Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1818-01-27


tors, Representatives, and Delegates +,
The Congress of the United States, were
read aud agreed 10.
TUESDAY, JAN. 20.
MIR. Sergeant, having obtained leave.
reported bill 10 amend the act ncorpo,
rating The Quilted States Bank, (authori-
ENG me Company 10 dispense with The
signatures of the President and Cashier
OF The principal bank, from all notes is
sued from the several branches, and au
'horizing Tie President and Cashier OF
The branches TO sign and countcrsign the
bills issued from their respective offices,
&c)
On motion of Mr.. Einle, tie commit
lee on post Offices and post roads we're.
instructed 10 enquire into The eApcdien-
cy OF extending the post route from Edge
ileid couri house, 10 PeDdleion count
mouse, rs far as Suconney, In South Caro-
hua.
Mir. Harrison offered the following re-
solution Tor consideration
i'fSolred, That a committee be appointed
Jointiy WIN subcommittee MAY be appoint
eu oy tue senate, To consider and report what
measures 1t may he proper 10 adopt, 10 mani.
resi- tle pubic respect tor the memory Of Gen
erai ihaddems hoscriskO, forts ~ an officer
III me service OF the United States and Tue u
inform and distinguished triCnd OF l.beriy and
the rights OF man.
On motion of Mr.. Forsyth, this resols-
tiou was ordered TO lie on the table.
The Speaker presented letter from
The Secretary OF the Treasury, transmit
ting IN obedience 10 a resolution Of lie
House of February, 1917, u report OH
such measures as may be necessary for
HE more ef1eclual execution of the laws
Tor The collection Of tile duties On I'M
ports.
The Speaker also presented the annual
Rep0ff from the Navy Department of
NE sikte Of the Navy Pension Fund, the
disbursements thereirOnI, d list OF the
pensioners, &c.
Also, from the same Department,
statement respecting the condition and
management Ofthe Navy Hospital Fund.
On motion of MIR. BGSSett, the message
oi The President, transmitting the claim of
Inc representatives. OF Caron de BeauInar-
ciiaiS, WINCH had beenTefcrred 10 the COM
miitee OF Ways and means in The first in
stance, and aiterw ards transferred TO the
committee of claims, was now referred
TO select Cammittee.
In the conversation which took place
respecting the reference Of this claim.
one genilemap estimated lis amount Il
four on bvehuidlred thousand dollars. and
obplHSi al Hcdi a IllIilOIl.
Ihe bill making appropriations for the
aFeaIaSeS OF military supplies, was or
dered 10 be epgrossed for third read
ing.
BREVEr RANK.
lhe liouse then resumed the conside-
ration OF the report of yesterdays commit
zee OF the whole, Oh The military appro-
prlatlon bill for the yearlSlS.
The question 10 concur in lie amend
mehi which strikes out the allowance Of
$4,000 dollars 10 detray the cxpence of
extra pay to brevet officers, who hold Sc
parate commands OF districts or posts,
according 10 their bre, et rank-gate rise
10 much debate, of considerable interest.
and was at length decided by yeas and
nays. Messrs. Mercer, Ingham, HarrI-
son, Robertson and Palmer opposed the
amendment aud Messrs Lowndes, Pit
Kin, johnson oiky. and Forsyth support
cd 1t.
AS the Debate cannot be published,
evena sketch of it at present, il is thought
proper to state, generally, the principal
grounds OH wlncli this question was Cou
tested.
On the one hand, il was said. that
strained construction had been given 10
tins provision of the law of 1912, which
authorizes pay according to the brevct
rank To such bTeVet officers Of the army
AS are employed OH separate stations.
WHICH provision was meant only 10 apply
10 necessary attachments, &c. that lie
House had al the last session endeavored
10 remedy what they thought an evil in
,fiS respect, by an express provision Of
law, which had been rejected in the Sc
male that, in the only way i'm which i,
was probable the object could be reached
IT was proper for The House toattempt H.
by refusing, IN the exercise Of their legiii-
mate power, tie appropriations required
Tor That object; that II the construction
gwen by fhe executive To- the law was cor
reel, II was yet inexpedient TO continue IL
Tor reasons connected with the good of
tie service, and with the principle ofcqual
justice TO all officers similarly situated
aud that breyet rank was IN itself cspeci.
ally underits present construction. iniu-
riOus iO tie Interests of the army and of
the naiiOn, &c.
On Tie other hand, it was urged, that
lie law OF 1912, so far as il regarded bre-
vet rank, was ~ the nature Of compact.
WHICH Tins House ought not 10 violate
liIat ihee%ccutive had correctly construed
The law, aud could not well have done o.
lheT"lse, particularly with the four bre-
vet mayor generals, than by placing then
OH separate command that, Il present.
OF ~ brevei officers, about q only we're
so stationed as 10 entltle them TO brevet
pay llat the number Of breyet officers
would daily diminish, and soon be entire
~ merged IN the lineal rank, as they be.
came entitled 10 promotion; that il was
lnexpcdlent 10 rob these officers. whose
high character aud services were eener-
ally acknowledged, of this little pitiance.
&c. that. iii were admitted too great
latitude had been taken in the admins
traiiOn of the law, il could ONLY be cor