Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-05-04
QCtle0rap5it.
Congressional.
WASHINGTON. NAV

| SENATE Mr.. Fessenden reported from
the Finance committee the army appropri-
alton bill as amended by the House, and
asked for committee of conference, which
was agreed to.
Mr.. Harlan, from the committee on Pub
lie Lands, reported bill to dispose of coal
lands and town property on the public do
main.
Mr.. Sherman called up the resolution
that quorum Of the Senate shall consti-
tute majority of the Senators present du-
ly qualified. After debate the subject was
made the special order for 1916 o'clock to-
morrow.
The House joint resolution appropriating
S25,OO0,000 for the pay of the one hundred
day troops, was passed-23 to IA.
After several unsuccessful attempts to
obtain quorum on the vote to adhere to
the Senate amendments to the bill to estab-
lish bureau of military justice, the Sen
ate, at 2:30, adjourned.
HoUsE.-Mr. Schenck, of Ohio, from the
Committee of Military Affairs, reported
bill providing that on and after the 1st of
May next, the pay of privates in arms shall
be increased from $l3 to SIG month, and
of non-commissioned officers as follows:
Corporals $lS; sergeants $50; orderly SER
geants $24; sergeant majors $26 per month;
clerks to paymaster $1,000 per annum, &c.
Mr.. Schenck moved the previous ques-
| ton, and was about to explain the bill, when
Mr. Cox asked his colleague to withdraw
the demand so as to allow him to amend the
bill by increasing the pay Of private sol
diers to $l8 per month, and non-commis-
stoned officers to $40. Even this would
hardly be enough to keep pace with the in
crease in the price of the necessaries OF life
for the families of the soldiers. His (CoX's)
friends on his ci1a nf thn Jnucn nfi tbi-
| in good faith.
Mr.. Schenck declined to comply, having
been instructed by his committee to urge
| the present bill.
Mr.. Dawson, of Pennsylvania, appealed
| to Mr.. Schenck. He was Chairman OF the
Democratic caucus, and desired to offer
that which that caucus had agreed to offer
for the soldiers.
Mr.. Schenck replied that if the Demo-
| cratic caucus were more numerous than the
Union caucus, they could vote down the
motion for the previous question.
Mr.. Schenck proceeded to explain the
bill. Both the Senate and House having
acted upon the proposition to equalize the
pay of white and colored soldiers, the COM
mittce on Military Affairs had principally
confined themselves to the increasing of the
pay. In the course of his remarks he said
1t was proposed to amend former law, so
officers may have leave of absence for
causes other than sickness or wounds with
out deduction Of pay and allowances, and
that the absence shall not exceed thirty
days in any one year.
The ration of 1861 is restored, making q
reduc' ion of one dollar and thirty nine cents
a month. This took away nothing essen
tial to the soldiers comfort and substance,
and gave him supplies equal to any soldier
in the world, and twice as much as those of
jeff. Davis. In the aggregate the Govern
ment will save considerable, while the SOL
dier is paid five or six times as much in
cash as the deduction in the increase of his
pay. The bill was passed unanimously,
there being 1876 yeas.
Mr.. Stevens reported from the Committee
of Ways and Means, the Senate amendments
to the Navy Appropriation bill. and the
House concurred in the appropriation of
$I2O0,0O0 for the completion of sixteen
screw steam sloops; $4,000,O00 tor the ,)ur-
chase and repair of vessels for western wa
tiers, and $3000,000 for the purchase and
charter of vessels for blockading purposes.
The Senate struck out the appropriation
of Sl35,000 for the purchase of land ad-
joining the Charlestown navy yard, and OH
the amendment the committee on Ways
and Means recommended non-concur-
renee.
Mr.. Holman, of Ind, moved reduction
of the appropriation to $60,000, showing
shat this was the value of the property last
autumn.
Mr.. Stevens explained the circumstances
under which the subject came before the
committee on Ways and Means. The ap-
preparation was recommended by all the
commandants who had been at the yard by
Admiral Smith of the bureau of yards and
docks, and by Secretary Welles all of whom
consider the purchase of this property ne
cessary for government uses.
Mr.. Rice, of Mass, showed that the en-
largement of the CharlestOwn Navy Yard
had become necessary by the large increase
of the Navy.
Mr.. Dixon, of Rhode Island, said that on
the breaking out of the rebellion, the
Academy was removed to Newport by the
Secretary of the Navy. The same authori-
ty which removed it can restore it. The
Academic year will commence in Septem-
ber 1865, and if an occasion should occur
for its removal before that time, it would
doubtless be done. Besides the Naval
Academy property at Annapolis was occu-
pied by the War Department, which had
declined to surrender it.
Mr.. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, said that
Newport was a large and fashionable place,
and with all its vices was no fit place for
young man. 1t is always better to have
seminaries of learning in small villages
where there are but few temptations to
vice.
The debate was continued, those who OPP
posed the appropriation regarding it as a
speculation.
The House concurred in the Senate's
amendment by vote of sc to 80.
The House then concurred in the Senate's
amendment providing that no money ap-
propriated for the Naval Academy shall be
applied for the support of any midshipman
who shall not hereafter be appointed in
strict conformity with law.
The House next considered the Senate's
amendment providing that the naval Acad-
emy shall be returned and re-cstablished at
Annapolis before the commencement of the
next academic year. The amendment was
concurred in.
Annapolis is small village and just about
the right size. By returning to Annapolis
the government will save $4,000 or $l00, 900
year.
The House resumed consideration of the
bill guaranteeing a republican form of
Government to the States subverted or over
thrown by the rebellion.
Mr.. Perham, of Maine, prefaced his re-
marks by saying that all our efforts should
be directed to the suppression of rebellion.
There never was a more disgraceful record
than that made by the leaders of the Demo-
cratic party during the last four years. The
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