very choice of the delegation is the delegate-at-large. You place the name of the alternate-at-large opposite the name of the delegate-at-large. If the delegate-at-large is absent, of course the alternate-at-large takes her place. If the delegate-at-large is not there, and the alternate-at-large is not there, I should just go on down the line.

"What line? was asked.

Mrs. Wittenmyer: The line of alternates. It would prevent a great deal of confusion. I think the alternate-at-large should fill the first vacancy and go on down the line just that way.

Mrs. Turner: If the delegate-at-large is not present, and the alternate-at-large is not present, then there is a vacancy below

them.

Mrs. Wittenmyer: Mrs. President, I don't believe that I have made it plain. I move that we strike out the word only.

Mrs. Turner: That is exactly what we don't want.

Mrs. Turner then read from the Rules and Regulations, Section 3, Article V., Chapter III.

Mrs. Turner: This is the recommendation which provides that when the delegate-at-large is absent, then the alternate-atlarge takes her place, and if the delegate-at-large and the alternateat-large are both absent, then the first delegate elected takes the place of the delegate absent.

Mrs. Hampton: We now have as many alternates as we have delegates. This delegate and alternate business was dreadfully witched up several years ago. I spent weeks getting it as it is now, and at the sixth Convention it was adopted as it is now, and I am sorry to see it broken in upon and changed. We have an alternate for every delegate and delegate-at-large. We have these anyway. Those others are really one more, giving us really one more than we are entitled to in that case. This is simply complimentary. They also have the same in the Grand Army of the Republic, and it entitles us to one more vote in Convention, and especially bringing the work back in better order. It seems to me that everything is now in good condition, and if we make another change we will confuse our people, and it will perhaps take us three or four years to get it into their heads; and I think very many changes in these Rules and Regulations are so very confusing that the Departments do not know half the time where they are or what they are doing.

National President: If you will pardon me I would like to make a statement. There has been no question which has come to National Headquarters more frequently than this very one you are now discussing. The question is, Who will represent the delegate-at-large if the delegate-at-large and the alternate-at-large are both absent? It comes to us time after time and it certainly is very much misunderstood.

Mrs. Craig: The one effect that it must have will be to throw the alternate-at-large out of the line of succession in case the delegate-at-large is present. If we can make them thoroughly understand that the alternate-at-large is dropped from the line of succession if the delegate-at-large is present, it would be all right; but I am not in favor of the recommendation.

Mrs. Thorpe of Oregon: If the delegate-at-large has not the preference, why do you elect a delegate first? I received more than two-thirds vote of the Department Convention, and the delegate-at-large was elected afterward. She was a candidate for delegate. Why do we elect a delegate before the delegate-atlarge?

Mrs. Hampton: The delegate-at-large comes first on the list of representation and of course must be elected first. If any Department does not elect the delegate-at-large first it does wrong.

Mrs. Gwilt of Oregon: I think if an explanation was made on the occasion of the position that the delegate-at-large holds in our Department, it would practically do away with this question. Our delegate from Oregon has labored under an immense mistake ever since her election. I tried to explain that the delegate-atlarge was the first representative, but she did not seem to understand it. And I think there are others in this Convention who misunderstand it in the same way, and I think that an explanation should be made that would settle the point forever.

Mrs. Thorpe of Oregon: Mrs. President, that is not the question. I was not elected delegate-at-large. I was elected delegate. I did not want this lady's honors.

National President: You were unquestionably elected delegate-at-large if you were elected before the other delegate.

Mrs. Wallace of Illinois: Mrs. President, this resolution came last Convention from Massachusetts, and was referred to a committee for special consideration. Mrs. Hampton has made one point quite in favor of it when she says that the delegate-at

large was only a complimentary position. Then is it right to have two complimentary positions in one Convention, and deprive a regularly elected alternate of one? Delegates are elected according to the number, seven hundred to a delegate, the delegate-at-large representing the entire Department. This change proposes that if the delegate-at-large was present, the alternate-atlarge could have no voice in the Convention, but when a vacancy occurred that would be filled from the regular elected alternates. Furthermore, the election of the delegate-at-large is supposed to have the highest number of votes. Therefore, in her absence, and the State having twelve or fourteen delegates, it would seem quite right and reasonable, supposing a vacancy having occurred, that it could be filled by the first delegate who was the next choice of the Convention. Now, it does not affect anything, as I can see, except some opinions in the Red Book, and if you just settle this in a simple fashion, the alternate-at-large will fill the vacancy of the delegate-at-large, and in the absence of both, the first delegate on the list present at Convention will serve as delegate-at-large.

Mrs. Gwilt: If the delegate-at-large and the alternate-atlarge both have a voice in the Convention, does the alternate-atlarge take the first vacancy in the Convention?

Mrs. Turner: This resolution comes into this Convention, as you can see, unanimously adopted by the Department of Massachusetts.

National President: Ladies, a delegation from the Department of Indiana Grand Army of the Republic are in waiting.

Business was suspended, on motion, and the comrades admitted. National President: Ladies, allow me to have the very great pleasure of introducing to you the Department Commander of Indiana and these comrades from my own home. Ladies, salute.

National President: Commander Dodge, it gives me very great pleasure to welcome you to the Fifteenth National Convention of the Woman's Relief Corps, because you have so nobly and so fearlessly stood by our organization and announced it as the only recognized auxiliary of the Grand Army of the Republic. I welcome you and all these comrades.

Department Commander Dodge: I come to you this afternoon at the request of the Department of Indiana. We left our Encampment in session, but it was important that the little message that I bring you should be brought now. The Grand Army of

the Republic, the Department of Indiana, recognizes the Woman's Relief Corps as being the right hand and the heart and the helpmeet of the Grand Army of the Republic, and there is no room in our hearts for any rival organization. I have said enough upon this subject. You will pardon us if we talk especially of your President, for she comes from Indiana, and we comrades are proud of our great State. She has given to the country many great statesmen; not only that, but she has given to this country some of the best women the nation ever had. She gave you your President for the past year, and we come to say that we are proud of Mrs. Agnes Hitt, we of the Grand Army of the Republic, and as a slight token of our regard for her, her worth as a true woman, and her worth as a true representative of the Woman's Relief Corps, and as an evidence of the faith we have in Mrs. Hitt, we desire to present to her this slight memento as a token of the respect and appreciation of the Department of Indiana, Grand Army of the Republic. We thank you.

National President: Comrades, I am in a position where words fail. My dear old native State of Indiana is the dearest thing to me of almost anything else in the world, and to be shown this kindness and consideration, and to hear from you such words of commendation closes my lips, and I can only say that from my heart I thank you for this expression of your regard.

Mrs. Sherwood: Mrs. President. All the afternoon we have been hearing from the Detached Corps of the South, from our sisters who come from where the color line is so strong. Now, I have the pleasure of introducing to you one of the first volunteers south of the Mason and Dixon's line, one of the brave colored soldiers who fought under General Butler at New Orleans, Col. James E. Lewis.

National President: Ladies, salute!

Colonel Lewis: Mrs. President and Ladies of the Woman's Relief Corps. This honor was thrust upon me by my esteemed friend, Mrs. Sherwood. I merely came within the door desiring to see the hall, and not with the intention of saying anything. As Mrs. Sherwood said, I have seen service in the command of General Butler. I raised a regiment of colored men in 1862, and yesterday we had a flag in line that was borne by that regiment in 1863. I can do no less than aid my wife, who organized the first colored Corps in the South, through the kindness of

Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer, God bless her! Mrs. President, with this I take my leave, and I take pleasure in thanking you for this honor.

Mrs. Clark of Ohio: I move that the morning session tomorrow convene at half-past eight. Seconded by Mrs. Bell of Wis

consin.

After discussion the motion was carried.

National President: Ladies, the hour has arrived that has been set apart for the services in remembrance of our Past National President, Mrs. Mink, and our Senior Vice-President, Mrs. Hasenwinkle.

Moved by Mrs. Nichols of New York and seconded by Mrs. Sloan of New York, that we proceed to the memorial services. [Carried.]

The conductor announced that Major Mink and Mr. Hasenwinkle and daughter were waiting at the door.

National President: Ladies, Major Mink, Mr. Hasenwinkle and his daughter are in waiting. I will ask the Reception Committee to escort them to the platform.

National President: We will open these exercises by singing two verses of "Rock of Ages."

National President: National Secretary, for what purpose was this meeting called?

National Secretary: To pay our tribute of respect to the memory of our deceased sisters.

National President: Have you a record of any special service which our sisters rendered to the defenders of the Union during or since the War of the Rebellion?

National Secretary: I have their records as follows :

Sarah C. Mink served as Department President of New York and also served as National President of the Woman's

Relief Corps. Mrs. Hasenwinkle served her term as Department President, and almost one year as National Senior VicePresident of the Woman's Relief Corps.

National President directed that this record be spread upon the minutes of the Convention.

Solo by Mrs. Belle C. Harris of Kansas.

Prayer by National Chaplain.

National President: We will now listen to a tribute to Mrs. Mink prepared by Mrs. Ellen M. Putnam of New York.