The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-21

minutes concur win the remarks OF the senator
from FLORIDA Mr.. AULEEl in one thing There are par
cuaf reasons offered arguments for legislation,
which address themselves to sympathes IN favor OF
increasing the officers of the marine corps. Were con
tolled by that suggestion should vote for the amend
ment which the senator has offered II seems to me,
however, that the demands OF the service are the true
basis upon which we should found action here.
think the chairman OF the Committee on Naval Affairs
has not fully Investigated this matter he might,
he would hardly adopt the opinion that the service re-
ques tins increase OF officers Now, sir, prior TO the
law TO which the amendment alludes-pror to the in
crease OF the marine corps during the with Mexi
co-ihere were only fifty nine officers in that corps I'm
der thai law the corps for the purposes OF war service
increased. and the act which increased that service
provided expressly that it should be reduced to peace
establishment at the end OF the war; and the number of
ohceLs should be reduced to the number before
the increase Now, under the action of that law, in
crease was brought about There might have been hard
ships-l doubt not that there wee but there now in
the marine corps three officers than there be-
fore this Increase And do not understand why the APP
picaton OF that law does not require still further dimnu
ton OF the marine corps. But there other facts
to which beg leave TO call the attention OF the Senate.
In the first place. in all the marine corps there but two
hundred and forty hree men and sxtythree officers
making about four men to one officer Now, sir, do
not know what kind OF men they may be- II may require
more officers command those mep, and it may be that
the number of officers is larger than is necessary Yet
told that additional officers required, with less
than four to officer.
Taking rank and file, commissioned officers and non
commissioned officers. we find that there is about one
officer every i've in the whole service. Another fact
which think has material bearing upon the whole
matter: this is corps which is somewhat amphibous in
| It's character | hold in my hand table which shows
precisely what these officers were doing They not
connected with the marine service, but at home waiting
orders BY examination of our naval register, find
very large number OF officers ON leave, waiting ORDERS
hold in my hand statement showing where those Of
hcers of the marine corps were, and how they were EN-,
ployed January 81, 1915 and find that the whole
number then seveny-four, and of that mum
Der twenty-one at stations on shore. | find that
on the 3lst of August, 1913, the whole number was
and that nj
different stations shore, not connected with the ma
rine service find that the 3lst OF December, lS4s,
month after the commencement of this session OF
Congress- of sixty three officers that SERVICE forty
three at shore statlonsforty three out OF sixty
three in December asst. That shows, thnk-and GER
tainly sir. satisfactorily to my mnda corps which re-
quires officer TO less than four and proves at
least that the OF very remarkable character,
that the officers do not discharge their duties The
whole secret that the number OF officers now IN my
Judgment twice what the actual service OF the coun-
try requires. 1t has been remarked that it is nothing
less than attempt TO replace certain individuals
who may have been improperly displaced from the SER
vice; but il hardly in province here 10 place
individual back who may have been dismissed according
to the provisions OF aw If we do there, why should we
not do il in the army service hope the Senate Will not
adopt the amendment
| Mr.. YULEE. ! am satisfied that the senator IRON
Maine MIR. HAMLIN] did not give careful an examl-
nation to this he apprehends himself TO have
given, he would not have complained that there were
so many officers shore stations The senator did not
take care inform himself that OF the special du
ties of the marine corps to furnish military guards for the
naval stations shore; and that there are always re-
CURED for shore stations large proportion OF the marine
officers. hold my hand table OF the number OF OF
fcers and required at the derea navy yards,
&c. Thirty weight officers are required and total OF SIX
hundred and twenty-five men, to furnish necessary guards
those shore stations. Well, sir, addition to nat In
order furnish the necessary legal complement 10 the
number of vessels service not taking INTO the account
vessels on the stocks and which will shortly be launched
number of officers amounting to oryn is necessary
to make up the legal complement required by existing
laws, making total number OF eighty seven officers re-
qured for the to furnish the actual necessities
which the laws create. Now sir, what is the number OF
officers actual service The senator states at sixty
three. Well, he takes
Mr. HAMLIN Ii the senator will pardon me, there
certainly seventy four at that period OF time and the
reduction has made it sixtythree hold the official
statement in my hand.
Mr. YULEE | do not know from what quarter his
official statement comes, but hold my hand the official
register of 1915, which is the last official documents and
if he will look at it the senator vii! that correct
and that there must be the statement in his
hands Now. sir, independent of the addition which we
propose here, there should be- in order to furnish the
legal complement established by law, addition OF
some twenty officers Immediately, besides these
rrivates But sir the committee have not recommended
a permanent addition. They have not recommended
this addition of twelve officers to be permanent but have
left to Congress to determine hereafter whether the
officers should continue no-wheher their vacancies
should be filled not; that in very short time the
of officers will be reduced again to the num-
Der that exists Now, sir when the ext gen
cles of the service require this increase 1t seems to
me can, with great propriety, take into consdera
the additional circumstances, ana Inc evils
OF the pursued in the reduction, which was
under the circumstances probably the best one the de-
partment could adopt 1t has 80 happened that very mer
torous officers who have served with great gallany
the field and who have served in the marine corpsone
of them, understands twenty five or thirty years-have
been deprived of their position in the service and the
Committee have considered it in some degree due them
that they should be rensated and hold the places which
they held by their original appointment in the service
during good behaviour The committee have not been
Informed that these selected in the reduction from
any attaching dscredt to them in their official
personal character shall not deem it necessary to say
more sir. will only state that hold in my hand let
cesses of the increase, which be read for the infor
nation of the Senate they require it. 1t may perhaps,
be unnecessary that repeat them that ii the amend
prevails there will still be about twenty less than
necessary fill the legal complement required for the
val service of the coaltry.
Mr.. MANGUM. rise to perform duty which some
body ought 10 perform; and think II belongs to the
father of the Senate, the senator from Missouri Mr..
BENToNl Sir, during the last session, and during the
session. the Senate of the United States have be
come polemical body The smallest and minutest
questions discussed senators in their places could
understand nothing without tedious and wearsome
plantations. There is vast amount OF business I'M
finished have not occupied much time during the
sion; and do invoke the senator from Missouri and
others that they will discourage this proOnga of dis
cussion and tcdousness of debate hope sir, it will
be assumed that understand something OF the business
before the body and that may be permitted to act and
get through the business OF the sessions for sir it this
practice shall contnuelet tomorrow at midnight find
us in the course we have pursued Tor the last two days
and 1t will leave than wo-thrds OF the business
undone. invoke the senator from Missouri, the
father of the Senate to enter his protest against it. fee
it my duty to say is utter departure from the ancient
habits of this BODY and that is destructive To bust
Innc apdl In tpf