The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-28

osiuon greatly better than either OF the others.
think IL is little strange that the statement OF the
ator from California should have been msapprehended
and misunderstood by senators this floor understand
hun to say that The point under cousiderauonhat
OF double rations officers In command OF postsrsus
In Its consequences in the expenditure OF be-
tween six and hundred thousand dollars year.
The senator explained as think very clearly and salts
actory why the Secretary of War had to that
cusion II results from the railty of human nature An
officer IS ia command of post and is receiving double
Iaons, which are indirect payment for his services
The Secretary Of War has control of those points, and he
must rely the commandant for information to what
time becomes proper that the post should be discontinued
and the very great expense of keeping up stopped and
consequence of this interest the says there
incidental and necessary expense the of be
tSeen six and hundred thousand dollars That is
all be said and yet every argument in reply to him
has been as to the exact amount OF the commutaton
Of double ratons. The senator has never made such
proposition. #
am perfectly willing increase the pay of army Off
GERS to extent majority OF the Senate may
be in favor of you will pay them in dollars and cents,
navy officers paid but the present mode of paying them
indirectly in Communication for ratons, combinations for
and horses operates unjusy. 1t operates
fraud the country; and one, unless he is an
counting officer can know how much is paid to our army
officers.
have remarked that injustice is done to the different
officers because receive pay than Others Under
the present regulations all the officers of particular grades
entitled to many servants and so many horses. BY
kind Of fiction of construction, whether they have those
horses and not they receive communication for
them Gen Jesup and other officers refused to certify
honor that they had the horses when they did in fact
have them. large portion of the army, by some con-
struction considered that they entitled to them and
therefore had them although in fact they did not have
hem Those who give the certificate honor the law
requires receive the commutaton while Others
scientiOus, do not receive 1t.
shall vote for the proposition of the senator from Ten
pay the officers of the army you pay the Off
OF the navyso much to each grade and shall vote
for the amendment proposed by the Committee Military
Affairs believing that Tins double pay only serves as an
injury, and benefit If the officers in command of
posts entitled to double commutaton why not say dr.
recy that they shall have double pay Fix it in dollars
and cents 1t is tended that they shall receive it in
ey They do receive it in money and not in kind. WHY
do it2 Will any here give any why
- hnud pay whatever their services worth di-
re:tIy and no, 90 It BY nditeet!oa have long SINCE
determined not to pay mo.-. nav be proposed by a
direct payment ~
Mr. CLAY. The senator from Mississippi CNfr. ApAAs,
has anticipated me in almost all intended to say in expla
nation OF my VOTE Like every SENATOR believe who has
addressed the Senate desire the nay
officers of the army. think the pay of officers below the
rank of general ought to be increased do not think the
pay of your major and brigader generals and more
peciay of the lieutenant general should be increased but
will not vote for this BILL for any increase of the pay
Committee on Military Affairs be adopted. l opposed
to this system Of paying for ratoas and OF paying commn
taon money II is system bad in principle aud vicious
dpre which not every man who read
the Eogsh language, and who has common Secret
service money is always justly odious and yet the pay OF
mutation very much in the of sscressrvice
Dey. No man who is not professional under
stand hat they get cannot tell with the instrnc
ton which has been given me by gentlemen who
with military affairs, how 70 estimate the pay Of
your major generals and lieutenant general any subor
dinate officer. The people of this country have right
know what is paid to public officers and how it is paid
This system co is the source OF great deal of abuse
notwithstanding the protest my honorable friend
Texas Mr. Rusk For instance, the senator from Misss
spp has just brought to the notice Of the Senate
which suppose cannot be disputed that you find
the rank in the army engaged in the service
occupying the post for the period Of time per-
haps receiving widely unequal pay; the aggregate
pensaton of through series Of years greatly exceeds
the compensation of the other Whence this quality of
higher pay allowed to the and the
scientious scrupes in certifying that he has certain
ber OF horses which he is entitled for which forage is
furnished and number servants to which he is
entitled the other with elastic conscience because
be is entitled to this complement of horses and servants
cert6es that he has them, and he obtains the pay
This is system which holds out temptation
to fraud and false statements and will not be
sorry before the fact to the pepeaon OF these offences aud
should feel that was, if voted for system which
sanly tempted the officer to msstatement of the
number of horses the true number of servants he
have
] want them all paid alike and want them paid in
manner that every ybody understand will vote for
an increased compensation, bnt will vote for it as
long this system is observed which assured has
been the OF great deal of abuse told of
aiI incidents which shall not designate but if ques-
ton is made about it shall perhaps offer some proof
Mr. WELLER called for the yeas and nays the amend
ment The amendment and they ordered.
Mr.. FESSENDEN Let 1t be read.
The Secretary read the amendment to the amendment
which strike out the third section reported by the
Committee on Military Affairs, and to insert:
SEC. 3. And be further enacted, That hereafter double
rations command of posts garoned with troops are
hbted unless specially ordered by the President the Uni
ted states and all laws and regulations contrary to the
visions of this act are hereby repealed.
The question being taken by yeas and nays resulted
yeas II, nays 33-as follows;
YEAS Messrs Adams Allen Clay, Evans, Fitzpatrick
Geyer Green Hunter Johnson Jones of Tennessee Mason
Pugh, Sebastian, Thompson of Kentucky Toombs, Toucey
and Weller--l7.
NAYS-Messrs. Bell of New Hampshire Bell of Tennes-
see Benjamin, Bgler, Brodhead Brown, Butler Cass Col
lamer Ctenden, Dodge, Douglas tesenden, Fish, Fitch
Foot Foster, Gwin Houston, Iverson, James, Jones OF
son Of New Jersey, Trumbull Wilson, Wright and Yu-
lee--33.
SO the amendment to the amendment was rejected
The PRESDEN pro tempore. The question is on
the amendment of the committee to insert the third
ton:
That from and after the passage of this act additional
double raons for command are prohibited and all laws
contrary the provisions sections of this law be- and the
same are hereby, repealed.
Mr.. FESSENDEN called for the yeas and nays; and
they ordered and being taken, resued-yeas 10,
nays 2s--as follows
YEAS-Messrs. Adams Allen, Clay, Fitzpatrick, Geyer,
Green Hunter Johnson Jones of Tennessee Mason Reid
Slde Stuart Toombs, Toucey, TrumbulI, Wade, Weller,
and Wilson--I9
NAYS-Messrs. Bell of New Hampshire Bell of Tennes-
see, Benjamin, Bger, Bodhead Brown, Butler, Csss Col
smer Critenden, Dodge FessendeD, Fish, Foot Foster,
Gwin, Houston Iverson, James, Jones of Iowa. Mallory
Nourse Pugh, Rusk Seward, Thomson of New Jersey,
Wright, and Yuee-2s.
So the amendment rejected
The PRESIDENT pro tempore There is another amend
ment of the committee, to add: