So far, then, as the Great West is concerned, there can be but one sentiment-there can be no compromise at the expense of the Union; there can be no settlement of pending difficulties except on the basis of the Constitution and the union of the States. The constitutional rights of no loyal citizen are to be impaired. The domestic and social policy of no State is to be invaded. The constitutional powers of the General Government are to be sustained, not to be enlarged. It is war for the Union, and not for the subjugation of States. As a Democrat, and a citizen of the dominant section, I would hail with joy any proposition for compromise and peace coming from the people of the States the wild ambition of whose leaders has plunged the nation into the horrors of civil war, and for the time crushed the Union sentiment of the South. I would insist that the Government should meet such propositions, springing from a returning sense of patriotism and honor, in a spirit of magnanimity, of conciliation, and kindness. I would only demand, sir, that the misguided people of the South should submit, not to the supremacy of the North, or to the force of military power, or to new forms of government, but to the majesty of the Constitutionthe Constitution as it was made by their and our fathers; and until that auspicious hour shall come, sir, the Army of the Union, following the flag of the Republic wherever it shall be unfurled, cannot with honor return their swords to their scabbards or turn their thoughts upon the sweet blessings of peace.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. I move that the committee rise, with a view to close debate on this bill. The motion was agreed to.

So the committee rose; and the Speaker having resumed the chair, Mr. McCLERNAND reported that the Committee of the Whole on the state of

the Union had had, according to order, the Union generally under consideration, and particularly House bill No. 36, to increase the efficiency of the volunteer forces of the United States, and had come to no conclusion thereon.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. I move that the rules be suspended, and the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union; and before that question is put, I move that debate be closed on the bill now pending in committee, in one minute after its consideration shall be resumed.

The latter motion was agreed to.

The motion to go into committee was agreed to. The House accordingly resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, (Mr. McCLERNAND in the chair.)

The Clerk proceeded with the reading of House bill No. 36, to increase the efficiency of the volunteer forces of the United States.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. In line twelve I move to insert "nor less than sixty-four;" so that the section will read:

Each regiment of infantry to consist of not less than two nor more than three battalions, as the exigencies of the public service may, in the opinion of the President of the United States, demand; each battalion to consist of eight companies; each company to consist of one captain, one first and one second lieutenant, one first sergeant, four sergeants, eight corporals, two musicians, and as many prtvates, not exceeding eighty-two nor less than sixty-four, as the President of the United States may, according to the requirements of the military service, direct.

Then the law will fix the maximum and minimum number of men in a company. Unless the amendment is adopted, we may have a regiment all officers and without men.

The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. In that part of the bill providing for the new regiments of cavalry, I move that it shall be so amended as to provide that a company shall not exceed seventy-two men nor be less than sixty-four.

The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. I move that that part of the bill in reference to artillery companies shall be so amended as to provide that they shall not exceed one hundred and twenty-two men nor be less than one hundred.

The amendment was agreed to.
Mr. VALLANDIGHAM.

out these words:

I move to strike

"Each regiment of infantry to consist of not less than two nor more than three battalions as the exigencies of the publie service may, in the opinion of the President of the United States, demand."

Mr. Chairman, I am not a military man by education, nor have I had any actual experience in military affairs. It has been my purpose throughout life, however, from reading history and from observation, to gather whatever I could upon the subject. As I understand this, it proposes a radi. cal change in the organization of the United States Army. It proposes a very large increase in the number of men in a regiment. It provides that it is to consist of not less than two nor more than three battalions, making a minimum of over three thousand men to a regiment, according to my hasty estimate.

A MEMBER. Twenty-four hundred only. Mr. VALLANDIGHAM. This is according to the French system, I presume. In the French army it has been found to work well in actual service. France is a nation of soldiers. War has been her occupation for many centuries. There is no country where military science has been brought to greater perfection. There these large bodies of men may have been moved with great facility and efficiency; but it seems to me, in a country like ours, so accustomed to the arts of peace, that with inexperienced officers and raw

men,

the smaller the separate divisions of troops the greater is the efficiency, the greater the readiness with which discipline can be introduced, and the greater the ease with which these bodies can be moved upon the field. After we have followed the English system of ten companies in a regiment from the beginning of the Government, it seems to me that so radical and fundamental a change as this ought not to be hastily and unadvisedly attempted. It is true that the bill follows the general order to which reference has been made; but was that order issued after mature reflection and upon the advice of Army officers? Has it been indorsed by the Lieutenant General? I know nothing in General Cameron, who occupies about the same position and has had about the same opportunities of military knowledge as myself, which would require or justify this House in adopting hastily a change so great as is proposed by his order, and which it is now proposed to sanction by this bill. I have moved the amendment for the purpose of calling attention to the facts which I have submitted; and unless some gentleman desires to comment upon what I have stated, I will ask to withdraw my amendment.

There was no objection; and the amendment was withdrawn.

Several amendments were then adopted to correct clerical mistakes in the bill.

Mr. VALLANDIGHAM. I move to add to the bill the following proviso:

Provided, That no compensation shall be allowed to any officers who have heretofore been appointed without warrant of law.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. I think that amendment is entirely unnecessary.

Mr. VALLANDIGHAM. My purpose is to date the compensation from the passage of this act. If it would be possible to control the action of the President, I think the House would do well to add a further proviso that there shall be a reappointment in pursuance of this act. There are, unquestionably, of those who have received appointments under the general order of the War Department, some who are the most competent in the service of the United States, and some of the fittest, to be drawn from civil life. On the other hand, there are not a few who have been appointed evidently without sufficient information and consideration, and who will probably never enter into actual service; and yet who, I fear, have been drawing or may draw money from the Treasury from the date of the order of their appointment up to the time that necessity shall compel them to relinquish all attempt at service. It is for this reason I have moved the amendment.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri. I oppose the amend

ment.

The question was taken; and the amendment was rejected.

Mr. ARNOLD. I offer the following amend

ment:

Provided, That the commissioned officers below the grade of colonel, provided for by this bill, and which by its terms are to be taken from civil life, shall be apportioned as near as may be among the States now represented in Congress, in proportion to such representation.

Mr. Chairman, the object of that amendment is to secure as nearly as may be a just and fair dis

tribution of these officers among the different States. I think it will commend itself to the justice of the members of this House.

The amendment was disagreed to.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri, moved that the committee rise, and report the bill to the House. The motion was agreed to.

So the committee rose; and Mr. KELLOGG, of Illinois, having taken the chair as Speaker pro tempore, Mr. McCLERNAND reported that the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union had had the Union generally under consideration, and particularly a bill (H. R. No. 34) to increase the States, and had directed him to report the same efficiency of the volunteer forces of the United to the House with sundry amendments, and with a recommendation that it do pass.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri, demanded the previous question on the bill.

The previous question was seconded, and the main question ordered.

The amendments reported by the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union were severally agreed to.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri, moved the previous question on the passage of the bill.

main question ordered. The previous question was seconded, and the

The bill was passed.

Mr. BLAIR, of Missouri, moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved to lay the motion to reconsider upon the table.

The latter motion was agreed to.

And then, on motion of Mr. ALLEN, (at twenty minutes past four o'clock, p. m.,) the House adjourned.

IN SENATE.
WEDNESDAY, July 17, 1861.

Prayer by the Chaplain, Rev. Dr. Sunderland.
The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION.

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a message from the President of the United States, communicating a copy of the correspond ence with the British minister relative to an exhibition of the products of industry of all nations to take place at London in the course of the next year; which, on motion of Mr. SUMNER, was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be printed.

MEMORIAL.

Mr. HALE presented the memorial of Charles Boarman, a captain in the United States Navy, praying to be restored to the active service list; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

NOTICE OF A BILL.

Mr. TEN EYCK gave notice of his intention to ask leave to introduce a bill to establish a national armory in the State of New Jersey.

BILL INTRODUCED.

Mr. HALE asked, and by unanimous consent obtained, leave to introduce a bill (S. No. 31) to increase the medical corps of the Navy; which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

PACIFIC RAILROAD.

Mr. LATHAM. I ask leave to introduce bill of which I gave notice yesterday. I ask that it be read a first and second time by its title, and then referred to the select committee on the Pacific railroad.

Leave was granted; and the bill (S. No. 30) to secure contracts, and provide for the safe, certain, and more speedy transportation, by railroad, of the mails, troops, munitions of war, military and naval stores, between the Atlantic States and those of the Pacific, and for other purposes, was read twice by its title.

Mr. LATHAM. I will simply state that I have endeavored to embody in this bill the principal features of the measure as they were approved by both the Senate and House of Representatives, and I have carefully excluded those

objections which were raised by Senators and Representatives from different sections of the country.

The bill was referred to the select committee on the Pacific railroad.

BALTIMORE POLICE COMMISSIONERS.

Mr. PEARCE. Mr. President, I have received this morning, and beg leave to present to the Senate, the memorial of Charles Howard, William H. Gatchell, and John W. Davis, police commissioners of the city of Baltimore, now under confinement at Fort McHenry under the orders of Major General Banks-the fourth commissioner, Mr. Hinks, having been released in consequence of sickness.

sally than the citizens of Baltimore-and none ever had better reason to acknowledge-the successful operation of a police system in securing the strictest enforcement of the laws, the amplest protection of private rights, and the most rigid maintenance of public order.

attempt to obstruct the proper proceedings of the Government of the United States by any of these gentlemen. Very sure I am that there is no allégation in any of the proclamations of General. Banks that they have done anything for which they would be liable in a court of criminal judicature, and therefore nothing which can authorize their military arrest and detention, and the humiliation to the State of Maryland of the supersed

the State. I move the reference of the memorial to the Committee on the Judiciary. The motion was agreed to.

This memorial sets forth the arrest of the police marshal, on the 27th day of June last, by order of Major General Banks, and the suspen-by credible evidence of any sort. sion by the same proclamation of the functions of the police commissioners of the city of Baltimore, appointed under the authority of and by the Legislature of Maryland.

They say that if General Banks had seen fit to arrest the marshal of police upon any charge which might have been deemed sufficient to justify such a step, the memorialists would have taken care to govern the police force efficiently and properly during his confinement; or, being satisfied of any improper conduct, they would at once either have removed him from office or have suspended him. They say that the State of Maryland is one of the States of the Union, and at peace with this Government, not in rebellion against its author

It sets forth also their proceedings in consequence of the suspension of their functions, and the General's proclamation of the 1st of July, which declared their arrest in consequence of their "refusal to recognize the officers or men necessarily selected by the provost marshal for the protection of the city," and because they held "subject to their orders, now and hereafter, the|ity; that her people are disarmed and her terriold police force-a large body of armed men, for some purpose not known to the Government, and inconsistent with its peace and security." That is the reason assigned in the order of Major General Banks for the arrest of the police commissioners.

Now, sir, I wish to state very briefly, according to the rule of the Senate, the object of this memorial. These memorialists distinctly and emphatically deny that they had any other purpose, in their official protest and action, than to fulfill their manifest and sworn obligations, and to maintain the dignity and assert the authority of the laws of Maryland, which were intrusted to their hands for execution, but which they are precluded by force from executing. They solemnly declare that, if they had been permitted to continue in the exercise of their functions, after the arrest and imprisonment of the marshal of police on the 27th of June, they would have continued to discharge their duties as they had discharged them theretofore, in all respects faithfully, impartially, and to the best of their ability, in obedience to the laws and the Constitution; and they assert that the implication of any other intention or purpose on their part is wholly destitute of foundation in fact.

tory occupied by an overwhelming military force. The Federal courts and those of the State are in full and undisturbed operation, except so far as the suspension of the habeas corpus is concerned; and the process is served without obstruction and is obeyed without resistance by all except those in military authority. If, therefore, the memorialists were charged with any offense known to the law, there was and is nothing to prevent their arrest and detention by the civil arm, in due course, and upon proper and lawful warrant, supported by oath, as prescribed by the Constitution. This, indeed, is amply proved by the presentments and arrests made, and the indictments now found and pending in the circuit court against Mr. Merryman, Colonel Kane, and others charged with grave offenses against the Government of the United States.

They submit that, in the proclamation by which their arrest is sought to be justified, there is no allegation of any matter or thing which, if sworn to in proper form of law, would authorize the issuing of process against them by any judicial tribunal. If it be a crime on their part to regard as illegal and wholly null the attempted suspenconstituted authorities of the State of Maryland, they have been unable to learn by what provision of the Constitution and laws such an offense is created or defined.

In reference to the statement made in Majorsion, by a Federal officer, of their functions as General Banks's proclamation in regard to a "concealed arsenal" at the marshal's office, they say that it is perfectly notorious, and has been fully shown by the message of the Mayor to the City Council of Baltimore, that the arms in question were the lawful property of the city; that they were insignificant in quantity, constituting but little more than the customary armament of the force for its public duties, and were lawfully concealed to prevent unlawful seizure. They declare, therefore, that the grounds set up by General Banks, in his proclamation, give to their arrest and imprisonment no color of justification or necessity.

They say that they have personal knowledge of the fact, which is equally as well known to all impartial citizens of Baltimore, that the official duties of Colonel Kane, marshal of police, have been discharged throughout with singular ability, integrity, and courage, and never more conspicuously, or in better faith, or at more imminent risk of his own life, than in the protection of the troops of the Federal Government on the 19th of April

last.

Of the police force, placed under his command by the memorialists, and selected wholly without reference to their political opinions, they say that, without exaggeration, they do not believe a body of men can be found anywhere more entirely devoted to the conscientious discharge of official duty, or less justly liable to the accusation of entering into unlawful combinations themselves or encouraging such combinations by others; that down to the moment of the suspension of the active duties of the force by General Banks, these memorialists say they have pride in asserting that no community ever acknowledged more univer

Their offense is, holding subject to their orders a police force which the laws of Maryland made it their duty so to hold; and that they were bound to refuse to recognize, as public officers of Maryland, the appointees of General Banks; and are at a loss to conceive under what head of the penal law such conduct as theirs can be held to be criminal. Still less can they imagine any principle of criminal jurisprudence which would sanction their arrest and confinement, before the indefinite allegation of entertaining "some purpose not known to the Government, but alleged to be inconsistent with its peace and security."

They ask, therefore, the interposition of Congress on their behalf.

I take leave to add that these gentlemen are known to me personally, two of them long and intimately. One of them is the son of one of those patriots of the Revolution of 1776, whose exploits during that war furnish a part of the proudest history of his country, and whose valor and military skill were tested in many battles and so gloriously proved at Guilford Court-House and at the Cowpens, where he led the charge of bayonets. This gentleman, and the others, I believe to be men of the very highest integrity, personally and politically. I believe them to be not less faithful to the Constitution of the United States than they are to the government of their own State and to the duties of the office which they have assumed under the authority of the State of Maryland. I do not believe that it is possible to furnish any proof of any charge of illegal combination, or of

NAVAL ACADEMY.

Mr. ANTHONY. I desire to present to the Senate the resolutions of the General Assembly of Rhode Island, welcoming to that State the officers, professors, and pupils of the Naval Academy, and tendering to the Federal Government a cession of jurisdiction over a sufficient territory for the permanent accommodation of the Academy. The attention of the Government and of naval men, was early attracted to the advantages offered by Narragansett bay for a naval establishment. Its capacious harbor, its depth of water, its facility of access, its excellent anchorage, its means of rapid communication with a dense and martial population, its abundant supplies of fresh water, the unequaled salubrity of its climate, all pointed it out as intended by nature for a naval rendezvous.

The surveys ordered by the Government report in the highest terms of these advantages, and note no conflicting disadvantages, except such as are easily overcome, and not greater than those which, in some form or other, must be met at any point that could be selected. In the report made in 1830, by a commission composed of offi- · cers of the engineer corps and of the Navy, the following are enumerated as the peculiar advantages which Narragansett bay offers:

"Narragansett bay offers the following advantages:

"1. It is the only harbor of the Union on the Atlantic where vessels can run in with a northwest wind-a wind which, it may be seen in the annexed tables, blows sixtyfive days out of three hundred and sixty-five, on an average.

2. Vessels may reach it by twenty points of the compass, from northwest to east, round by the south.

"3. A fleet can maneuver under sail within the bay. "4. It offers, during the whole year, excellent anchorage, perfectly safe from winds, waves, storms, or floating ice.

5. It is abundantly provided with fresh water, to supply the wants of a fleet.

"6. It will be very difficult to blockade it, without a force greatly superior to that desirous to escape."

Captain Wadsworth, in his report of a survey of Narragansett bay, made by order of Congress, says:

"The bay is of easy access; the entrance is sufficiently wide to enable vessels to beat either in or out, with bold shores, and free from hidden dangers or shoals. The course in is to the northeast-an advantage on this coast peculiar to this harbor, and well known and highly appreciated by mariners during the prevailing westerly winds of winter. After passing the line of deep water between Fort Adams and the Dumplins, good and safe anchorage may be had on either side and in almost every part of the bay indeed, the whole bay may be considered an excellent man-of-war harbor, with the exception of a few spots of foul ground, easy to be avoided, and other places where the water is too deep for convenience. The tide, generally, is not rapid, and in most parts of the bay there is working room for vessels of any class."

Such, Mr. President, are some of the chief natural advantages which Narragansett bay offers for a naval establishment. I think that they are unsurpassed; that, on the whole, they are unequaled by those that are afforded by any other waters on our coast. Two other considerations I think not unworthy to be taken into the account in estimating the value of a site for a great naval depot-the loyalty of the people and their maritime and naval character. Narragansett bay is surrounded by a loyal, conservative, Union-loving population, by men who love liberty and reverence law, and who hold that that is true liberty which is regulated by law. On all her shore her waves do not break upon one traitorous rock, or wash one disloyal beach. For more than two centuries the people of Rhode Island have proved that the most jealous regard for freedom is consistent with the highest respect for legally constituted authority. We have lately seen the lamentable consequences of erecting great public works within easy reach of a disloyal population. Not only has this caused the loss of millions upon millions of property, but the destruction has oc

Mr. WILSON. I believe we ought to fix a longer day, or lay this resolution on the table; and for the purpose of fixing a proper time, I move that it lie on the table.

The motion was agreed to.

ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY.

On motion of Mr. WILSON, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill (S. No. 3) providing for the better organization of the military establishment, the pending question being on the motion of Mr. GRIMES to amend the fifth section, by striking out the words "there shall be added to the corps of engineer, by regular promotion of its present officers, one brigadier general, one colonel, two lieutenant colonels, and two majors, provided," and to strike out "said," and insert "the engineer;" so as to make the section read:

And be it further enacted, That hereafter all promotions in the engineer corps shall be by seniority, inclusive of the highest grade, and that all vacancies created by such promotions shall be filled by graduates of the Military Academy, &c.

gencies of the service, at no time to exceed fifty. It shall be composed of young men of liberal education, students of medicine, between the ages of eighteen and twentythree, who have been reading medicine for two years, and have attended at least one course of lectures in a medical college. They shall enlist for one year, and be subject to the rules and articles of war. On the fifteenth day of the last month of their service the near approach of their discharge shall be reported to the Surgeon General, in order, if desired, that they may be relieved by another detail of appli

cants.

ment, whether by staff or regimental commission, the service rations to which he may then be entitled, (including general officers who may be retired,) and the regular allowance, as fixed by law, for one servant, and without any other pay or allowances; and the next officer in rank shall be promoted to the place of the retired officer, according to the established rules of the service. And the same rule of promotion shall be applied successively to the vacancies consequent upon the retirement of an officer: Provided, That if the disability be proved to result from wounds received in action, the pay proper of the retired officer shall

provided further, That there shall not be on the retired list, at any one time, more than seven per cent. of the whole number of officers of the Army, as fixed by law.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That one chaplain shall be allowed to each regiment of the Army, to be selected and appointed as the President may direct: Provided, That none but regularly ordained ministers of some Christian denomination shall be eligible to selection or appointment.

SEC. 10. And be it further enacted, That existing vacancies at the Military Academy, from congressional districts where there have been failures to make nominations according to the provisions of existing laws, shall be supplied by the President upon the nomination of Senators from such States as are represented in the Senate: Provided, That but two cadets shall be appointed from any one State, and that such cadet shall be an actual resident of the State from which he is nominated, and shall have the qualifications for admission to the Military Academy as are now

Mr. WILSON. I move to amend the bill, by striking out all after the enacting clause, and inserting the amendment which I send to the Chair.

The proposed substitute was read, as follows: That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, an officer in the War Department, to be called the Assistant Secretary of War, whose salary shall be $3,000 per annum, payable in the same manner as that of the Secretary of War, who shall perform all such duties in the office of the Secretary of War, belonging to that Department, as shall be prescribed by the Secretary of War, or as may be required by law.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That hereafter the Adjutant General's department shall consist of the following officers, namely: one Adjutant General, with the rank, pay, aud emoluments of a brigadier general; one assistant adjutant general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a colonel of cavalry; two assistant adjutants general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments each of a lieutenant colonel of cavalry; four assistant adjutants general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments each of a major of cavalry; and twelve assistant adjutants general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments each of a captain of cavalry; and that there shall be added to the Subsistence department six commissaries of subsistence, with the rank, pay, and emoluments each of a captain of cavalry, and to be promoted and selected according to existing laws and regulations.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That there shall be added to the Quartermaster's department four quartermas ters and twenty assistant quartermasters, to be promoted and selected according to existing laws and regulations, and as many master wagoners, with the rank, pay, and allowances of sergeants of cavalry, and as many wagoners, with the pay and allowances of corporals of cavalry, as the military service, in the judgment of the President, may render necessary.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That there shall be added to each of the corps of engineers and topographical engineers, and to the Ordnance department, three first and three second lieutenants, to be promoted thereto in accordance with the existing laws and regulations.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That there shall be added to the corps of engineers three companies of engineer soldiers, to be commanded by appropriate officers of said corps, to have the same pay and rations, clothing, and other allowances, and be entitled to the same benefits, in every respect, as the company created by the act for the organization of a company of sappers and miners and pontoniers, approved May 16, 1846. The said three companies shall be subject to the rules and articles of war; shall be recruited in the same manner, and with the same limitation; shall be instructed in and perform the same duties, and be liable to serve in the same way, and shall have their vehicles, pontons, tools, implements, arms, and other sup lies, regulated in the same manner as the existing engineer company; and each of the four companies of engineer soldiers shall hereafter be composed of ten sergeants, ten corporals, two musicians, sixty four privates of the first class, or artificers, and sixty-four privates of the second class, in all one hundred and fifty men each.

SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That the President be, and he is hereby, authorized to add to the Medical department of the Army such number of surgeons, not exceeding ten, and of assistant surgeons, not exceeding twenty, as, in his judgment, may be required by the wants of the service; the officers so added to be appointed in the same manner, and to be in all respects on the same footing, according to rank, as the officers of that corps now authorized by law.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That there be added to the medical staff of the Army a corps of medical cadets, whose duty it shall be to act as dressers in the general hospitals and as ambulance attendants in the field, under the direction and control of the medical officers alone. They shall have the same rank and pay as the military cadets at West Point. Their number shall be regulated by the exi

at large. And no cadet who shall hereafter be reported as deficient, either in conduct or studies, and recommended to be discharged from the Academy, shall be returned or reappointed to any place in the Army before his class shall have left the Academy and received their commissions, unless upon the recommendation of the academie board of the Academy. The superintendent of the Military Academy shall be an officer of engineers, topographical engineers, ordnance, or artillery corps, a graduate of the United States Military Academy, and distinguished for his scientific attainments. He shall have the local rank, pay, and allowances of a colonel of engineers, and be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Sen

ate.

SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That the three nonths' extra pay allowed by the twenty-ninth section of the act of the 5th of July, 1838, for reënlistments under certain conditions, the bounty granted by the third section of the act of the 17th of June, 1850, for enlistments at remote and distant stations, and the premium now paid for bringing accepted recruits to the rendezvous, be, and they are hereby, abolished.

SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That hereafter two dollars per month shall be retained out of the monthly pay of each enlisted man in the regular Army until the expiration of his term of service, instead of one dollar per month, as authorized by existing laws.

SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That the fifth section of the act approved September 28, 1850, requiring the Secretary of War to discharge from the Army all minors, be, and the same is hereby, repealed.

SEC. 14. And be it further enacted, That in all cases of enlistment and reënlistment in the military service of the United States, the prescribed oath of allegiance may be administered by any commissioned officer of the Army.

SEC. 15. And be it further enacted, That the two regiments of dragoons, the regiment of mounted riflemen, and the two regiments of cavalry, shall hereafter be known and recognized as the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth regiments of cavalry, respectively; the officers thereof to retain their present relative rank, and to be promoted as one arm of the service, according to existing law and established usage and regulation.

SEC. 16. And be it further enacted, That the Army ration shall be increased as follows: twenty-two ounces of bread or flour, or one pound of hard bread, instead of the present issue; fresh beef shall be issued as often as the commauding officer of any detachment or regiment shall require it, when practicable, in place of salt meat; beans and rice shall be issued in the same ration in the proportions now provided by the regulation; and one pound of potatoes per man shall be issued at least three times a week, if practicable; and when these articles cannot be issued in these proportions, an equivalent in value shall be issued in some other proper food, and a ration of tea may be substituted for a ration of coffee upon the requisition of the proper officer. SEC. 17. And be it further enacted, That there may be allowed in hospitals, to be provided under such rules as the Surgeon General of the Army, with the approval of the Seeretary of War, may prescribe, such quantities of fresh or preserved fruits, milk or butter, and of eggs, as may be necessary for the proper diet of the sick.

SEC. 18. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed by the Secretary of War, on the recommendation of the council of administration and the approval of the commanding officer, as many sutlers as the exigencies of the service may require, not to exceed one to each military post.

SEC. 19. And be it further enacted, That any commissioned officer of the Army, who shall have served as such for forty consecutive years, may, upon his own application to the President of the United States, be placed upon the list of retired officers, with the pay and emoluments allowed by this act.

SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That if any commissioned officer of the Army shall have become, or shall hereafter become, incapable of performing the duties of his office, he shall, as provided in the third section of this act, be placed upon the retired list, and withdrawn from active service and command, and from the line of promotion, with the following pay and allowances, namely: the pay proper of the highest rank lield by him at the time of his retire

SEC. 21. And be it further enacted, That, in order to carry out the provisions of this act, whenever any officer of the Army who may be incapacitated, as before recited, shall voluntarily apply to be retired from active service, or on being ordered to perform the duties appropriate to his commission, shall report himself unable to comply with such order, or whenever, in the judgment of the President of the United States, an officer of the Army shall be in any way incapacitated from performing the duties of his office, the President, at his discretion, shall direct the Secretary of War to refer the case of such officer to a board of not more than thirteen nor less than five commissioned officers, to be composed (as far as may be) of his seniors in lineal rank, and preferably of officers already retired; and the determination of the board in each case shall, with a record of its proceedings, be transmitted to the Secretary of War, to be laid before the President, for his approval or disapproval and orders in the case. The board, whenever it finds an officer incapacitated for active service, will report whether, in its judgment, the said incapacity result from long and faithful service, from wounds or injury received in the line of duty, from sickness or exposure therein, or from any other incident of service; if so, and the President approve of such judgment, the disabled officer shall thereupon be placed upon the list of retired officers, according to the provisions of this act; if otherwise, and if the President concur in opinion with the board, the officer shall be retired as above, either with his pay proper alone, or with his service rations alone, at the discretion of the President; or he shall be wholly retired from the service, with one year's pay and allowances; and in this last case his name shall be thenceforward omitted from the Army Register: Provided always, that the members of the board shall in every case be sworn to an honest and impartial discharge of their duties, and that no officer of the Army shall be retired either partially or wholly from the service without having had a fair and full hearing before the board, if, upon due summons, he shall demand it.

SEC. 22. And be it further enacted, That the officers partially retired shall be entitled to wear the uniform of their respective grades, shall continue to be borne upon the Army Register, and shall be subject to the rules and articles of war, and to trial by general court-martial for any breach of the said articles.

Mr. GRIMES. I offer an amendment, to come in immediately after the sections that have just been read:

And be it further enacted, That any officer of the Navy who has been forty years in the service of the United States, may, upon his own application to the President of the United States, be placed upon the list of retired officers of the Navy, and shall receive the leave-of-absence pay he was entitled to at the time of such retireinent.

And be it further enacted, That if any officer of the Navy shall have become, or shall hereafter become, incapable of performing the duties of his office, he shall, as provided in the seventh section of this act, be placed upon the retired list, and withdrawn from active service and command, and from the line of promotion, and the next officer in rank shall be promoted to the place of the retired officer, according to the established rules of the service; and the same rule of promotion shall be applied successively to the vacancies consequent upon the retirement of an officer: Provided, That if the disparity be proved to result from wounds received in action, such retired officer shall receive the sea pay of his grade.

And be it further enacted, That whenever any officer of the Navy, on being ordered to perform the duties appropriate to his commission, shall report himself unable to comply with such order; or whenever, in the judgment of the President of the United States, an officer of the Navy shall be in any way incapacitated from performing the duties of his office, the President, at his discretion, shall direct the Secretary of the Navy to refer the case of such officer to a board of not more than nine or less than five commissioned officers, to be composed, if possible, of his seniors in rank. The determination of the board in each case shall, with a record of its proceedings, be transmitted to the Secretary of the Navy, to be laid before the President for his approval or disapproval and orders in the case. The board, whenever it finds an officer incapacitated for active service, will report whether, in its judgment, the incapacity result from long and faithful service, from wounds or injuries received in the line of duty, from sickness or exposure therein, or from any other incident of the service. If so, and the President approve of such judgment, the disabled officer shall thereupon be placed on the list of retired officers, according to the provisions of this act, with leaveof absence pay; but if such disability or incompetency proceeds from other causes, and the President concur in opinion with the board, the officer may be retired upon furlough pay, or he shall be wholly retired from the service with one year's pay, at the discretion of the President; and in this last case his name shall be wholly omitted from the Navy Register. The members of the board shall in every case be sworn to an honest and impartial discharge of their duties; and no officer of the Navy shall be retired, either partially or wholly, from the service without having had a fair and full hearing before the board, if he shall deinand it.

And be it further enacted, That the retired officers shall be entitled to wear the uniform of their respective grades, shall continue to be borne upon the Navy Register, shall be

subject to the rules and articles of war, and to trial by general courts-martial.

And be it further enacted, That retired Navy officers may be assigned to such duties as the President may deem them capable of perforining, and such as the exigencies of the public service may require.

I hope it is hardly necessary for me to say anything in support of the adoption of the amendment which I propose. It is but fair, it seems to me, to the naval officers, and the public interests require, that if we are to have a retiring board for the Army, it should apply to the Navy. I apprehend that there are much stronger reasons why there should be a retired list in the Navy than in the Army. It will be observed by gentlemen who compare the amount of pay allowed to the officers in the Navy with the Army Register, published by the House of Representatives, containing the pay of the officers of the Army, that the amount that will be allowed to the retired naval officers under the amendment which I have submitted will not be as great, in proportion to their grade, as the amount that will be allowed to the officers of the Army of a similar grude. It will also be observed that we are now paying to all of these officers, who are inefficient and incapable of rendering the Government any service, the leave-of-absence pay, which it is proposed that we shall pay them when they are retired. We are paying these gentlemen precisely the same amount that we shall pay them if they are retired. The only extra expense that the Government will incur will be the ranking up of junior officers, who are capable of rendering the Government some service, and giving them the pay of the grade, the duties of which they will respectively perform.

Mr. President, I think the Senate and the country have been taught a lesson within the last few months upon this subject. I think that every one must be satisfied, and it appears at any rate that the Secretary of the Navy is satisfied, that the immense destruction of public property at Norfolk was occasioned more on account of the age and the weakness and the inability of the commanding officer, who was upon your active list, to discharge the duties of his position properly, than from any other reason; not that he has not been one of the most gallant and efficient officers of our service, but the time for his service has passed by, and the Government ought to have furnished a retired list on which he could have retired years ago, reputably and safely to himself and the country. The same thing occurred also at Pensacola, and under very similar circumstances. The object is to retire gentlemen who have served the country faithfully and well for forty years,' voluntarily if they see fit, (but subject, however, to be called into the service of the country at any moment that the President of the United States may ask for their services,) and assigned to such duty as the Secretary of the Navy may deem that they are capable of performing.

Mr. HALE. I do not understand, upon a little inquiry, that the amendment which is offered by the Senator from Iowa is recommended by any committee at all. I am opposed to it, and I am opposed to the amendment of the Senator from Massachusetts; and I will state to the Senate one or two reasons why I am opposed to them now. I hope I shall have the ear of the chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs, though I am not worthy of any particular attention; but I want to speak to the country.

The other day, for the first time since I have had a seat in either House of Congress, (and that is a good while,) I heard a proposition, coming from the Committee on Military Affairs, and carried through by a vote of the Senate, looking to a real reform in the organization of the Army, and in its administration, and in its pay, which is enormous-enormous is the only word that can be applied to it. When the Secretary of the Treasury recommended a reduction of something like ten per cent. on all salaries, for the purpose of prosecuting this war, I was glad to see the Senator from Massachusetts, the chairman of the Military Committee, moving in that direction. I had heard a great deal of wisdom from his lips, and was rejoiced to see that he was about to carry it into practical effect, and I felt proud of this movement in the right direction-a direction that looked to paying men honestly, and cutting up the fraudulent and ridiculous pretenses by which they are paid without rendering service. I

was glad to see that movement come from him. But I tell you, sir, Washington is besieged not as much by the confederate troops as by our own officers. The Senator from Massachusetts, acting upon the dictates of his own moral convictions as to what was right and proper, reported that bill; and the Paixhan guns and the batteries of the officers, with whom this city was filled, were brought to bear upon him, and even his Roman virtue has surrendered, and he comes in this morning to blot out everything that he did, and restore, as I understand, brevet pay and commutation and double rations, and all those hundred and one contrivances to pay men for services that they never rendered; and then, sir, on top of that, comes one of the most monstrous propositions that could be introduced at this time-nothing more nor less than an extravagant pension list. You may call it what you choose; it is paying extravagant pensions to men who are past their service. I do not want to say anything unkind, and I would not. Sir, I live in a State that has managed to sustain itself in all the departments of social and civilized life upon small salaries. We pay the judges of our supreme court, the highest of them, $2,000 a year, and the associate judges $1,800. We retire them involuntarily at the age of seventy, and we do not give them the slightest pension on earth after that, and they have never yet, to my knowledge, suffered.

The Army of the United States has been based on an entirely different basis, and I believe it is to pay men the highest salary in proportion as they are incompetent to render any service. The longer a man lives, and the older he gets, and the more incompetent he is, by a longevity ration, or something of that sort, I do not know exactly what it is, the pay bill is so contrived as to pay those the most who do the least. Now it is proposed, the virtual operation of this bill is, instead of reducing the enormous expenses of the salaries of the officers of the Army, to increase them; and I will tell you how. This brevet rank used to be a very harmless thing when it was first introduced. It was allowing a captain, for instance, that had performed service, to be what the children would call a "make-believe" major. You made him a brevet major; that is, he was a captain, but you let him make believe he was a major. By and by, it got introduced, either by law or practice, that when these make-believe majors, but bona fide captains, were in certain conditions and under certain circumstances, they should receive the brevet pay of the rank to which they belonged. My friend the other day moved to cut that off; the Senate concurred with him, and did cut it off; but now it is to be restored. What will be the effect? Here are officers whose duty consists in sitting in their chairs about six hours a day, and directing a corps of clerks, that are now receiving $5,000 or $6,000 a year. They have been brevetted; and by virtue of that brevet, are going to receive $1,000 or $1,200 a year more. If you restore these things, and strike out the amendment we made the other day, that will be the effect of it.

Then, sir, comes in this retired list in the Army and this retired list in the Navy. I agree perfectly that there ought to be a retired list in both services. My own opinion is-but I do not ask the Senate to go to that extent-that when the officers are retired because they are incapable of rendering service, they ought not to be paid; but in obedience to the prejudices (if you will have it so) of the community, I am willing that the man who, in the Army or the Navy, has served his country long and faithfully, and is unable to render more service, shall be retired, and shall have a liberal pension, a very liberal pension, but not anything like what this bill gives. I do not think, however, this is a time to establish it. This Congress was called together to meet an extraordinary emergency. It was called together to marshal the physical force of the country in array against a foe which threatened the very existence of the nation. Sir, the people of this nation are taxing themselves willingly, and as no nation on the face of the earth ever taxed themselves before. Blood and treasure without stint are at your command; and I ask you, sir, when the people of this country are rallying as no people under heaven ever rallied before, and making a bulwark of their living bodies to stand around the ark of the Constitution, if this, of all others, is the time to tax

a people that are putting forth such gigantic energics; is this a time to overpay and increase the pay of these officers who are receiving such liberal compensation as they now receive-receiving a higher compensation than officers of the same grade in any other service on the face of God's earth? No, sir. Let us make the necessary appropriations; let us organize the Army; but do not think that it is necessary to pay a price to the patriotism of officers who are already receiving $5,000 a year, and adding to that the five, ten, or twenty per cent. that will be added by the brevet pay.

I am opposed to this, because we have not time to examine it as we ought to examine the details of such a system as this. It is easy to increase salaries; I never knew one diminished. You may put as many restrictions on as you can, and my word for it, if the experience of the past is to be any guide for the future, they will get from ten to twenty per cent. more than the law allows anyhow. That has been the administration of the Navy Department in the express face of the law. By construction and contrivances, they will go to the very extent. First you increased the pay of the Army, because it was not so high as that of the Navy. You did that a few years ago, and increased the pay of the Army largely. Then the Navy, which in 1835 had their pay-list put up higher than any other navy on the earth, came forward and wanted another pay-bill made, to put them on an equality with the Army. They got that, and the probability is, that it will not be long before some astute officers in the Army will find that the Navy are put higher than they are, and then you will have to raise the pay of the Army to bring it up to an equality with the Navy. The tendency of these things is upward; it is to increase; there are no backward steps in these matters. Now I do pray the honorable Senator from Massachusetts-he occupies a commanding position at this time; the eyes of the country and the hearts of the people are with him-I beg him not to let his good nature be warped by the appliances that are brought to bear on him in this city, and the influences to which all of us are susceptible, and before which more or less of us yield.

I am opposed to this proposition in everything in which it conflicts with the amendments which the Senate deliberately voted the other day, and I am opposed to the whole system of retiring at the present time, mainly because we have not the time to give to it that consideration which it de

Mr. WILSON. The Senator from New Hampshire opposes this measure, and especially so much of it as provides for a retired list in the Army. The Senator's views in regard to a retired list are well known to the Senate and the country; and in making this proposition I did not expect to receive his support. But, sir, the Senator speaks of the influence of Army officers that besiege this capital, as he says, over the members of the committee, and especially over me. I have to say in regard to that, that I have labored night and day, for many days and nights, to fit and prepare this bill to meet the actual wants of the country; and in doing so, I confess that in every step of it I have had to meet the interests, the jealousies, or the prejudices of men connected with the Army of the United States. But, in framing this bill, I have endeavored to be governed wholly and entirely by the public interest, and not by the wants or the wishes of any particular men in the Army or in the Departments. The bill, as introduced the other day, received several amendments in the Senate. Portions of it were stricken out, and new clauses were added. The bill, in a word, was cut to pieces. There was no consistency in it. I have prepared this amendment carefully, and endeavored, as far as possible, in so doing to meet what I understood to be the will of the Senate.

The first section provides for an Assistant Secretary of War. That such an officer is needed, I do not see how any man in the Senate can doubt for a moment. We have an Assistant Secretary of State and an Assistant Secretary of the Treasury; I believe we are asked now for an Assistant Secretary of the Navy. The Secretary of War is overburdened with the duties imposed upon him by this war. He asks for an Assistant Secretary of War; and the first section provides for that officer, with a compensation of $3,000 a year.