The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-01-24
ADDENDUM.

In order TO put the question of the complete separation
OF the quariemastes department from the line beyond
doubt far their commissions in that department
valid reference must be had 10 the 9th section OF the act
of July 5, 1885, which is in the following words: find
be further enacted, That the President OF the United
States be and he is hereby authorized by and with the
advice and consent OF the Senate 10 add 10 the quarter
masters department not exceeding two assistant quarter
masters general, with the rank OF colonel two deputy
quartermasters general, with the rank OF lieutenant
colonel and eight assistant quartemasters with the rank
OF captain that the assistant quartermasters now in
service shall have the same rank as is provided by
this act for those hereby authorized and that the
pay and emoluments OF the officers OF the quarter
masters department shall be the same as are allow;
ed to officers OF similar rank 10 the regiments oil
dragons: Propded that all appointments IN the
quartermasiers department shall be made from the
army; and when officers taken for such appointments
hold rank in the line they shall hereupon relnquish said
rank and be separated from the line OF the army and
that promotion in said department shall take place as in
regiments and corps"
This section was qualified so far as relates to captains
by the Sd clause OF the supplementary act OF July y
1898, in the following words: {" That so much OF said
requires assistant quartermastes TO be separated
from the line shall be, and the is hereby. repealed
BY this clause in the supplementary act the captain,
who may be appointed IN the quarermasers department
under the authority OF the 9th section OF the act OF July
1885, permitted 10 retain their previous commits
sons in the line, but the supplementary act does not ex-
tend the same privilege TO the other officers he colonies
and lieutenant coionsi appointed under the same section
oil the act OF July s. and therefore, this act being IN ul
force with respect 10 them they required TO be taken
from the army and II taken from The lire Of he army
partmens,) theyare required to "renquish" Their RANK
in, and be "sepmsed from, the line Of The army" BE the line
therefore, what may, the colonies and lieutenant colonies
OF the quartermasters department are absolutely and
without qualification separated from for this is the very
language OF the law itself And, further, with respect TO
their rank If to guard against the possibility OF miscon-
structon, the colonies OF the department declared by
the 9th section above quoted 10 have the rank pay,
and emouments Of colonies OF Dragons bu, have the
rank OF colonel Tin the quarermaser's department, of
Of course y and in another part OF the section il pro-
vided that they shall have the pay and emouments OF
officers OF s~ar rank in the regiments OF dragoons thus
with the most pointed separating the rank from the
pay OF the dragons and tits the same with the lieutenant
colonies OF the department
On no preence whatever therefore, these officers Of
the quariermasiefs department be assigned to command IN
the line by common senior" as General Scott sup
poses, and still ess in the absence OF senior these
officers decide themselves whether they may or may not
without prejudice 10 staff duties and the rights oil
Others, assume the command OF troops" for this ques-
ton is decided absolutely by the sd article Of war against
them
Corpus CHRISTI, December 70, isi5.