The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-04-30

may be brought bear on those who administer the
Government it is safer that promotions in our SER
vice should proceed ON the principle of advancement
by seniority, with the exception of of suspen-
sion from rank, disgrace, punishment or manifest
incapacity. The consequence of our rule is
that the list in its higher grades becomes bur-
| thened with those who are unit for duty from
| age infrmty sickness and other causes and
| thus diminishes to that extent the efficiency of
the service The committee would here express
their earnest wish that system should be devised
| by which the principle of selection in promotions
might be introduced into the Naval service and they
regret that they not prepared at this time to
pose one In abandoning that principle which the
British Commissioners declare to be the best security
oich could be devised for re-inpgoraing and re-aniat-
ing the Many any erten" 1t is necessary to resort to
! some other which may have tendency to secure
some of its advantages. The committee cannot per-
ceive any mode of compromising for the loss OF that
principle, and avoiding the mischiefs Of rule,
but by authorizing the Secretary to put furough
at reduced pay, all such officers as unfit for
tive duty from age, mfrmty, sickness, desuetude, or
incapacity. The rate of pay which they would re-
commend, is onehalf of the present pay, that is
| For Captain on furlough, $3.50
Commander g 1850
| Lieutenant Z" $50
| AT the same time lin tied period of time should
be established, within which officer should be put
on furlough without his consent, that he might be
enabled to turn his attention to some other employ
ment which might be three or four years.
| The effect of which would be that although
officer could not be put furlough for less period
without his consent yet he might be for any greater
number of years at the discretion of the Secretary
1t is be remarked that the officer would still belong
| TO the service, and be entitled to promotion under our
| existing system of advancement by seniority, from
which it is apparent that this discretionary power,
the part of the Secretary, cannot compensate the loss
of the principle of selection, though it may mitigate,
to some extent the mischiefs of our own rule.
The committee sensible that objections may be
made the of the liability of abuse in the
ercse of the power but there is degree ofpower,
or discretion, which may not be abused and the SIM
pie question is, whether the degree which is given be
not absolutely necessary to the efficiency of the ser
vice. 1t . apparent that the Secretary cannot be- and
ought not to be, compelled to employ those who
unfit for duty from the causes mentioned and who
may lie therefore kept by him waiting orders for amin
| definite period of years. at an unreasonable expense
to the service And the question resolves itself into
this whether it is better that such officers should be
kept in state of dleness in the condition of waiting
orders at large pay, than that the Secretary should
be invested with authority to put them on furlough
at reduced pey, lest he should in by pos
! sibity abuse the power.
| In conclusion, the committee beg leave to say tina,
they are sensible that the proposed alone is
an imperfect remedy for existing mschiefs, and that to
preserve the efficiency of the SERVICE and at the same
time do Justice to those who have served with fidelity
devoting the prime of their life to the service of their
| country there should be refined list which would
enable the officer who felt that his time of active
fitness was passed, to retire with honor. Thus the
first ten captains the list might be permitted to re-
tire with the rank and half pay of rear admiral the
first ten commanders t. retire with the rank and half
nav of captain and the first fifteen eutenants to
tire with the rank and half pay of commander. In
addition it may be remarked that should Congress de-
eide upon establishing, in the service, the respective
ranks of admiral, vice admiral, and rear admiral 1t
might be done in connection with the fair exercise of
the power proposed to be vested in the Secretary,
of putting those unfit for duty on furlough at the pro-
posed rate of pay without adding cent to the exist
| ing scale of expense for compensation of officers
| The Committee report the bill with an amendment
The bill for the relief of the legal representatives Of
Nathaniel Pryor, deceased was read third time and
passed.
Mr.. MOREIEAD from the Committee on Indian
Affairs reported back the BILL with amendments pro-
vding for the settlement of claims arising under the
fourteenth and nineteenth articles of the treaty of
Dancing Rabbit Creek concluded in September,
| $780,
THE APPROPRIATION BILL.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the bill
making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic
expenses Of the Government for the year 1912
An amendment was adopted appropriatlng fifteen
thousand dollars to put in suitable condition for oc-
cupaton the marine hospital at Mobile Alabama.
A lengthy debate took place on the amendment to
strike out "ffty thousand, and insert zone hundred
thousand" dollars for the custom-house at Boston
Mr.. EVANS asked for the yeas and nays, which
were ordered and were, yeas %, nays II, as fol-
| lows
YEAS-Messrs. Bagby, Barrow Bates, Bayard,
Buchanan, Choate, Clayton, Conrad, Evans, Fulton,
Henderson, Huntington, Kerr, King Mangum, Mer-
rick, Porter, Preston, Rives SEWER Simmons Smith,
of Indiana, Sprague, Tallmadge, Walker White,
! Williams, Woodbridge, Wright-29.
| NAYS-Messrs. Archer Benton, Calhoun, Crit
tenden, Cuthbert, Graham, Linn, McRoberts, Smith
of Connecticut, Tappan, Woodbury. and Young-l2
| So the amendment was agreed to.
| The following proviso to the above appropriation
was stricken out, viz:
| Prorided That the sum hereby appropriated be ex-
pended under the direction of the Secretary OF the
Treasury in fitting and preparing said building for the
use of the Collector of the port Of Boston and his Of
fcers and not in the continuation OF any ornamental
parts thereof.
The amendment appropriating $4,000 for pay
ment of sums now due for completing the custom
house at New York was agreed to.
The following clause, as proposed to be amended
by the Committee on Finance also agreed to,
viz:
"For the expenses of the sixth census, including
the printing of the statistics and reports Of the emu
meraon of inhabitants and addendum, and the census
of pensioners for revolutionary and military services
ten thousand copies EACH and for distributing he re-
tuins of the 9th Census and Compendium, as directed
by the resolutions of September l. lo4l and April
| l5 1912, sum not exceeding $llO,OOO.
The Senate then ad journed.
From The 81. Louis Bulletin.
EXCHEQ UER.
| No man of even the most ordinary intellect can
pretend seriously to doubt that the plan recommenc-
ed by the President or the plan of Mr. Gushing, or
that of the Senates Committee, would render an III