The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-27
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEBATE ON THE BILL TO INCREASE THE PAY Oh
THE OFFICERS OF TIE ARMY. a.
In SENATE, February II, lsb7.-contin.ed.

Il.
In SENATE, February II, 1857 Continued.
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee / should not say word on
this subject Mr. President but for the fact that am
member OF the Committee Military Affairs aud find my
self opposed both to the report of the committee and the bill
OF the House of Representatives am opposed the bill
as it came from The House OF Representatives and while
would prefer and shall vote for, the amendment offered
by the chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs
mittee @
The honorable senator from Kentucky speaks eoqueny
and feengly about the obligations to the little
army of the United States feel those obligations
deeply as the honorable senator feel them and think
appreciate the army much be appreciates it. But
sir do not feel that wanting in patriotism If
deavor according to my construction OF what is best for
that army and for the country change the character and
the mode of payment.
The honorable senator seems to think that because of its
age and antiquity ought not TO disturb this system Of
compensation If that be good argument legislation is
almost at an end why did we change the mode Of pay
thought it best to change it and are constantly
king changes Why did change the pay Of the officers
OF the government in the departments here We have
changed that have changed pay of oil the clerk
ships There scarcely an officer under the government
whose pay has not been changed within the last six
eight years Why should the army be exempted from this
progress, or this advancement If you please this
lighenment it may be desire not to be misunder-
stood am willing to pay the officers of the army lib
eay generously yea more 50 than any other branch Of
ling to pay them more literally than either the legislative
executive Judicial departments of the government be-
cause think they ndspensaby necessary to the
to the safety and to the honor OF the country and they
sacrifice more social comfort and more hazards
red by them than by any other officers of the
But Mr. President in the five or elk years that have
been connected with the military department here
of the humblest members of the Committee Military
Affairs, have given to IL some attention; and my expert
ence of five or six years is that there is branch of the
service that requires legislation much the army If
you will take the records and examine them the most
garing cases Of injustice and inequality will be found on
every page. hentemen bearing the came grade gentle
men entitled to the same honors gentlemen entitled to the
pay proper vary from 600 to $39 900 and yet
are told by the honorable senator from Georgia. Mr. IvRR
SON. that it is monstros to declare that the idea of favor
itism exist in the army Mr. President fvoritism
lists everywhere and exists in the army much 1t
ISIS l. the legislature in the navy; and take
up the Register and account for the inequalities in the pay
unless 1t the assumption that there is favoritsm
Tell me why Harney, who was actually commanding an
army and Drawing the Indians in the West received 32oo
and gentleman OF the same grade down here at your lit
tie hospital received $39002 How is it? II grows out
of the extra allowances in the army for fuel and quarters
and ratons and transportation. -ass
man sent off on an expedition he is ordered ~ ~
washington from New York; and under the law he re-
ceyes ten cents mile which upwards of twenty dollars
and he actually pays seven dollars and half So it is
with your ratons. want the from Kentucky or
any senator to fix the highest amount Of pay he chooses
name am willing to go, believe, far he who is
ready to go furthest but insist that the pay shall be
made equal and uniform according to grade.
II colonel is entitled to 3000 and you give him
shall give to another who is ready perform the
service and perhaps is performing greater service $
600?
The allowance Of rations is said to be principle Of hos
pitality What difference does make whether you give
the officer the money the raons They receive
their ratons in kind They take the money and buy what
they want Why not then, let agree to fix specific SAL
ary for every man in the army Just as fig for other
0lcersi Why not say major general shall have six
eight ten Thousand dollars IL you please and that that
shall be in full for all his pay7 Then let him buy bis
tons, you have given him the money to do it Let him
buy his fuel you have given him the money to do that
venture to say that there is not senator here who has
made his business to 60 and investigate the subject who
tell the pay OF single officer Of the army. You
not tell unless you the records you have go
TO two or three departments to find out what particular
head his pay comes UNDER and after long struggle you
may possibly with certainty arrive at the of
pay the officer receives
shall vote for the amendment of the honorable chair
of the Military Committee because think ii Is inn
provement the bill but at the proper time shall offer
substitute for the whole BILL fixing the salary Of every
officer in the army, beginning with your lieutenant gene
end Of the st and L be not large ges enough for the pa
triotsm Of senator's ! say to them enlarge IT, begin
with $l2bOo to Lieutenant General Scott give to the
ants increasing them all but fixing salary, and saying
that the amount they to receive and Then
we shall know what we are paying them, and what they
gettng and you will cut off all possible chance of f
voriism assigning men to little posts on double raions
and sending off Quixoc expeditions with trans
portaton here and there and everywhere would xtbe
actual expense Of travelling and that only when the
cling was done under orders
1t seems 10 that attack the justice Of this
proposition will go, repeat, as far you want to GO
far as reason will carry me; but want to know what
every officer does get; want every that stands
der flag, and fights under it. fare equally and Justly
according to his rank At the proper time shall offer
this proposition in lieu of the whole bill.
Mr.. BUTLER. Mr.. President, this is subject to which
suppose all Of us have given attention, and have
had very free conversations in regard to it with officers of
the army Believing do that the bill Of the House of
Representatives has come to us under high sanctions
perhaps any that be presented here by the amend
ments Of gentlemen who have indicated purpose to
offer them, and believing that it has here with
as much intelligence of design are likely to inn
part to it by any Of our amendments shall vote for
the bill as 1t is Some of the objections made by the
honorable senator from Tenr essee and implied in the
amendment of my honorable friend from California,
might, If had time to deliberate them, receive my
sanction; but | am satisfied Of one thing that if you
intend to have professional PRIDE If yon intend to have
professional science you intend to have who
pursue the profession of arms not mode of OBJ
tanning living, but that is to confer distinction
upon them am perfectly willing to place the higher
grades in such way to tempt officers of the lower
grades to continue in the army until they reach the
higher grades What is the fact now AS we all know,
intelligent young in the army receive only eight
nine hundred dollars year-not much give to
our messengers here do not say that for this pay they
running the hazards of battle Sir they subject to
greater prvaons They subject to the prvatons of
travel and the hardships of frontier The battle
field has no terrors for the military who chooses to
contend for its aures you intend 10 induce young men
to continue in the army you must do it by offering in some
measure, temptation to intelligence understand that
the intelligent young quitting the army and the
mere haDgers-on are willing to continue. You must in
crease their pay shall lose their services When gen.
emen say the higher grades getting too much say
to them you give the higher ranks this compensation
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