The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-04-30

nature Of our institutions and the influences which
may be brought TO bear those who administer the
Government, II Is safer that promotions in our SER
wee should proceed on the principle Of advancement
by seniority, with the exception Of cases 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 unfit for duty from
age, infrmity sickness and other causes and
thus diminishes to that extent the efficiency Of
the service The committee would here express
their earnest wish that some system should be devised
by which the principle of selection in promotions
might be introduced into the Naval service and they
regret that they are not prepared at this time TO pro-
pose one. In abandoning that principle which the
British Commissioners declare TO be the best security
,chie could be devised for re-iauigoratng and animal
ing the Nary 10 any erten It 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 nischefs OF our own rule,
but by authorizing the Secretary to put on furlough
at reduced pay, all such officers unfit for
tive duty from age, infrmy sickness desuetude, or
incapacity. The rate of pay which they would re-
commend, one-haf OF the present pay, that il
For Captain on furlough, $3.50
Commander " 1850
Lieutenant g $50
At the same time limited period of time should
be established, within which no officer should be put
on urlough 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 an
officer could not be put furlough for less period
without his consent yet he might be so for any greater
number of years at the discretion of the Secretary
IL is to be remarked that the officer would still belong
TO the service and be entitled 10 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 he DTin of ma Ia
to some extent, the mlschiets of our own rule.
The committee are sensible that objections may be
made the of the liability of abuse in the ex
ercse of the power, but there is degree power
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
vice. Ii is apparent that the Secretary cannot be and
ought not to be, compelled to employ those who are
unfit for duty from the mentioned, and who
may he therefore kept by him waiting orders for an in
definite period OF years at an unreasonable expense
to tho service And the question resolves itself into
this whether ii is better that such officers should be
kept in state Of idleness in the condition Of waiting
orders at large pay, than that the Secretary should
be invested with authority 10 put them on furlough
at reduced pey, lest he should in by pos
sbility abuse the power
In conclusion the committee beg leave to say that
they sensible that the proposed alone is
imperfect remedy for existing mischiefs and that to
preserve The efficiency of the service and at the
time do justice to those who have served with fidelity
devotng the prime of their life to the service Of their
country, there should be retired list which wou
enable the officer who felt that his time of active
fulness passed, to retire with honor Thus the
first captains the list might be permitted 10 re-
tire with the rank and half pay of rear admiral the
first commanders t. retire with the rank and half
pay Of captain and the first fifteen leutenan,s to re-
tire with the rank and half pay of commander La
addition may be remarked that should Congress de-
eide upon establishing in the service, the respective
ranks of admiral vice admiral, and admiral, it
might be done in connexlon with the fair exercise of
the power proposed to be vested in the Secretary
of putting those unfit for duty furough at the pro-
posed rate Of pay, without addng cent to the exist
ing scale of expense for compensation Of officers
The Committee report the bill with amendment
The bill for the relief of the legal representatives of
Nathaniel Pryor, deceased was read third time and
passed
Mr. MOREHEAD, 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,
1880.
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 1872
An amendment adopted appropriating fifteen
thousand dollars to put in suitable condition for
cupation the marine hospital at Mobile, Alabama.
A lengthy debate took place on the amendment to
strike out fifty 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 H. as fol- |
lows
YEAS-Messrs. Bagby, Barrow Bates, Bayard, |
Buchanan, Choae, Clayton, Conrad, Evans, Fulton, !
Henderson, Huntington, Kerr, King Mangum, Mer-
rick, Porter, Preston, Rives, Sewer Simmons, Smith
IF Indiana, Sprague, Tallmadge, Walker, White, |
Williams, Woodbridge, Wright-29.
NAYS-Nlessrs. Archer Benton, Calhoun, Crit
enden, Cuthbert, Graham, Linn, McRoberts, Smith,
If Connecticut, Tappan, Woodbury. and Young-l2
So the amendment was agreed to-
The following proviso to the above appropriation
vas 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
Of the Collector of the port of Boston and his Of
icers, and not in the continuation of any ornamental
parts thereof
The amendment appropriating s2s,200 for pay
nent OF sums now due for completing the custom
louse at New York agreed to.
The following clause, as proposed to be amended
~ the Committee on Finance, was also agreed to,
liz
@ For the expenses of the sixth census including
he printing of the statistics and reports of the
neraon ofinhabitants and adde hdum and the census
# pensioners for revolutionary and military services
en- thousand COPIES each, and for distributing he e
VI OF the 9th Census and Compendium as directed /
" the resolutions of September |, Is4l, and April
., 1912, sum not exceeding $4,000.
The Senate then adjourned
From the ST. Louis Bulletin.
EXCHEQUER
No man Of even the most ordinary intellect can
,re,end seriously to doubt that the plan recommend
4 IL. AZ ala, ,oEM M Cus |