Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-06-02
TwENTY-NlN1H CONGRESS.
SATURDAY, May 80, 1916.
-be Senate did not sitto.day.
uoITSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

half an hour, and inserting tr0 aoA1s. hS'eea -
81 ,ha House determined that all debate on
H.. hill should terminate in TWO hours alter Inc
hin shall again have been taken upln commillee.
The House then proceeded 10 the consideration
OF The private calendar. c,on, If
The bill directing the mode OF settlement %
,be accounts of Thomas APP Catesby Jones, COIL
ing up, ,or,sd from the
The amendment heretofore repor,eu i'oA'
Committee OF the Whole was aSie So. "a nassed.
IA, Inc hin was read third lime ana PASS ~
a.. tysn,,vor,h moved reconsideration VI VIC
,.o,a hn, the House refused TO RECONSIDER ~.
Tbs House then resolved itself into Comtiiii-
Inc ~ aa Whole ON the state OF The Union ONT
Tamlin of Maine in The chair,) and resumed lne
consideration of the bill making certain d"e'a
lions in The paw department oil Inc army.
The pending question beng on 'iie ioio"'"e
amendment of MIR. Hunseriord- 1T. ~
nThat in six months afer the teriniha''oi :,
he war with Mexico, The paymasier department
shall be reduced 10 one paymas1el seuoia 3
fifteen assistant paymasleIs ~ a.
Mr. Burl was entitled 10 the moor. lie uis-
claimed any intention 10 discuss inc ifreieVd ~
The question which had been introduced ln'o ny
debate MIR. B. passed on 10 an -
several provisions OF the bill, showing he nseess-
- III reterence 10 the reanzalion and efhclen-
cy Of the army, OF its passage. ,:.. 70 the
amendment OF Mr.. A. Johnson, proposing 10
strike out the second section Of the bill, which re-
peals the act OF 1920, limiting The term OF office
10 four years MIR. B. was opposed 10 IL. ne
referred 10 the serious inconvenience which had
been felt from the operation OF Inc law 1 ne
pa7master was military oftcer, SUBJECT 70 lhe
rules and articles OF war, and 10 trial ana pun.
i.hment by court martial. He was moi civil
officer when the army was in the nell; anu houe
of the analogies which found so much favor WIN
ID ,,l
10 an officer OF this kind. II was an anomaly IA
The military system that an officer strictly militia
re- sbould 90 GU, OF Office al the end oil TOUR years.
and he took leave 10 say that he diHerea essehlidl
10 from some of the sentiments and arguments
he had heard here He had supposed that pub
lie offices were public trusts crealeu Tor Inc oen-
eht of the people, and the mere undersrappers
and hansers-on OF parry were no. % oe Piosiueu
for by their creation. He maintained mat they
were created Tor The efficiency aud benefit oil The
public service and be knew no better quailhca-
lion for public officer than capacity ior ms du-
". He did not recognize The principle lhai pup
lie offices were made Tor party iavoriles or LOT
men.
The President had an unrestricted power oil
lnoyal in The case OF these ofhceis. ii any OF
Them were incompetent therefore, they might al
any time be dismissed. lie trusted that the
clause as il stood in the bill, would be retained
MIR. Atkinson was an ardent friend OF The Ere
sidenl of the United States, and his Adminslra-
ton, and was in favor 81 giving them all the ne
cessary means 10 carry on lhis war WIN VlSor;
but he had yet 10 learn that II was desired oy
them that this bill should pass without amend
menl He would not say one word against Inc
appointment OF additional paymasters. lie had
most profound respect for the opinion oil the
Committee on Military Affairs, and the Secre-
tary OF War. This measure was recommended
by them He should therefore, vote 10 authorize
lue appointment OF these additional paymastefs
Blu, he wholly protested against The section
which proposed 10 repeal 50 much OF Inc act Of
1890 as limits the appointment OF these officers
10 four years. He went 10 hold all public officers
10 strict accountability and responsibility; and
This House could not be 100 rigid in enforcing this
s,rictness upon these who have charge OF our mo-
ne,ary affairs When This section of The act OF
1890, which they now sought TO repeal, was
passed we were but recently out oil war we
had passed gloriously through the war OF 1917;
and during this lime, and down 10 lS2u these
officers had no, been appointed, and their bonds
renewed every four years Tha. Consress-foT
good reasons undoubtedly This limitation
Since that time, this provision ni law had WORK
ed we'll No evils had resulted from II and me
Paymaster General told them, in his report which
had been referred 10, that there were none OF
these paymasters who wished re-aPpolnlmenl
bu. had received IL.
MIR Burt lMr a yiAa;"rl "'-'-a ..."' .'e -
OF 1920 was passed after the close oil inc wal, anu
reduced the establishment OF the army During lhe
war. and up 10 1920 there was no Limitation OF
the tenure OF the office ana tnere never hdu oeon
10 time of war.
MIR. Atkinson Continuing assented 10 the ex,
PLANTATION Of the gentleman 20 years had elapsed
The said) since the passage Of that law; II hau
worked well, and no evils had resulted from IT
Why, then, we're they now called upon 10 not
haste 10 repeal Il :
But it was important that the law should con-
,inue as il was now. The plea for its repeal was,
that although un Ter the bill, as reported, these Oh
ficers were appointed Tor life, they were neverhe-
less responsible to the President who was al IL
berty 10 look into the state OF their accounts al
any time, and was required 10 do so once IN loul
wears, and who could discharge them at pleasure.
To this. Mr.. A. replied that the President OF Ihe
United States had more officers now IN WashinS-
lon than he can watch over; and u hisdulies were
thus 10 be increased in relation 10 these paymas-
lers in Texas, Louisiana, and Oregon, neither
MIR. Polk or any other man could attend them
He referred 10 the practice under similar law
in his Stale and 10 the general knowledge oil gen.
lemen for the fact, that no public ofhcer IS ever
called upon 10 renew his bonds, except the mall
Ter is brought forward by some person who shows
they are insecure. The President would presume
that all was fair until the contrary was shown.
IT.. -
mepts in favor of striking out the second section
oflhe bill and of leaving this provision OF the
law Of 1920 to stand as al present. contehuinS
that il was absolutely necessary-hrst, Tor me Sc
curi,y otlhe Government, and next for the safety
OF the securities themselves that these discussing
officers should execute their bonds periodically.
lie replied TO the argument OF the Faymastef
general and of gentlemen in this House, in IA
vor OF The repeal Of the present Limitation OF Inc
tenure Of these offices, founded on the inconVe-
niences and delrilaent 10 The service mat miSnl
arise from their being obliged 10 leave their as
tant posts while they repaired 10 washington, VI
elsewhere 10 renew their bonds, stating that theV
might be renewed by communicating, powers OF
attorney 10 individuals on the ground, ana mus
this difficulty be obviated. lie also urseu liie
diffculty as illustrated bv past experience OF inc
Government. OF discharging men from office, or
abolishng office, when the occupants are ap-
pointed without Limitation OF term. Let Inc pa
triols who were ready 10 serve their country IN
these offices know when they were appointed
,ha, il was only for The war; and lei the existing
limitation of law concerning those already IN Oh
flee continue. ,..oa
The merits Of the bill were further discussed
by Messrs. McHenry, Jefferson DAVIS, W.
Hunt, and A. Johnson; after when, the amend
mept of Mr.. Hunserford was agreed 10. Ihree
or four other amendments were offered. MI
Mckay moved a substitute for the whole on,
which was adopted The Committee then rose,
ana reported the bill a amended. The ON was
then read a third time, and passed IN the follow
ing form:
Be IL enacted bv The Senate and House"f Repre-
sentatires attic United States Of America an Con,
pr.ss assembled, That the President of the United
States be and he is hereby authorized: by and with
The advice and consent OF the Senate, TO appoint
three additional paymasters to be attached TO the
pay department of the army.
And be il further enacted, That the officers ap-
pointed in virtue OF this &C, shall perform The
same duties, receive the same pay and allowances
as the present paymasters in the army and shall IN
like manner be subject TO the rules and articles OF
war; and previous 10 entering upon The duties OF
their Offices, shall give such bonds 10 ine on'eu
States as The Secretary OF War may direct, for the
faithful performance Of their duties. Proridsd,
that the officers herein named shall continue in
service only so long as the increase of the rank