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

IN SENATE,
FRIDAY, April 80, 1912.
SECOND SESSION


foreign countries during the year lS4l.
Mr.. STURGEON presented a memorial from PHI
ladelpha, recommending increase Of the tariff as
the best mode of restoring sound currency and the
prosperity of the country.
Mr. YOUNG presented documents from Chicago,
Illinois, in relation to the confirmation of the sales OF
the sixteenth sections of school lands in that district
also, the petition of William Austin, praying for the
correction of an in the entry of tract ofand IN
Franklin county, Illinois
On the motion of Mr.. YOUNG, it was
Resolped, That the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads be instructed inquire into the eX-
pediency of establishing post route from Ottawa in
Lasae county, to Napiersville, in Dupage county,
Illinois.
THE BANKRUPT BILL, THE DISTRIBUTION BILL, THE
TARIFF, RIGHT OF SEARCH, ETC.
Mr. WALKER presented memorial from the Lee
gisature of Mississippi equestinghat post office pay
ments may be regulated according TO the Federal cur
rency, instead of foreign COIN also various resolu-
tons of the same body, nstrucng their Senators and
requesting their Representatives to their exertions
to obtain appropriation sufficient fol the erection
Of light house at ST. Josephs between Pearl rver
and the bay of st. Louis, and to urge upon Congress
the great necessity of adjustment of the various
claims coded under the treaty of Dancing Rabbit
creek, on principles of justice; also, complaining Of
the conduct of Great Britain in the exercise of the
right of search and demonstrating against the conduct
Of Great Britain with regard to the Creole case also
in favor of the admission of Texas, as one or more
States, into the Union asking for more ample IN
demnty than has already been granted for the loss oil
school sections in the Chickasaw cesslons, IN that
State; instructing their Senators and requesting
their Representatives to vote for an amendment to
the Bankrupt bill the better to the rights OF
creditors and to include in its compulsory process all
incorporated companies, and for repeal OF 80 much
of the law as relates to the distribution Of the net
proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the
several States; to oppose discriminating tarin ana
protection to American manufactures, and oppose
any further increase of the national debt and the es-
taiIlishment of National Bank, having power to
deal in discounts or bills of exchange He said that
in relation to the Bankrupt law his course had been
in conformity with the Instructions. AS to the DIS
ribuon bill, the Legislature viewed it as means oil
subsidy and unworthy of the acceptance of sovereign
State and therefore they had made provision to re-
ceve the distributive share of Mississippi From 1886
to the present period he had voted against the Disri-
button BILL and at this session he had advocated lis
repeal.
BURROUGHS IN THE NAVAL SERVICE
Mr.. BAYARD from the Committee on Naval AT
fairs reported back the bill repeating much of the
act relating to the pay of the navy of the United
States, passed in 1885, prohibits officer being
put on furlough but at his own request with the an
nexed amendments, viz
Add to the end Of the first section the following
proviso and another section:
Provided, That officer shall be put on fur
Tough without his consent for less period of time
than three years.
SECTION g And be IL further enacted, That the
pay of every officer Through shall be one-haf OF
the sea pay to which he is entitled under the act to
which this is supplement.
The Committee on Naval Affairs, to which re-
ferred the "bill respecting furloughs in the Naval
service, report
a., i'm ia
Wy might have been put furough, by the Secretary
at his discretion. In that year act was passed re
gulating the pay of the Navy, which took away this
discretionary power by providing that no officer should
be put Through hut at his own request Inns pro-
vision which was founded in jealousy of the proba-
bic abuse of the power has had no other effect than
that of deprvng the Secretary of of the most i'm
portan means Of preserving the efficiency of the SER
vice without securing to the officer that actual en-
ployment of which he is supposed to be deslrous In
order that this matter may be better understood IT Is
necessary to consider the relation which an officer
NAV bear to the service. The first general relation
is that of being on duty off duty. When of duty
he may be either waiting orders, on leave OF ap-
sence, or on furlough. The distinction, IN practice
under the existing regulations of the Department,
between leave of absence and furlcugh, is, that
the leave of absence is limited to period not
exceeding three months at one time, and that the
officer is not authorized, without special PERMISSION
to 90 beyond the limits of the United States while
tllrOugl
or wears, during which the officer may go where ne
pleases and dispose of himself he thinks proper
Another important difference was introduced by the
act of the Sd March, 1885 in the matter OF pay, oy
which it is provided that an officer on furough snail
not receive more than one half of the pay to which
he is entitled when on leave Of absence. mus the
pay of captain, on leave of absence, IS oooroh
frlough, 81 $50; commander, ditto, $l ,oOO-dHto
5000 a lieutenant, ditto, S12O0-ditto, 600.
The pay of officers waiting orders is the same as
that to which they entitled when on leave Oh ap
sence All officers are not of the same degree OF
efficiency either on the of mental or physical
capacity and there must tie many officers who from
various causes are unfit for active duty The neces-
sty of the case therefore vests in the Secretary an
absolute discretion IN their employment. Inc con-
sequence of which is that the Department, In tne
exercise of a sound and necessary discretion, IS
obliged to keep officers from the fact that they are
unfit for active duty, in the condition OF waiting or
ders for years. in state of perfect deness, ana at
heavy expense to the country, when they shouid
have been put furlough, at reduced pay
for such period of time, say three or hVe years
as would enable them to turn their attention to some
other employment The great object IN every mill
tary service is to reserve its efficiency, which must
depend the age, capacity, physical coadltiot a'iu
habits of the individual officers
The slightest reflection must convince every one
that in every service there must be many Officers
who from age infrmity, sickness, and other causes,
are unfit for active employment, and yet whom IL
would be unjust and cruel to discharge without pro
vision for their support after having devoted .he'l
youth and health, and vigor, to the service Oh the
country, and when the ability to provide for them
selves in any other employment no longer exists Al
the time it is equally apparent that such officers
should not receive compensation which approaches
nearly to that of officers who are in the daily dis
charge of the most responsible and arduous duties
their profession. In the British service this efciency
is maintained by means of retired list and OF the
principle of selection in promotions from one grade
to another. The British Commissioners for inquirine
into naval and military promotion and retirement,
the head of whom the illustrous Duke OF wei
lngton in their report made in March, 1910, express
themselves as follows: 3" Steady and certain employ
nent for the efficient, aoih due encouragement Of promo
ton, and sufficient REGARD for those oho may De '1o