reference whatever to this section of the bill or to a provision like this. It is a letter written on the 14th of December, when the Provost Marshal General's Bureau was and was for the time to remain in existence, and it refers chiefly to what had better be done with deserters, and the statement of the Lieutenant General amounts to this: that such an officer being || in existence it is his appropriate business to take charge of deserters, and he recommends that he should do so, and attend to recruiting beside. That is all. There is no recommendation whatever favoring the retention of this bureau permanently, or of having any such officer in the standing Army. It comes to the Secretary of War appended to an argument made by General Fry himself, an elaborate argument made to show that he is essential to the Government. And although it is appended for that purpose, I repeat that it has nothing to do with this subject, but relates wholly to what the Provost Marshal's Bureau had better be set to do for the time being.

The letter which I have presented from the Lieutenant General was written to a member of the Military Committee of the Senate, written in answer to a question in reference to this identical section proposed there, and in answer to the specific inquiry whether he was or was not in favor of continuing this bureau. And he says in so many words that in his judgment there is not the slightest occasion for it, that bureaus ought not to be multiplied, and that this one ought to be discontinued.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, upon the authority not only of the Lieutenant General, but of all the generals who constituted the military council, because this section was omitted in the bill which they approved, I have made this motion.

Now, sir, as to the official conduct of this officer. I have deemed it proper to refer to it because the practical and real question is whether he personally is to continue in his present place. I have stated but a very small part of what I know from my own investigation of the matter. And I want it distinctly understood that in my judgment no officer of this Government holding a similar position has done so much harm and so little good as the officer of whom I am speaking. If that is offensive to anybody, so be it. To the particular individual to whom it may give most offense, I will answer not here but elsewhere, when it becomes

Mr. CONKLING. Then I will yield it to the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. SPALDING.]

Mr. SPALDING. I wish to say a few words. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Does the gentleman from New York [Mr. CONKLING] yield the floor to the gentleman from Ohio for the residue of his time?

Mr. SPALDING. I claim it on my own merits. sir.

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair now understands that the gentleman from Ohio [Mr. SPALDING] is to speak during the balance of the time of the gentleman from New York, [Mr. CONKLING.]

I

Mr. CONKLING. I so understand. yield the residue of my time only to the gentleman from Ohio, because I suppose that the gentleman from Pennsylvania, Mr. MERCUR,] to whom I am very much indebted, desires to occupy his full fifteen minutes.

Then the

The SPEAKER pro tempore. gentleman from Ohio [Mr. SPALDING] is entitled to the floor for just three minutes.

Mr. SPALDING. Three minutes is enough

for me. I am opposed, sir, to the continuance of this military bureau known as the Provost Marshal General's Office. I am opposed to it in time of peace, because I consider it an unnecessary appendage to the Army. But I believe that during the late war it was a neces sary evil, and I think that a great deal of the odium which has been attached to the administration of the duties of that office pertained rather to the nature of the office than to the individual who discharged the duties of the office. I question, sir, whether any man, whether he came from the East or the West, from the North or the South, could have gone into the administration of the Provost Marshal General's department and discharged its duties with any more satisfaction to the general public than General James B. Fry.

Now, I do not claim that vast frauds have not been perpetrated in this as in every other department of the Government during the last four years; I think they have been. But I do not think any one man is responsible for them. I think, perhaps the gentleman from New York [Mr. CONKLING] has sufficient cause for what he has said; but such a case as he has mentioned has not been brought home to me, in all my official intercourse with the Provost Marshal General during the last three years, and it has been constant and frequent. I have been treated by him with a degree of kindness and courtesy which requires from me an expression of thanks rather than of censure. I am happy, therefore, to have it in my power to say that I am under obligations to this man; and it is a pleasure to me to acquit myself of the duty of doing so.

Mr. BLAINE. I do not rise to argue the merits of this proposition. I rise rather to relieve myself from the stigma attempted to be cast upon me, and to place myself properly on the record, as becomes a gentleman and a Representative.

I stated when I was up before, and I left it to the gentleman from New York [Mr. CoNKLING] to answer whether I answered it correctly, that I had understood there were personal difficulties between himself and the Provost Marshal General. I have so understood it. I have understood it from very high authority. I have understood that in those difliculties the gentleman from New York, as I said before, did not come out first best. I did not make this as an assertion. I left it to him to say whether it was so or not. Certainly I did not violate any principle of propriety or of parliamentary etiquette. And, sir, even were I in full health, (and I ought to be in my bed to-day,) I could not consent to go into this cheap sort of stuff about answering "here and elsewhere" and about "personal responsibility" and all that kind of thing.

Sir, I do not know how to characterize it. When we had gentlemen here from the eleven seceded States, they used to talk about answering here and elsewhere;" and it was understood that they meant a duel! I suppose the gentleman from New York means nothing of that kind; I do not know whether he does or does not; but that is the only meaning that can be attached to the phrase. When a man says that he is ready to answer "here or elsewhere," he means that he is willing to receive a note outside of the District of Columbia. Well, now, that is very cheap, and certainly beneath my notice. I do not believe the gentleman from New York wants to fight a duel; and I am sure he needs no assurance from me that I do not intend it. When I have to resort to the use of the epithet of "false" upon this floor, and this cheap swagger about being responsible "here or elsewhere," I shall have very little faith in the cause which I stand up to maintain.

me that the reasons which exist for its abolishment since the termination of the war are equally manifest.

The bill, upon its face, provides for two classes of duties to be performed by this bureau. The one is the recruiting of the Army, and the other is the arrest of deserters. It provides that two persons shall take charge of these duties, one with the rank of brigadier general, and the other with the rank of colonel of cavalry.

Now, it appears to me that all these duties can be properly performed by a person occu pying a lower position, and receiving much less compensation than these persons would receive. The recruiting of the Army is not a business of such vast dimensions nor will it be prolonged so long as to require the creation of a permanent bureau like this.

After the Army is filled, and we are informed that during the last six months recruiting has gone on very rapidly, this will not be needed, and whatever number we may fix upon as the proper number for the Army, we have reason to know that the vacuum can be filled up in a few months without any great difficulty; and when the Army is once filled on a peace establishment the duties of a bureau of this kind, so far as recruiting is concerned, will necessarily be very small.

Now, in regard to the other duties of this office, the arrest of deserters, I take it that there cannot now be a very large number of deserters that the Government proposes to pursue and arrest and punish. In these days of general amnesty and of general pardon, I presume the Government will not pursue very sharply and rigidly those persons who have deserted from the armies of the Union. And if there is no great number of deserters now who are to be arrested, is it to be supposed or assumed that the number will increase to such an extent in the future as to create a necessity for a permanent bureau to look after and arrest deserters? I think not; and hence I assume that neither for the one purpose nor the other specified in the bill is there any necessity for the creation of a permanent bureau of this char

acter.

Now, in addition to the absence of any necessity for this bureau, it does strike me, if I understand the sentiment of the country aright, a sentiment which grew and strengthened with the progress of the recent rebellion, that the present head of this bureau did not satisfy public expectation in the discharge of his duties. It is not my design to attribute a want of good faith or a want of integrity to that bureau. In my judgment, though I may err, it was a want of capacity which created the great dissatisfaction which existed in the minds of the loyal people throughout the country.

The fact cannot be disguised that a great many of the complications and entanglements which arose during the progress of the war were solely in consequence of the orders which issued from time to time from the Provost Marshal General's Office. They complicated matters so much, one followed the other in such rapid succession, changing, modifying, and throwing confusion upon what had preceded, that no one could form any adequate idea of what was required. No district could tell how many men it had to raise, or how many men they had received credit for. Such being the fact, there is no reason, no justice, no propriety, in continuing this bureau for the benefit of the present incumbent.

The gentleman from New York [Mr. CONKLING] has suggested one thing in which this bureau was somewhat conspicuous, that is, its power of absorption of the commutation money which was paid by people all over the country, and of which no satisfactory account has yet been rendered. But there was another reputation which this burean established, and that was its peculiar and unique way of combining figures. The country was frequently astonished by this rare and peculiar power of com

I refer to the effort made to arrive at the probable cost to this Government in case we should adopt some system of equalizing the bounties to be given to our soldiers. We met here, every man of us zealous and warm in his desire to equalize the bounties. But the Provost Marshal General, with his peculiar combination of figures, has again thrown a damper upon us. It strikes me that the Honse ought with great unanimity to vote down this section and cause this bureau to be abolished.

Mr. STEVENS. I move to insert the following in the place of the section which it is proposed to strike out:

That the Provost Marshal's Bureau shall be continued only so long as in the judgment of the Secretary of War may be necessary to close up the business thereof, not exceeding, however, six months from the passage of this act.

Mr. CONKLING. I will accept the proposition of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr. STEVENS. T

Mr. SCHENCK. My impression is that the sense of this House is against the section as it stands in the bill, and I certainly do not mean to struggle to keep it there. But it is equally certain that it is somewhat due to the Committee on Military Affairs that this House should clearly understand why it was that the committee believed that in an army bill a feature of this kind should compose one of its parts.

I will not go into any question about the character of the present incumbent of the Provost Marshal General's Office. He is able to defend that for himself. It is defended by the history of the war. It is defended by his services through good report and evil report. According to the best of his ability, that officer has so discharged his duty that those in his own immediate department, who know best how that duty has been discharged, have no such epithets to bestow upon him as that he is an undeserving officer.

It is not for me, therefore, to inquire why gentlemen make personal issues with that othcer here, in a debate upon a feature in a military bill which has no reference to persons, but merely to a plan, a scheme of operations. And I here desire to say to the House, in behalf of the Military Committee, that in all their labor of consideration, discussion, inquiry, and other work tending to the framing of a proper bill for the establishment of an army system, they have endeavored to act without reference to persons, having in view only the best schemes for the attainment of objects which might result in the public good.

There is nothing about General Fry in this section. The probability is, that if the section should prevail as a part of the bill, General Fry would be retained in his present position; but it would not necessarily be so. The question truly before this House, as a legislative body, is whether or not the committee were right in supposing that a Provost Marshal General's Office, as a feature of a military system, is needed. Now, upon that subject, gentlemen have not been quite fair in referring to the testimony upon which the opinion of the committee, in favor of such necessity, was based. The gentleman from New York, [Mr. CONKLING,] in commenting upon the letter of the Lieutenant General, sent in response to a call made upon him by the Secretary of War, and officially communicated to this House, and by this House referred to the Military Committee, has taken occasion to say that there is nothing in that letter about recruiting, that it relates to desertion.

Mr. CONKLING. The gentleman misunderstood me. I said that there was nothing in the communication about a continuation of the Provost Marshal General's Bureau; that it referred simply to the business in which that bureau should be employed while it exists.

Mr. SCHENCK. And that its employment was to be in the arrest of deserters.

Mr. CONKLING. No, sir; I did not say that.

Mr. SCHENCK.

the gentleman.

Then I misunderstood

I wish now to call the attention of the House

to the letter of General Grant, which, in connection with other communications of opinion made to the committee, induced the committee to adopt this as a feature of their bill. Certainly the committee were justified in supposing that the communication of General Grant was intended to recommend just what they did. General Grant, in his subsequent letter, communicated now informally and indrectly to this House, has explained that perhaps he was misunderstood. But that does not alter the fact that here was the letter, and this was the character of the recommendation contained in that letter.

The question was the subject of recruiting and desertion; how the one should be promoted and the other prevented. Now, sir, it is a notorious fact that heretofore recruiting for filling up the ranks of the regular Army of the United State has been to a considerable degree a failure. Whose fault it is, I do not undertake now to say; but the fact is incontestable that heretofore recruiting has been conducted by the detail of an officer who wanted an agreeable visit to a quiet country town or a pleasant residence for a time in some city. This commissioned officer, while boarding at a hotel, and occasionally visiting the rendezvous, left the business of recruiting to be performed by some sergeant, aided, it may be, by a private or two, also detailed as a portion of the party. Thus the work of recruiting was slow and quite inefficient in its general results.

I remember very well having been compelled to turn my attention to the mode in which this business was conducted in a neighboring city, when myself in the military service; and remember that week after week and month after month the reports of the recruiting officers, both for the regular Army and for volunteers, read about in this way: "For the month of April, total number of recruits four; total number of deserters four. For the month of May, total number of recruits three; total number of deserters three."

Once in awhile there was at the end of the month a small margin of one or two recruits, who might or might not find their way from the recruiting station to a place in the ranks.

Now, sir, this is as well understood by General Grant as anybody else, and in the very commencement of this letter he says:

"I do not think the present method of recruiting, as carried out, sufficient to fill up the regular Army filled." to the force required, or to keep it full when once

I think, under these circumstances, his recommending the creation of a distinct system at the head of which was to be put this officer, whose exclusive duty it should be to take care of recruiting and desertions, justified the committee in supposing that it was equivalent to a recommendation for a distinct feature in the administration of the War Department by which these objects should be accomplished and these measures carried out.

I say this as I felt it was due to the committee, or a majority of the committee, in justification of their action in making this Provost Marshall's Bureau a part of the military system.

The House may differ from us; I think they do. But I am not at all solicitous about this. I am not disposed to regard it in the light of a pet measure, however any one may be sharpened in opposition to it.

But, Mr. Speaker, I will add that the proposition of the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. STEVENS] should be adopted, or something should be inserted in the bill to continue this bureau in order to finish up the business of the war. If you strike out this section you ought to put in some provision for six months or some other time, such as will prevent the bureau closing at a loss to the Government and a derangement of the military system so far as the trust reposed heretofore in that office is concerned. I now demand the previous question.

Mr. FARQUHAR. I ask the gentleman to withdraw the call for the previous question. Mr. SCHENCK. I will if the gentleman will renew it.

Mr. FARQUHAR. I will.

Mr. Speaker, having served under the or ders of the Provost Marshal General in the discharge of the duties of a mustering and disbursing officer in the State of Indiana, and having had personal opportunities to know the importance of that system, I feel I should not have discharged my duty to myself, to my State, nor to this House if I should remain silent until this vote was taken without saying a word in regard to the manner in which the duties of the Provost Marshal General have been discharged in respect to that State. I desire to say that in the administration of the officer in charge of that department, I never did hear any charge made against the efficiency, against the promptness, against the success of the officer in charge of that department, but, on the contrary, and I say it with pleasure, the duties of that office were performed with evisatisfaction. During the time I had an oppor dence of the highest ability and the greatest tunity of serving under that officer, a large amount of recruits were raised, both to fill up old regiments and to create new regiments, with a success which did not attend the service when another officer was in charge of that department. I take pleasure, without entering into the controversy, if I may so call it, regard

of deserters.

But in this state of fact, what did Lieutenant General Grant say, when appealed to by the Secretary of War? He said, "The duty is an important one, and demands, I think, the exclusive attention of an officer of the War Department." Not his casual attention in connection with some other department on the part of the same officer to whom it shall be given. No, sir, his exclusive attention to this matter is required. He says it demands, I think, the exclusive attention of an officer of the War Department, aided by a well-organized system. That is not different from what the provost marshal is There must be an officer who shall devote himself exclusively to this business, aided by a well-organized system extending over the country. He says:

now.

"I think the officer best fitted for that position by his experience during the present war is General Fry, and would recommend that the whole subject of recruiting be put in his hands, and all officers on recruiting duty be directed to report to him."

He then goes a step further, and proposes to confer upon this officer everything relating to the apprehension of desorters.

the duties and services of that high officer, to say to-day that I bear testimony to the highest ability of that officer in the full discharge of these duties.

What

I will take up but a moment more. will be the effect of striking out the section of the bill which proposes to continue that office as it is now? It will be nothing more than to turn the duties of that office back to the Adjutant General's department. We did nothing more in the creation of that bureau than to detail an officer from the War Department to perform its duty. By striking out that from the bill you will turn it back to the Adjutant General's department. What will then be done? The War Department will detail the same officer, bearing the same rank, receiving the same pay, with the same assistants, for that purpose. cannot, therefore, see much economy in taking the bureau from the position it now occupies. I renew the demand for the previous question. Mr. SCHENCK. I think the amendment proposed by the gentleman from Pennsylvania, [Mr. STEVENS,] limiting the time, if the section is to be stricken out, ought to be made a part of the bill.

The previous question was seconded and the main question ordered; and under the operation thereof the amendment was agreed to.

The Clerk read the next section, as follows: SEC. 21. And be it further enacted, That the medical department of the Army shall hereafter consist of one surgeon general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a brigadier general; one assistant surgeon general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a colonel of cavalry; eighty surgeons, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of majors of cavalry; one hundred and sixty assistant surgeons, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of first lieutenants of cavalry for the first three years' service, and with the rank, pay, and emoluments of captains of cavalry after three years' service; and five medical storekeepers, with the same compensation as is now provided by law; and at least two thirds of the original vacancies in the grades of surgeon and assistant surgeon shall be filled by selection from among the persons who have served as staff or regimental surgeons or assistant surgeons of volunteers in the Army of the United States two years during the late war, and one third from similar officers of the regular Army; and persons who have served as assistant surgeons three years in the volunteer service shall be eligible for promotion to the grade of captain.

Mr. CONKLING. I move to amend this section by inserting after the word "selection" the words "by competitive examination." I do not wish to argue it because it argues itself, so far as it is susceptible of argument. As the section stands now, very likely that is the design.

Mr. SCHENCK. Does the gentleman intend any change in the present mode of examination, which is, to note the degree of excellence and select from those who stand highest?

Mr. CONKLING. If that is the mode, then it accomplishes what I supposed was intended. In one of the Senate bills these words were retained. The chairman of the committee seems to think it is all right.

The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. SCHENCK. General PAINE has an amendment which I think the House will prob ably approve, one which, if it prevails, will obviate the necessity for the next section. The amendment, I believe, is somewhere in the House. I have not been able to get it and offer it as he requested.

Mr. HALE. I have the amendment which the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. PAINE] wished to propose, and I offer it on his behalf. I will not argue it.

The Clerk read the amendment, as follows: In section twenty-one, line five, after the word "cavalry," insert the following:

Two chief medical purveyors, and five assistant medical purveyors, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of lieutenant colonels of cavalry, who shall give the same bonds which are or may be required of assistant paymasters general of like grade, and shall, when not acting as purveyors, be assignable to duty as surgeons by the President.

Mr. SCHENCK. Mr. Speaker

Mr. WENTWORTH. Will my friend yield to me one moment to give a notice? Mr. SCHENCK. Yes, sir.

EVENING BUSINESS.

Mr. WENTWORTH. I give notice to the House, and also to the Speaker, that to-night during the pendency of the Pacific railroad bill I shall call for the rigid enforcement of the rules of the House in respect to the lobby. It is getting to be a large and powerful insti tution. I think we can run the machine alone. I give the doorkeepers notice.

Mr. RANDALL, of Pennsylvania. I would ask whether it is the intention to take a vote on the Pacific railroad bill to-night.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I hope there will be no attempt to do business unless there is a quorum_present.

Mr. PRICE. In answer to the gentleman from Pennsylvania. [Mr. RANDALL,] I will say that that is the intention.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I am very sorry to hear the gentleman state that it is the intention to obtain a vote on this measure tonight, a measure which I undertake to say is of more importance than any which will come before this House, involving $60,000,000 and an amount of land so great that

Several MEMBERS. "Order!" "Order!"
REORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY-AGAIN.

gentleman from Illinois [Mr. WENTWORTH] to give a notice to the House, and not for a debate. I must resume the floor.

The amendment proposed by the gentleman from New York [Mr. HALE] in behalf of the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. PAINE] fixes the number of officers who may be detailed as medical purveyors, as provided for in the twenty-second section; but it transfers them to this twenty-first section, making them responsible bonded officers. There is a propriety in this, because there is very considerable trust reposed in these officers; and there has been a very great deal of abuse, leading to trouble, in the Surgeon General's department arising from the proceedings of detailed medical purveyors.

I wish the House to understand that if this amendment to the twenty-first section shall prevail, I shall move to strike out the twentysecond section.

Mr. HARDING, of Illinois. I demand the previous question on the section, with the pending amendment.

the main question ordered, being upon the The previous question was seconded and amendment offered by Mr. HALE.

The question was put, and there were-ayes 54, noes 21; no quorum voting.

Tellers were ordered; and Messrs. HALE and Ross were appointed.

The House divided; and the tellers reported -ayes 70, noes 25.

So the amendment was agreed to.

The twenty-second section was then read, as follows:

SEC. 22. And be it further enacted, That the Secretary of War may detail a surgeon as chief medical purveyor, who, while performing such duty, shall be in charge of the principal purchasing and issuing depot of medical supplies, and shall have the rank, pay, and emoluments of a colonel of cavalry; and the Secretary of War may in like manner detail not to exceed five medical officers as assistant medical purveyors, who, while performing such duty in the different geographical divisions or departments, shall have the rank, pay, and emoluments of lieutenant colonels of cavalry.

Mr. SCHENCK. I move that that section be stricken out.

The motion was agreed to.

The twenty-third section was then read, as follows:

SEC. 23. And be it further enacted, That the pay department of the Army shall hereafter consist of one paymaster general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a brigadier general; two assistant paymaster generals, with the runk, pay, and emoluments of colonels of cavalry; two assistant paymaster generals, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of lieutenant colonels of cavalry; and forty paymasters, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of majors of cavalry: and the original vacancies in the grade of major shall be filled by selections from those persons who have served faithfully as paymasters or additional paymasters in the Army of the United States in the late war. And hereafter no graduate of the United States Military Academy, being at the time in the Army of the United States, or having been at any time for three years next preceding, shall be eligible to appointment as an officer in the pay department.

Mr. THAYER. I move to amend that section by adding thereto the following:

But this provision shall not extend to graduates of West Point now in the pay department. The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. SCHENCK. I am instructed by the Committee on Military Affairs to move to amend this section by striking out in line seven the word "forty, and inserting "fifty" in lieu thereof. Sixty were asked for and are still asked for, but the committee determined upon forty. But the committee have instructed me now to move to strike out "forty" and insert "fifty," and in explanation of that determination I will simply ask to have read a communication from General Brice, the head of that department.

I know, sir, that the heads of departments are very apt to ask for all they think they can get, but I know of no man on whose good sense and clearness of judgment in reference to the affairs of his department I would more rely than that of General Brice. upon

I give to the House his opinion in reference to this matter by having his letter read. I ask

The Clerk read, as follows:

WAR DEPARTMENT, PAYMASTER GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, April 16, 1866. SIR: In compliance with your request, I have the honor to suggest the reasons for my conviction that the number of paymasters (forty) provided in your bill for the reorganization of the Army is quite insufficient for the necessities of the service. After a full consideration of the subject, I am well convinced that a less number than the one fixed in the Senato bill (sixty) will prove inadequate-an unsafe allow

ance.

Our troops are now being disposed of in the establishment of small posts all over the public domain on both slopes of the Rocky mountains. From the head waters of the Missouri river down the plains and through the mountain passes to the intersection of the south line of the United States with the Colorado river. On the upper Mississippi, in the expanse of Indian country lying between the waters of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, extending north almost to the line of the British possessious. Then, on the Pacific slope, from Los Angelos, in California, to the upper confines of Washington Territory.

Our Army establishment proposed is to be fourfold larger than before the war, and with probably three times as many military posts as ever heretofore existed in the history of the country. Most of these latter are in the ranges of the Indians, where travel overland by paymasters with money must of necessity be under the protection of military escorts. I am sure that no one in the service has had more varied and abundant experience in that sort of locomotion than I have had. For the most part of ten years I was engaged in paying troops in New Mexico, Arizona, western Texas, and on the plains of the West north of the Arkansas river and extending up to Fort Randall, on the upper Missouri river.

Such traveling has to be done with wagons to carry the supplies for the party, including the escort, einbracing subsistence, camp equipage, cooking utensils, &e. A train of this character can only make twenty to thirty miles per day, and where it is not practicable to carry or procure forage for the animals even a less distance is made per day from the necessity of giving ample time for the animals to graze.

It will be readily seen from this how slow is locomotion on the plains when large sums of money are at stake and must be protected; and how little can be accomplished in a given time by a single paymaster under such circumstances.

As an instance of the past: when Fort Laramie was our extreme western post this side of the Rocky mountains, with only one (Fort Kearney) intermediate between that and Fort Leavenworth, cach twocompany posts, a paymaster supplied with funds at Leavenworth set out to pay the four companies stationed respectively at Kearney and Laramie-the distance to the latter from Leavenworth seven hundred and thirty miles. Here is the result:

Going 730 miles, at 20 miles per day.
Returning.

Days.

36 .36

Paying, refitting, and other unavoidable delays...

Total.................

Thus, to pay only four companies situated as described, starting from the nearest point where money was available, required two and one half mouths of time. Suppose the most favorable condition of things, and this time could not be reduced to less than two months.

It may be thought that escorts and trains are expensive appliances for the mere conveyance of paymasters in the execution of their duties; but properly considered they are not so. The transportation material is necessarily kept on hand at the proper depots to meet the various exigencies of the service, and it is as well employed as idle.

So of the troops used as escorts. Nothing is added to the current expenses of the Government, while the moral effect, upon the Indians, of these frequent excursions through their country is unquestionably salutary.

If before the war, with an average of twelve thousand men, twenty-five paymasters were scarcely sufficient for the demand, is it not reasonable to calculate that with a force of fifty to seventy thousand, and with the number of stations from two to three times increased, that sixty paymasters are not too many? I treat of a subject entirely familiar to me in making my estimate. And I much question if future experience does not demonstrate that estimate to be short rather than in excess of the demand.

I beg to recur to another point in yours as well as the Senate bill which I venture to suggest needs amendment.

Your twenty-third section provides, "that the pay department of the Army shall hereafter consist of one paymaster general, with the rank, pay, and emoluments of a brigadier general," &c. Now, why is it not better that it read thus: that the paymaster general shall have the rank, pay, &c., of a brigadier general, and that the pay department of the Army shall hereafter consist of such paymaster general, two assistant paymaster generals, &c.

Your phraseology used will result in making a vacancy in the office of paymaster general, the present incumbent holding only the rank of colonel.

Now, as that incumbent has exercised the functions of the office for near two years and through the most important and difficult era of its history, if there is entertained no purpose to require him to give place to another, then the act of legislating him out of service can only embarrass while serving no good end. He was only very recently confirmed as Paymaster General, and without opposition.

The act passing in its present form, as to the action in question, and to take effect from its passage, there

will be an inter regnum during the time required for the action of the appointing power and the Senate, which will likely embrace days, perhaps weeks, as all the vacancies made under that section will likely be prepared and sent up in one list. Very respectfully, your obedient servant. B. W. BRICE, Paymaster General. Hon. ROBERT C. SCHENCK, Chairman Military Committee House of Representatives.

The question was taken on Mr. SCHENCK'S amendment; and there were-ayes 51, noes 21; no quorum voting.

Tellers were ordered; and Messrs. GRINNELL and BOYER were appointed.

Mr. ROSS demanded the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered. Mr. SCHENCK. I suppose if we adjourn now the yeas and nays can be taken to-mor

row.

The SPEAKER. If the House is in session at half past four o'clock, it will, under the order of yesterday, take a recess until half past seven o'clock. If it adjourns before that time, it will be to meet to-morrow at twelve o'clock.

Mr. SCHENCK. If that is to be the effect of a motion to adjourn now, then I will not make it.

Mr. ROSS. I move that the House do now adjourn.

Mr. PRICE. Cannot the House now take a recess by unanimous consent?

The SPEAKER. A recess can be taken now by unanimous consent; or a motion to take a recess until half past seven o'clock would be in order.

Mr. SPALDING. I move that the House now take a recess.

The SPEAKER. The motion to adjourn takes precedence.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I call the yeas and nays upon the motion to adjourn. The yeas and nays were ordered.

The question was taken; and it was decided in the negative-yeas 26, nays 71, not voting 86; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Bergen, Boyer, Chanler, Delano, Eldridge, Finck, Glossbrenner, Griswold, Hale, Aaron Harding, Hayes, Chester D. Hubbard, Latham, Marshall, Marston, Nicholson, Ritter, Ross, Shanklin, Spalding, Taber, Thayer, Thornton, Elihu B. Washburne, Williams, and Wright-26.

NAYS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Anderson, Baker, Banks, Baxter, Beaman, Benjamin, Bidwell, Bingham, Broomall, Buckland, Bundy, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Conkling, Darling, Dawes, Defrees, Deming, Dixon, Dodge, Donnelly, Driggs, Garfield, Grinnell, Henderson, Higby, Hulburd, Jenckes, Julian, Kasson, Kelley, Kelso, Ketcham, Kuykendall, Laflin, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, Loan, Longyear, Lynch, Marvin, McClurg, MeRuer, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Myers, Niblack, O'Neill, Orth, Patterson, Perham, Price, William H. Randall, John II. Rice, Rollins, Schenek, Trowbridge, Upson, Burt Van Horn, Robert T. Van Horn, Warner, William B. Washburn, Welker, Wentworth, Whaley, James F. Wilson, Windom, and Woodbridge-71.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. Alley, Ancona, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Baldwin, Barker, Blaine, Blow, Boutwell, Brandegee, Bromwell, Reader W. Clarke, Coffroth, Cook, Cullom, Culver, Davis, Dawson, Denison, Dumont, Eckley, Eggleston, Eliot, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Ferry, Goodyear, Grider, Abner C. Harding, Harris, Hart, Hill, Hogan, Holmes, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Asahel W. Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Edwin N. Hubbell, James R. Hubbell, James Humphrey, James M. Humphrey, Ingersoll, Johnson, Jones, Kerr, Le Blond, McCullough, McIndoe, McKee, Morrill, Morris, Moulton, Newell, Noell, Paine, Phelps, Pike, Plants, Pomeroy, Radford, Samuel J. Randall, Raymond, Alexander H. Rice, Rogers, Rousseau, Sawyer, Scofield, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves, Sloan, Smith, Starr, Stevens, Stilwell, Strouse, Taylor, Francis Thomas, John L. Thomas, Trimble, Van Aernam, Ward, Henry D. Washburn, Stephen F. Wilson, and Winfield-86.

So the motion to adjourn was not agreed to. During the roll-call,

Mr. BROOMALL announced that Mr. STARR was detained from the House by sickness.

Mr. VAN HORN, of New York, announced that Mr. PAINE was detained from the House on account of sickness.

The result of the vote was stated as above.

CAPTURE OF BOOTH AND HAROLD. The SPEAKER. A communication was received a few days since from the Secretary of War in relation to the rewards for the capture of the assassins Booth and Harold, which should go to the Committee on Appropriations. It was laid upon the table at the time it was

received. If there is no objection it will be referred to the Committee on Appropriations. No objection was made, and it was referred accordingly.

ENROLLED BILL SIGNED.

Mr. TROWBRIDGE, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined and found truly enrolled an act (H. R. No. 500) making appropriations to supply deficiencies in the appropriation for the public printing for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1866; when the Speaker signed the same.

The hour of half past four o'clock having arrived,

The House, pursuant to an order adopted yesterday, took a recess till half past seven o'clock p. m.

The SPEAKER. Only by unanimous consent. The House is now acting the same as it is in a day session when considering a special order.

Mr. MORRILL. I will state briefly the necessity for the passage of this bill. When the reciprocity treaty expired we failed to pass any bill on the subject; and, therefore, now have no duties upon live animals, whether imported from Canada or from any other country. I am informed that at the present time the owners of sheep upon the other side of the line are driving them over into the United States, and having them kept, proposing that they shall remain here until after they are shorn, when of course they can be driven back. They may thus be able to introduce wool into this country without the payment of any duty.

Mr. JENCKES. Does not the order of business for this evening's session preclude the consideration of any other business except reports from the Committee on the Pacific Railroad?

The SPEAKER. It does not, unless objection is made.

Mr. JENCKES. I object to any other business.

LAND-GRANT RAILROADS.

Mr. PRICE. Three weeks ago yesterday I reported, by direction of the Committee on the Pacific Railroad, Senate bill No. 83, entitled "An act to extend the time for completing certain land-grant railroads in the States therein named." That bill was ordered to be printed, and was made the special order for the Monday following-two weeks ago yesterday. We find that there are several inaccuracies in the printed and under the instruction of the committee,

bill;

I now move that the bill be recommitted to the committee.

Mr. KASSON. I have prepared a substitute for this bill. I desire that it shall be printed, and referred to the same committee.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. On the motion of the gentleman from Iowa [Mr. PRICE] I call for a division. I have no objection to this bill going to the committee; but I protest against business being done to-night without a

quorum.

On the motion to recommit the bill, there were-ayes 20, noes 3; no quorum voting. Mr. WINDOM. I call for the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.

The question was taken; and there wereyeas 68, nays 0, not voting 115; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Ancona, Delos R. Ashley, Banks, Beaman, Bidwell, Bingham, Broomall, Bundy, Sidney Clarke, Cobb, Darling, Dawes, Dixon, Dodge, Eggleston, Eliot, Ferry, Finck, Grider, Grinnell, Hale, Abner C. Harding, Henderson,

Asahel W. Hubbard, Hulburd, Jenckes, Julian, Kasson, Kelley, Kelso, Ketcham, Latham, Loan, Longyear, Marshall, Marvin, McClurg, MeRuer, Mercur, Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Morris, Moulton, Newell, Niblack, O'Neill, Orth, Patterson, Perham, Price, William H. Randall, John H. Rice, Ritter, Ross, Stevens, Francis Thomas, Trowbridge, Upson, Elihu B. Washburne, William B. Washburn, Wentworth, James F. Wilson, Stephen F. Wilson, Windom, and Woodbridge-68.

NAYS-0.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. Alley, Anderson, James M. Ashley, Baker, Baldwin, Barker, Baxter, Benjamin, Bergen, Blaine, Blow, Boutwell, Boyer, Brandegee, Bromwell, Buckland, Chanler, Reader W. Clarke, Coffroth. Conkling, Cook, Cullom, Calver, Davis, Dawson, Defrees, Delano, Deming, Denison, Donnelly, Driggs, Dumont, Eckley, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Garfield, Glossbrenner, Goodyear, Griswold, Aaron Harding, Harris, Hart, Hayes, Highy, Hill, Hogan, Holmes, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Chester D. Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Edwin N. Hubbell, James R. Hubbell, James Humphrey, James M. Humphrey, Ingersoll, Johnson, Jones, Kerr, Kuykendall, Laflin, George V. Lawrence, William Lawrence, LeBlond, Lynch, Marston, McCullough, McIndoe, McKee, Myers, Nicholson, Noell, Paine, Phelps, Pike, Plants, Pomeroy, Radford, Samuel J. Randall, Raymond, Alexander II. Rice, Rogers, Rollins, Rousseau, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shanklin, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves, Sloan, Smith, Spalding, Starr, Stilwell, Strouse, Taber, Taylor, Thayer, John L. Thomas, Thornton, Trimble, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Robert T. Van Horn, Ward, Warner, Henry D. Washburn, Welker, Whaley, Williams, Winfield, and Wright-115.

The SPEAKER stated that no quorum had voted.

During the roll-call,

Mr. LATHAM stated that Mr. ELDRIDGE was detained from the House by sickness in his family.

The result having been announced as above stated,

Mr. WILSON, of Iowa, moved a call of the House, and on that motion called for the yeas and nays.

The yeas and nays were ordered.

The question was taken; and it was decided in the affirmative-yeas 71, nays 13, not voting 99; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Ancona, Delos R. Ashley, Baker, Banks, Baxter, Bergen, Bidwell, Boyer, Broomall, Buckland, Bundy, Cobb, Cook, Darling, Dawes, Delano, Dixon, Dodge, Donnelly, Eggleston, Eliot, Ferry, Finck, Grinnell, Hale, Abner C. Harding, Henderson, Asahel W. Hubbard, James R. Hubbell, Julian, Kasson, Kelley, Kelso, Ketcham, Laflin, Loan, Longyear, McClurg, MeRuer, Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Moulton, Myers, Nicholson, O'Neill, Orth, Patterson, Perham, Price, Samuel J. Randall, William H. Randall, John II. Rice, Smith, Spalding, Stevens, Taber, Thayer, Francis Thomas, Trowbridge, Upson, Robert T. Van Horn, Elihu B. Washburne, William B. Washburn, Wentworth, James F. Wilson, Stephen F. Wilson, Windom, and Woodbridge-71. NAYS-Messrs. Beaman, Holmes, Hulburd, Jenckes, Latham. Marshall, Marvin, Mercur, Newell, Niblack, Ritter, Rogers, and Ross-13.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. Alley, Anderson, James M. Ashley, Baldwin, Barker, Benjamin, Bingham, Blaine, Blow. Boutwell, Brandegee, Bromwell, Chanler, Reader W. Clarke, Sidney Clarke, Coffroth, Conkling.Cullom, Culver, Davis, Dawson, Defrees, Deming, Denison, Driggs, Dumont, Eckley, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Farquhar, Garfield, Glossbrenner, Goodyear, Grider, Griswold, Aaron Harding, Harris, Hart, Hayes, Higby, Hill, Hogan, Hooper, Hotelkiss, Chester D. Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, John II. Hubbard, Edwin N. Hubbell, James Humphrey, James M. Humphrey, Ingersoll, Johnson, Jones, Kerr, Kuykendall, George V. Lawrence, William Latyrence, Le Blond, Lynch, Marston, McCullough, McIndoe, McKee, Morris, Noell, Paine, Phelps, Pike, Plants, Pomeroy, Radford, Raymond, Alexander H. Rice, Rollins, Rousseau, Sawyer, Schenck, Scofield, Shanklin, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves. Sloan, Starr, Stilwell, Strouse, Taylor, John L. Thomas, Thornton, Trimble, Van Aernain, Burt Van Horn, Ward, Warner, Henry D. Washburn, Welker, Whaley, Williams, Winfield, and Wright-99.

So a call of the House was ordered.

The Clerk then proceeded to call the roll, and the following members failed to answer to their names:

Messrs. Alley, Delos R. Ashley, James M. Ashley, Baldwin, Barker, Benjamin, Blaine, Blow, Boutwell, Brandegee, Bromwell, Chanler, Reader W. Clarke, Coffroth, Conkling, Cullom, Culver, Davis, Dawson, Defrees, Deming, Denison, Dumont, Eckley, Eldridge, Farusworth, Farquhar, Glossbrenner, Goodyear, Griswold, Aaron Harding, Harris, Hart, Hayes, Hill, Hogan, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Chester D. Hubbard, Demas Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Edwin N. Hubbell, James Humphrey, Ingersoll, Johnson, Jones, Kerr, Kuykendall, George V, Lawrence, William Lawrence. Le Blond, Lynch, McCullough, McIndoe, McKee, Morris, Noell, Paine, Phelps, Pike, Plants, Pomeroy, Radford, Raymond, Alexander II. Rice, Rousseau, Sawyer, Schenck, Shellabarger, Sitgreaves, Sloan, Starr, Stilwell, Strouse, Taylor, John L. Thomas, Thornton, Trimble, Van Aernam, Burt Van Horn, Ward, Welker, Whaley, and Winfield.

Page 5, section four, in lines six and seven, strike out the words "the point where it may strike the Missouri river," and insert in lieu thereof," Nebraska City:" so that it will read:

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That for the purpose of enabling said Iowa and Missouri State Line Railroad Company to effect a connection with the Union Pacific railroad or any branch thereof, at a point not further west than the one hundredth meridian of west longitude, the said company is hereby authorized to extend its line from Nebraska City to some point to be selected by it within the limitation above prescribed, upon the same terms and conditions, and with the like aid and privileges, that are granted to the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company by sections eighteen, nineteen, and twenty of an act in relation to the construction of a railroad and telegraph line to the Pacific ocean, approved July 2, 1964: Provided, That no lands in this section granted shall be taken from any grants or reservations heretofore made by the United States.

The amendment was agreed to.
Second amendment:

Page 2, line twenty-two, after the word "to" insert "not further than twenty miles from said rona and not including alternate sections reserved;" so it

will read:

That, for the purpose of aiding the Iowa and Missouri State Line Railroad Company (the same being a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Iowa) to construct and operate a railroad on or near the State line of Iowa and Missouri, between the Mississippi and Missouri rivers, or to connect with the Des Moines Valley railroad at or near Farmington, in the State of Iowa, running thence to and along the said State line, as near as practicable, to some point on the cast bank of the Missouri river, there is hereby granted to said railroad company every alternate section of land, designated by odd Bumbers, to the extent of ten sections per mile on each side of said road; but in case it shall appear that the United States have, when the line of said road is definitely located, sold any section, or any part thereof, granted as aforesaid, or that the right of preemption or homestead settlement has attached to the same, or that the same has been reserved by the United States for any purpose whatever, then it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Interior to cause to be selected for the purposes aforesaid, from the public lands of the United States nearest to, and not further than twenty miles from said road and not including alternate sections reserved, the sections above specified, so much land as shall be equal to the amount to such lands as the United States have sold, reserved, or otherwise appropriated, or to which the right of homestead settlement or preemption has attached as aforesaid, which lands, thus indicated by the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, shall be reserved and held for the use of said company by the said Secretary for the purpose of the construction

and operation of said railroad, as provided by this act, &c.

The amendment was agreed to.

Third amendment:

Add to the fourth section:

And the said company may also form a connection with Brownsville, on the Missouri river, upon the same terms, and with the aid hereinbefore mentioned, but the lands granted by this section shall not be selected within eight miles of the southern boundary of the Territory of Nebraska; and no lands shall be selected under a grant heretofore made to aid in the construction of the extension of the Burlington and Missouri River railroad within eight miles of said southern boundary of the Territory of Nebraska. The amendment was agreed to.

Mr. PRICE. This bill, Mr. Speaker, proposes a grant of lands, if there are any unoccupied, to a railroad on the southern line of The Iowa, running to the Missouri river. company has been organized and is building the road.

They ask for the passage of this bill, not so much for the lands they get, because there are but few lands there that are not taken, but because it will aid them some in the way of credit. The parties who are more immediately interested in this in Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas have no objection to the bill as reported by the committee, I believe. I think I have seen all the gentlemen who represent those States and Territories I have named, and they are willing that the bill should pass as reported. It passed the committee after thorough examination without a dissenting vote, and I did not suppose there would be any opposition to it in the House, or I should not have reported it at this time.

Mr. SPALDING. I desire to ask a question. I desire to know how long this railroad may be? Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. It will be about two hundred and fifty miles in length.

Mr. SPALDING. And it takes ten sections of land on each side for each mile of the road. Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. On paper it looks as if it would take ten sections on each side, but I will state that owing to the lands having been sold and granted to other companies this company cannot, by any possibility, receive under this bill to exceed forty thousand acres. I do not think they can find over twenty thousand.

Mr. SPALDING. Is there not a provision in it that enables the companies, where the Government lands are already taken, to locate the sections somewhere else?

Mr. WILSON, of lowa. No, sir; it confines them to the strip of twenty miles.

Mr. SPALDING. Twenty miles each way. Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. This road runs through one of the most densely settled portions of Iowa, where the lands have almost entirely been sold, and it is only here and there that a piece remains undisposed of.

And I will state further, that if any company is entitled to receive aid from the Government this is one, and for this reason: it is a company which is not under the control of persons residing elsewhere. It is controlled by the citizens of the State residing near the line of the road. And the construction is being conducted in this way: the farmers, mechanics, and citizens generally have subscribed to it, paying their subscriptions in work, in ties, in materials, and portions in money. It is for the purpose of aiding them in the completion of it that this grant is asked, and it is a very small pittance considering the magnitude of the work.

Mr. SPALDING. Does the chairman of the committee hold the floor?

Mr. PRICE. I do.

Mr. SPALDING. I ask the Speaker to recognize me to make a motion, after he is through with his remarks, to refer this bill to the Committee on Public Lands, for I think we ought to know something about the amount of land that is to be taken by this bill.

Mr. HIGBY. I ask the chairman of the committee if this company is working under an act of Congress.

Mr. PRICE. I will yield to my colleague through whose district this road runs to reply. Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. In reply to the

gentleman's question I will state that this company is not organized under any act of Congress. We have in the State of Iowa no special charters; the companies are all organized under the general corporation law. This one is organized under that law. It is the only company which has been organized for the purpose of constructing a road through the section of the State through which this road is to pass, and it is in accordance with the laws of Iowa. It is a corporation that is entirely satisfactory to the people of that State, a cor poration which is indorsed by all those who are interested directly in the construction of this road and in the development of the country through which it will pass, and there can be no objection to it on that ground.

Mr. KASSON. I would ask my colleague to yield to me a moment of his time to offer an amendment.

Mr.PRICE. I cannot yield for an amendment. Mr. KASSON. I will state to my colleague why I want this amendment adopted more fully than I have done. This proposed railroad runs about one hundred and forty miles through my district, and consequently my constituents are deeply interested in it. Under these circumstances I ask him if it is not proper for him to yield to me.

Mr. PRICE. Certainly. I have no objections to the gentleman's offering his amendment. I have three colleagues, all of whose districts run down to the Missouri river, and all of whom are interested in this bill; but I cannot yield for an amendment that will kill the bill.

Mr. KASSON. I think that when my colleague hears the amendment he will see that it does not kill the bill, but that on the contrary it will meet the approbation of the House.

My first amendment is to add the following proviso:

And provided further, That no lands shall be at any time patented to said company which are situated more than twenty miles westward of the terminus of the said railroad at the time the patents are issued.

I will state the reason why I ask my colleague to accept this amendment. There is but a limited amount of land to be had. Without this limitation, prohibiting the anticipation of lands situate at a distance, the effect of the general grant would be to exhaust all the lands, some one hundred and fifty miles ahead of the road, to aid in building the first twenty miles. If the road should then stop in the first district, all the lands situate in my district would be applied to build the road before it reaches my district at all. I cannot consent to this, without giving away to others the means that should be applied to aid the road in my district. This amendment prevents drawing land more than twenty miles west of the terminus at the time. Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. I think there is no objection to that amendment.

Mr. DELANO. I cannot understand exactly what is going on here. Let me make an inquiry. I desire to know what is the western terminus of this road.

Mr. KASSON. It is proposed to begin at or near Farmington, in Van Buren county, Iowa, where it connects with the railroad to Keokuk, connecting there with other roads leading to the Des Moines valley. My colleague from the first district stated here the amount of lands which should be granted, in which I concur, that it would not probably be more than fifty thousand acres. The people of that region of the country are very much interested in this road and are doing all they can to promote the enterprise by calling meetings and entering into subscriptions.

Mr. DELANO. Where do you expect to obtain the lands if you do not find them within ten miles of the road?

Mr. KASSON. My colleague who is upon the committee can answer that question better than I can.

Mr. WILSON, of Iowa. They are confined to twenty miles of the road.

Mr. KASSON. That seems to me a very reasonable limitation.