The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-07

senator from Illinois look upon IT, therefore, as sub
siaDally system OF feom. II may be nisepresenled;
il may be peyerled but il is essentially and in itself
system OF reform. by which you allow those who have
spent their best daye Ia the services OF the country IN
stead oil being cast oh 10 retain their rank and their po
sluon. and TO retire upon dispensing with one half OF
their pay. II is in that view OF that shall give my
cordial support 10 This bill The particular details of the
bill have not fallen under my observation but desired
to say this upon the general subject
MI. UNDERWOOD. rise for The purpose OF max ing
an inquiry OF the honorable chairman OF the Military
Committee regard to the principles of this bill There
are some officers who have lost prm others have lost
leg some labor Under one disability and some under
another Some OF those officers thus situated in the army
are now IN the performance OF active dules SO lar as
they able TO perform them want TO ascertain what
will be the operation OF this bill in regard to them WIN
have the effect, against the will OF the ohcef, to ex-
clude him from the service, and TO put Others over their
heads For instance, will cite The case OF Colonel
| Loring, who has lost an arm. With one arm Colonel
Lorng be efficient field officer and perhaps per-
form all the duties which would devove upon him II he
were promoted TO the rank oil agenera although thus dis
abled OF one arm. shonld regard It as great misfor-
tune to Colonel Lorng who has thus honoaby been dis
abed in the To be precuded from all future pro-
notion and to be compelled 10 retire upon the pay OF
retired officer. and THUS 10 be cut Oft from his condition to
receive further advancement on account oil his glorious
wounds
There is another class--and have friend in my
mind in that situation which induces make the
markthere is class OF captains and inferior grades
who, ii they could be promoted that they could be
upon horses. might perform duty in almost any capacity
but il they are required to 60 on 'oo they will have 10
retire. under the operation Of this bill upon the p'ttance
allowed them, and have all prospect OF future elevation
and promotion cut Oft Now, sr TO all officers ~ the
army situated in that way this bill is deah-blow
They would almost prefer The sacrifice OF their lives to the
passage OF this bill, II It is 10 place them IN that posi-
uon-- all hope OF ever eevaing themselves beyond the
position they now occupy is taken from them, and it
they are left with one leg, with MANNED or crippled
legs although not amputaed in such condition that
they cannot walk, without hope OF promotion. throw
out these suggestions and ask my friend to explain the
| Mr. SHIELDS. The honorable senator from Connec
ticut Mr. TouceYl has characterized this bill properly
This is essentially measure OF REFORM | may be per-
med TO that | did not intend TO say word upon
This bill because did no, believe il would provoke dis.
cussion. But in my humble Judgment unless some such
measure this is passed you neither render your
army your navy efficient. There several other
bills 10 follow but this is the foundation and without
this bill we can render none OF the other bulls effective II
provides first that officers wholly disabled TO perform the
duties of their Office of wounds received in
the service, account OF account OF disease
shall be retired under certain circumstances. One case
is when they shall ask or request TO be so retired. No
injustice can be done to who is RETIRED because he
asks and requests it. Another case is, when officer
called upon perform duty pertaining to his office shall
declare himself be incompetent. either from wounds,
disease or age The third case is wnen, from wounds,
disease, or age, the President OF the United States may
Judge officer to be ncompelent when he is to submit
the question TO board OF officers consisting OF not less
than three than five. These the particular
cases provided for.
| The cases. therefore, mentioned by the senator from
New Hampshire will not be affected by this bill unless
those officers themselves ask to retire. or unless they de-
clare themselves unable to perform duties pertaining to
their Office declared in which II becomes
the duty OF the President 10 submit that matter TO the
board thus provided The cases mentioned by the sen.
aor from Kentucky would not be touched by the bill at
all Those gentlemen in the service, believe. They
active and efficient officers Although they have sui
tered from wounds they excellent officers, and
time in the discharge OF their duty This bill passed the
Senate two years ago. 1t brought in by my prcde
cessor upon the Military Committee and was lost in The
n m | thpuf
bring it in at this time and have only added, at the
quest of various officers the navy, in order TO put them
upon the same footing with the army. | think tina, is
correct. will add that the navy and the army
constituted unless those officers retired who
totally disabled from performing any portion OF their du
ties, YOU can never make either of the public SER
vice efficient, That is the experience of every other
army and navy in the world In fact. sir, this bill
providing for The subsistence Of these poor disabled Off
during their lives, instead OF doing should
otherwise be finally compelled to doturnng them out
OF the service rddng the service OF them The bill pro-
vldes refuge. support living, 10 those men who have
been irrecoveraby and Temedably injured in the
vice to be no longer able 10 perform service l
think object TO bill OF that kind.
MIR CASS believe this is one of the best bills we
us three or four years And far as | understand the
feeling OF officers of the army, they altogether in
favor OF it, II may be that IL will work some personal
injustce-I do not know how precisely, for do
how il canbu, that to be expected from any bill which
we can pass II recoect the bill ii is well guarded
that do not how it possible that should lead TO
Mr. SHIELDS lin his seat) II is impossible, unless
the President proposes act OF injustice.
Mr. CASS That my impression. There mus,
be also board OF officers 10 decide upon all these
We can leave The officers IN safer hands than their
own The Presden, cannot Judge OF the degree OF dis
ability. II must be inquired into by board OF officers
Officers with the interests and The ieel
ings There is no military ice upon the face OF the
globe where there is such law II you do not have
1t, IN the course OF time have army OF superan
nuated utterly incompetent to do business In other
countries they are set aside what is called hafpay
for life In all other countries the government has the
arbitrary power, and cut them oil when they please
But here the officer remains even if he is utterly incapa
BILE OF performing his duty and he not excluded Now
the government willing to give him about half OF what
he receives for full services, but cannot do IT, He stands
In the way not OF OF a Dozen but this goes
down prog gressively from him 10 all below him. They
all dong service which the law does no, require them
TO do, account of his ncapacy Ii is misfortune,
to be of the msforlunes incident life; bu,
the service of the country must not suffer by it; and
nothing will the country, in my opinion but such
bill as this You cannot go on you have done, and
you cannot now overslaugh them and turn them out,
either IRON the military service the navy. The service
could not tolerate 1t in the event OF war. And in that
case 1t will be found that the executive and the Senate
vented You cannot send men through the country.
ecnng the duties of Others leaving those others with full
compensation IL is better for them TO retire-beer for
themselves and better Tor the service think am
thozed 10 say that the army is in favor OF this bill Ii
has been drawn by OF the best friends of the army in
the Senate, and one OF our most able senator's do not
recoect word of the bill which perfectly sasac
tory; and trust il will be passed without opposition
Mr.. HALE My desire was that the bill should be
printed. Every word of IL introduced this mo rnng
dsclam entering into the details of the army and navy
know nothing at all about them generally and leave