without a division, and was approved by the sylvania, opposed the amendment, and Mr. Blake withdrew it. The bill was then passed without a division, and was approved by the President on the twenty-seventh day of December, 1862. No. XL.-The Bill to improve the Organization of the Cavalry Forces. In the Senate, on the seventeenth of DecemIn the Senate, on the sixteenth of December, ber, 1862, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on 1862, Mr. Wilson, of Massachusetts, introduced Military Affairs, reported a bill to facilitate the a bill to improve the organization of the cavalry discharge of disabled soldiers, and for the inspec- forces, which was read twice, and referred to the tion of convalescent camps and hospitals, which Committee on Military Affairs. On the sevenwas read, and passed to a second reading. It pro- teenth, Mr. Wilson reported it back without posed to add to the medical corps of the army amendment. It provided that thereafter each two medical inspectors-general, and eight medi- regiment of cavalry might have two assistantcal inspectors, to be appointed by selection from surgeons, and that each company of cavalry the medical corps of the army, or from the sur- should have from sixty to seventy-eight prigeons in the volunteer service, without regard to vates. Mr. Wilson explained that the object rank, but with sole regard to qualifications. It was to have a minimum number in the cavalry provided that the officers of the medical inspect as in the infantry and artillery. The law was or's department should be charged with the duty construed to require seventy-eight privates in of making regular and frequent inspections of each company before organization. At the sugall military general hospitals and convalescent gestion of Mr. Grimes, Mr. Wilson moved to camps, and upon each inspection to designate to amend, so that "each company hereafter orthe surgeon in charge of such hospitals or camps, ganized" should have from sixty to seventyall soldiers who might be fit subjects for dis-eight privates. The amendment was agreed to, charge from the service on surgeon's certificate and the bill passed. In the House, on the of disability, or sufficiently recovered to be re- twenty-third, on motion of Mr. Dunn, of Inturned to their regiments for duty; and the medical inspecting officers were empowered to direct the return to duty, or the discharge from the service, of the soldiers designated. On motion of Mr. Hale, the provision authorizing the President to select from the medical corps of the army or from the volunteer forces, was stricken out. Mr. Grimes moved to amend, by adding as, a new section, that all "three years or during the war" volunteers, raised or enlisted by the order or under the authority of the Secretary of War, be entitled to the bounty authorized to be paid to volunteers raised or recruited by the States under existing laws. He explained the object of the amendment to be, to place the "gray beard" regiment of his State, made up of enlisted men over forty-five years of age, upon the same footing as other three years volunteers. At the suggestion of Mr. Fessenden, Mr. Grimes withdrew his amendment, with the view of introducing it as a new bill. The bill was further discussed by Mr. Foster, Mr. Clark, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Grimes, Mr. Fessenden, Mr. Trumbull, Mr. Nesmith, and Mr. Hale. On motion of Mr. Fessenden, it was amended, by taking out the words "two medical inspectors-general." On motion of Mr. Clark, it was made the duty of the medical inspectors to see that soldiers, fit subjects for discharge, were discharged, or if sufficiently recovered, returned to their regiments. The bill, as amended, was then passed without a division. In the House, on the nineteenth, on motion of Mr. Buffinton, of Massachusetts, the bill was taken from the Speaker's table. Mr. Blake, of Ohio, moved to amend it, so as not to require discharges on surgeon's certificates. Mr. Richardson, of Illinois, and Mr. McPherson, of Penn diana, the bill was taken from the Speaker's table, and passed. It was approved by the President on the sixth day of January, 1863. No. XLI.-The Bill to increase the Clerical and other Force of the Quartermaster-General's Office, and for other purposes. In the Senate, on the fourteenth of January, 1863, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to authorize the appointment of three auditors and a solicitor for the quartermaster's department, and to increase the clerical force of the Quartermaster-General's office. The bill provided that there should be appointed three auditors of the quartermaster's department, who should each receive a compensation of two thousand dollars per annum, and who should perform such duties as might be assigned to them, under the direction of the Quartermaster-General, and in his office, in connection with the examination and settlement of accounts of money and property; and one solicitor, at a compensation of two thousand dollars per annum, who should be a person of legal knowledge and ability, and who should, under the direction of the Quartermaster-General, take charge of, and advise the Quartermaster-General upon all legal questions arising in the service of the quartermaster's department. It also provided that there should be added to the clerical force of the Quartermaster-General's office one hundred and twenty clerks of class one, and thirty copyists, at an annual compensation of six hundred dollars. On the sixteenth, the bill, on motion of Mr. Wilson, was taken up, and briefly debated by Mr. Wilson, Mr. Lane, Mr. Trumbull, Mr. Sherman, and Mr. Pomeroy. On the twenty-third, the Senate resumed its consideration. Mr. Harlan pro posed to amend the first section, by striking Kentucky. On motion of Mr. Bingham, of Ohio, out the word "auditors," and inserting as- it was so amended as to subject the force so sistant quartermasters-general;" but after de- raised to "the rules and regulations of war." bate, withdrew it. Mr. Hale would strike out On motion of Mr. Wickliffe, its further considerthe first section, authorizing the appointment ation was postponed to the sixteenth, and on of three auditors and one solicitor. On the that day it was taken up, debated, amended, and twenty-fourth, the Senate resumed the con- passed. sideration of the bill; and on motion of Mr. The Senate, on the seventeenth, referred the Wilson, the first section was stricken out, and bill to the Committee on Military Affairs. On the second section so modified as to read: "That the sixteenth of July, 1862, Mr. Wilson reported there should be added to the clerical and other it back with an amendment. The Senate, on force in the office of the Quartermaster-General four clerks of class four, ninety clerks of class one, and thirty copyists and six laborers, at an annual compensation of six hundred dollars each, to be appointed by the Secretary of War." Mr. Fessenden moved to amend, by adding as a new section: "That in settling the accounts of officers for clothing and other military supplies, the affidavit of any officer may be received, to show the loss of vouchers, or company books, or any matter or circumstance tending to prove that any apparent deficiency was occasioned by unavoidable accident or loss in actual service, without any fault on his part; or that the whole or any part of such clothing and supplies had been properly and legally used and appropriated; and such affidavits may be considered as evidence to establish the facts set forth, with or without other evidence, as may seem to the Secretary of War just and proper under the circumstances of the case." Mr. Trumbull moved to amend the amendment, by inserting after the word "officer" the words, "stating that he knows of no witness by whom he can prove the same facts." Mr. Fessenden objected to Mr. Trumbull's amendment, and after debate withdrew his own amendment. Mr. Rice renewed it, and Mr. Trumbull renewed his amendment to the amendment, and it was lost-yeas, seventeen; nays, eighteen. Mr. Sherman moved to amend, by striking out of the original amendment the word "officers," and inserting "commanding officer of a company," and it was agreed to. The amendment as amended was then agreed to-yeas, twentyone; nays, sixteen. The bill as amended was then passed, and the title so amended as to read: "A bill to authorize the increase of the clerical and other force of the quartermaster's department, and for other purposes." In the House, on the twenty-sixth, Mr. Olin, of New-York, moved the reference of the bill to the Military Committee, and it was so referred. Mr. McPherson, of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported it back without amendment. It was passed without a division, and approved by the President on the seventh day of February, 1863. No. XLII.-The Bill to authorize the Raising of a Volunteer Force for the Defence of Kentucky. In the House, on the twelfth of December, 1861, Mr. Blair, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported a bill to authorize the raising of a volunteer force for the better defence of motion of Mr. Davis, proceeded to its consideration. It proposed to empower the Military Board of Kentucky to raise, and organize into regiments, a volunteer force not exceeding twenty thousand rank and file, to serve for one year within the limits of Kentucky in repelling invasion, suppressing insurrection, and guarding and protecting the public property; but at any time that it might be necessary, these troops might be employed out of the limits of Kentucky against the enemies of the State or of the United States. The officers and soldiers enrolled and mustered into the service of the United States were to be subject to the rules and articles of war, and to be placed on the same footing with other volunteers of the United States as to pay, subsistence, clothing, and other emoluments, for and during the time they might be in service. The Military Committee reported, as an amendment, a new section, providing that by and with the advice and consent of the commanding general of the department of which Kentucky might be a part, the volunteers authorized to be raised by this act, or any portion of them, might attach themselves to, and become part of the body of the three years Kentucky volunteers. The amendment was agreed to. On motion of Mr. Collamer, the bill was further amended, so that the officers and men should only be paid while in "actual service." After debate, in which Mr. Davis, Mr. Wilson, Mr. Lane, of Indiana, Mr. King, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Collamer, Mr. Clark, and Mr. Cowan participated, Mr. Trumbull moved the indefinite postponement of the bill. Mr. Howe took the floor, and the bill went over, and was not again called up during that session. On the fifth of January, 1863, Mr. Davis moved to take up the bill for consideration, and the motion was agreed to. Mr. Trumbull, after debate, withdrew his motion for indefinite postponement, and the bill was amended, on motion of Mr. Davis, so as to authorize the troops to be raised by the "Governor" instead of the "Military Board;" further amended, on motion of Mr. Collamer, so as to allow the troops to be raised with "the consent of the President," and then on motion of Mr. Clark, recommitted to the Military Committee. On the eighth, Mr. Wilson reported the bill back, with an amendment in the nature of å substitute. The Senate, on the ninth, proceeded to the consideration of the bill and the amendment. The amendment reported by the Military Committee was to strike out all after the enact curred in. Mr. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, moved its reference to the Committee of the Whole; lost yeas, twenty-five; nays, ninety-three. Mr. Olin moved the previous question, and under its operation the substitute of the Senate was agreed to. So the bill was passed, and approved by the President on the seventh of February, 1863. No. XLIII-The Bill to promote the efficiency of the Commissary Department. In the House, on the eighth of January, 1863, Mr. Washburne, of Illinois, introduced a bill to promote the efficiency of the commissary department, which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Marston, of New-Hampshire, on the fourth of February, reported it back with an amendment. The bill provided that there should be added to the subsistence department of the army, by regular promotions therein, one brigadier-general, who should be commissary-general of subsistence; one colonel, one lieutenant-colonel, and two majors; the colonel and lieutenant-colonel to be assistant commissaries-general of subsistence; and that the vacancies in the above-mentioned grades should be filled by regular promotions in the department. ing clause, and insert: That the Governor of Kentucky, by the consent and under the direction of the President, should have the power to raise and organize into regiments a volunteer force not exceeding twenty thousand, to serve for the term of twelve months, to be employed within the limits of Kentucky in repelling invasion, suppressing insurrection, and guarding and protecting the public property: Provided, that at any time it might be necessary, in the discretion of the President, these troops might be employed out of the limits of Kentucky against the enemies of the United States. That the regimental and company officers should be appointed and commissioned by the State of Kentucky, provided the officers should be entitled to pay only when the regiments or companies were filled as required by law and while in actual service. That the regiments, when raised and officered, should be mustered into the service of the President of the United States, and be subject to the command of the President. That the officers and soldiers thus enrolled and mustered into service should be subject to the rules and articles of war, and should be placed on the same footing as other volunteers in the service of the United States as to pay, subsistence, clothing, and other emoluments, except bounty, for and during the time they might be in actual service That a portion of this volunteer corps, not exceeding two regiments, might be mounted, and armed as mounted riflemen. That the President should .have power to make such other regulations in regard to the organization of this force as he should deem expedient for the interest of the On the seventh, the Senate, on motion of Mr. service. That by and with the consent of the Lane, of Indiana, took it up for consideration. President, the volunteers authorized to be raised Mr. Wilson moved to amend the bill, so that the by this act, or any portion of them, might be commissary-general, who was to have the rank attached to and become part of the three years a brigadier-general, should be appointed by seKentucky volunteers. Mr. Harlan moved to lection, and the other officers by regular proamend, by striking out the words "Governor of motion. Mr. Lane, of Indiana, Mr. Ten Eyck, Kentucky," and inserting the word "President," Mr. Lane, of Kansas, and Mr. Howe opposed the so that the President should be authorized to amendment, and Mr. Grimes and Mr. Wilson adraise twenty thousand one year's volunteers in vocated it, not in opposition to the promotion of any State or States, instead of authorizing the Colonel Taylor, the Commissary-General, but Governor of Kentucky to raise that number of upon the ground that general officers were apmen in that State. After debate, the amend-pointed by selection. Mr. Wilkinson was opment was agreed to-yeas, nineteen; nays, six-posed to the bill and the amendment. Mr. Wil teen. The Senate, on the twelfth, resumed the consideration of the bill, and on motion of Mr. Lane, of Indiana, reconsidered the vote on Mr. Harlan's amendment — yeas, twenty-one; nays, fourteen. That amendment, and others agreed to on the ninth, were then rejected. On motion of Mr. Davis, it was so amended that the troops should be "raised within the State of Kentucky." Mr. Clark moved to postpone the consideration of the bill for one week; but the motion was lost-yeas, thirteen; nays, twenty-four. It was then passed-yeas, twenty-three; nays, thirteen. The bill was, on the sixteenth, referred by the House to the Committee on Military Affairs. On the fourth of February, Mr. Yeaman, of Kentucky, reported it back, with a recommendation that the amendment of the Senate be con The Committee on Military Affairs proposed to amend by adding to the bill, that the vacancies created by the promotions therein authorized might be filled by selections from officers of the regular or volunteer force; and the amendment was agreed to, and the bill passed. son modified his amendment so that the commis- No. XLIV.-The Joint Resolution to facilitate |