitation.

General Sexton:-That instructs them out, as I understand it. General Clark:-That is not the intention at all.

General Sexton:-I think members of the Society ought to be authorized to invite members of kindred societies. I move to amend by inserting the clause "members of kindred societies only."

The Secretary:-I think, Mr. President, that this question is covered by the third article of our constitution, it says: "honoring the glorious achievements of our brothers in arms belonging to other armies, whose services have contributed in an equal degree in the re-establishment of our government, and desiring to draw closer to them in the bonds of social feeling, the President, or either of the vice-presidents of this Society, shall be authorized to invite the attendance of any officer of the United States Army at any of our annual meetings."

The President:-Gentlemen, that appears to be embraced in the very organic law of our Society, and probably was so construed by the committee.

General Clark:-Yes, sir.

The President:-Therefore leaving it unnecessary for inserting a clause of this kind.

General Sexton:-Mr. President, it seems to me, if the local committee follow the instructions there given, it would prevent their inviting anybody; it leaves the matter exclusively with the officers. I insist on my amendment.

The President:-Gentlemen, the amendment is now before you. The proposed amendment is to insert these words,-"members of kindred societies only."

General Hamilton:-Mr. President, if it be in order, I would move an amendment to that amendment, that the words be "and such guests as may be invited by proper authority." (Cries of "No, no.")

The President:-I would rather take the sense of the Society on the first one, and then a farther amendment will be in order. Are you ready for the question? (Calls of "Question,") Those who favor the amendment as read will say aye, contrary nay. The amendment is carried. Now General Hamilton, if you have any farther amendment to move, I shall be most happy to present it to the Society.

General Hamilton:-I have no motion to make, sir.

The President:-The understanding is that the constitution of our Society enables the officers of the Society to invite any man who participated in the war belonging to other societies, that of the Potomac, the James, the Cumberland, the Cavalry or anything. General Hamilton:-Well, if Blaine should be elected, could he be invited?

The President:-No, I don't think he could, under our constitution; Mr. Blaine did not serve with arms.

General Hamilton:-Then, Mr. President, I propose that the amendment be made to read in this way: "and such guests as may be invited by proper authority."

General Belknap:-Mr. Chairman, I hope that for once, in the history of our Society, the members will direct that we have a

meeting of the Society of the Army of the Tennessee. (Applause.) The President:-I understand the remarks of General Belknap to be adverse to the new proposition?

General Belknap:-- Yes, sir.

The President:-Well, that proposition is now before us for discussion. I shall be happy to hear from any gentleman.

General Sanborn:-I move, Mr. President, that instead of "proper authority" we insert the words "officers of the Society." The President:-That is already provided for in the constitution.

General Sanborn:-I think, Mr. President, that we want to get at this thing exactly right. I believe the report would be in far better shape without this amendment-"guests belonging to other societies only."

The President:-That amendment has been already adopted. General Sanborn:-I think that is too rigid. Now, if the President of the United States should happen to come to a city or to a hotel where this Society is holding a meeting, he could not be invited without the violation of our rules. That is too rigid; the report was right as it was, and I think the amendment ought to go out, and I therefore move a reconsideration.

The President:-Well, did you vote for the first amendment? General Sanborn:-Well, there is no record as to how I voted [laughter]; I don't think it can be proved that I didn't. [Laughter.]

General Hamilton:-Mr. President, would you be kind enough to read that report over again, so we can hear and understand it? General Sexton:-Mr. President, I take it that that is simply an instruction to the local committee in Chicago and not to the offi

cers.

The President:-The constitution, of course, is a binding rule to the officers of the Society, and this will go to the local committee in Chicago as a rule of action for them. We are now acting as the full Society of the Army of the Tennessee, and the rules this body adopts will govern the action of the local committee at Chicago.

The President then read the report of the committee as amended. General Sanborn:-Mr. President, I came in while this report

was being read; I think, upon hearing it read, that it is all right as it is now; it is satisfactory to me.

General M. Miller:-Mr. President, I think it is highly important that this committee should have some special instructions, because I remember that there was a meeting at Chicago once before, and I know of my own knowledge that while some of the members of the Society were put away up in the top of the theatre, the main body of the house was filled with citizens, who had, by some means, obtained the advantage of location.

Captain McCaully;-Mr. President, as a member of the committee and a resident of Chicago, and having served there on several occasions and been "snowed under," I desire that this resolution or report shall mean something. The committee in Chicago will need it. I don't like to have any amendments made-I think the resolution now covers just what we want there, and it goes as an instruction to the local committee.

General Noble:-Mr. President, I want to ask just one question -if the case that has been presented here should happen, that Mr. Blaine should be in the city of Chicago on the occasion of our next meeting, is there any reason now, according to our constitution, why he could not be invited to attend by the President of this Society or any of the Vice-Presidents?

The President:-I think the invitations must be limited to officers of the United States Army.

General Belknap:-Suppose Cleveland should be elected, what would become of him?

The President:-He would not be there, I will promise you that. [Laughter.]

Captain Barber:-If Blaine is elected, he will then be the commander-in-chief of the army; he will then be in the Army of the United States. That meets the proposition; if elected he can be invited. (Calls of "Question! question!")

The President:-We will read the constitution again.

The Secretary:-The first part of this third article of the constitution is not relevant to the question before us, so I commence in the middle of it: Honoring the glorious achievements of our brothers in arms belonging to other armies, whose services have contributed in an equal degree in the re-establishment of our