The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-09-15

referred to the Military Committee
(schEScK being Chairman), under
SCuENcS's promise TO report early and TO
make the pay date back, the matter slept
with Mr.. ScuENoK from the 9TH day Of
April. 1854 to the 3d day Of May.
From the Congressional Globe OF 1864, First Sos
sion NNXNillh Congress, Part 3, page s0S,
May 81
INCREAsE OF SOLDIERS PAX.
Mr. JULIAN--l would ask what Is the
regular order of business.
The SPEAKER-The Chair is not yet
aware for what purpose the gentleman
from Ohio (Mr. Schenck) obtained the floor.
Mr.. SCHENCK--l have authority from
the House TO report back from the Com
mittcc on Military Affairs the bill of the
Senate NO. li5), TO equalizc the pay Of
soldiers I'm the United States army.
THE SPEAKER--If that bill Is not re-
ported now the bill reported from the COM
mittce on public lands last Tuesday even
ing will be the first business In order.
Mr.. SCIIENCk--I propose to report II
back now. am instructed by the COM
mittee on military affairs 70 report the bill
back with an amendment In the nature of
substitute. move 10 strike out all after
the cnacting clause, and TO insert in lieu
thereof the following;
That on aud after the ist day Of My, 1884, the
pay Of all soldiers in the military service of the
United States shall be sixteen dollars month And
| officers shall be Increased as follows; Corporals
shall receive eighteen dollars per month"; ser
geants, including cOmmissarics and qdartcrmas
tors sergeants, twenty dollars per months orderly
sergeants twenty four dollars per month; and ser
geant majors twenty -six dolars permopth.
tWc omit the other sections which can
be found on page 2O5G; they relate to ra-
tions of pepper; the furnishing of horses
by government thereafter; give clerks of
paymastcrs 81, 200 a year; and provide that
an officer may have leave of absence for
thirty days.-Ed. EDpire.l
Mr.. COX--I ask the gentleman 10 yield
to me moment not for the purpose of
making speech, but for the purpose of Of
fcring In good faith and in all sincerity an
amendment from this side of the House to
Increase the pay of the private soldier too
dollars month and the pay of tile nom
commissioned officers two dollars month.
THE SPEAKER-Does the gentleman
from Ohio yield for that purpose?
Mr.. SCIIENCk-I can not. | propose to
call the preriOus question ON the bill after
brieI statement IN relation to its contents.
Mr.. CDN-Thc other day the gentleman
made n speech upon this subject and this
side of the House had no opportunity of
saying word In T0Aly. Now. sir, we up
on this side Of the House desire to propose
to the other side, and allow on test UOte
to he taken upon ii, TO raise The pay of the
prirdte soldier TO point that will enable
him TO purchase the necessaries oflifc for his
family at the present price of living.
Mr.. HOLMAN-I ask the gentleman
from Ohio whether he will not at least al
low us to submit a proposition to make a
discrimination between tohite and colored
soldiers. | wish to propose eighteen and
twenty dollars month respectively for
the colorcd and white soldiers.
Mr.. SCIlENCK--l CANNOT YIELD.
Mr. DAWSON-I want to know of the
gentleman from Ohio if he will not give me
an opportunity, as Chairman Of che caucus
0f The Democratic party IF his House, to
propose what they have instructed me 20
propose for raising the pay of the soldiers
before he demands the previous question?
hope the pay of the private soldier will
be increased TO not less than TWENTY DOL
LARS month in the present deprecated
currency.
Mr.. SCHENCK-NO SIR! | shall de-
mand the previous question, and if the
DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS are more uumer-
Gus than the UNION CAUCUS they can
vote down the demand!
Mr.. DAWSON-Very well, let that go rs
the gcntleman's answer
Mr.. KERNAN-I want to ask the gen
tleman from Ohio in his statement of this
bill to explain wherein they differ from
the features OF the present bill
Mr.. SCHENCk-I will do so. | had sup
posed that every gentleman would under
stand it. House bill No. ll5 equalizes
the pay OF soldiers, raising The pay Of The
cOlOFed troops to the standard of pay fixed
for white troops. That provision having
been substantially incorporated by the
Senate into an appropriation Bill, the
| Committee on Military affairs did not deem
it necessary to report back that provision.
They have therefore reported back only so
muclf of that bill in relation to the pay of
the cOlored troops rs relates to the raisiug
of the pay of ali the private soldiers.
| The first section, therefore, which was
| the fifth in the bill rs recommitted, simply
| contains as we have reported it, n general
provision increasing the pay of private SOL
diers from thirteen dollars II month TO six
| teen dollars Il month, with an additional
provision for increased pay to non-commis-
stoned officers, who. gentlemen will under
| stand, are an exceedingly valuable class of
officers, standing between the commission
ell officers and the privates, IL made as elf
| cient rs they ought to be. We propose to
| give corpOrals two dollars a month more
than TO privates; they now receive no adj
ditiOnal pay. We propose to give to ser
geants two dollars month more than cor
Il pOfals; Wc1prOpOSe 10 give OrueflleS or nrSl
| sergeants four dollars more, and sergeant
majors, two dollars a month more than
that.
Now, Mr.. Speaker, supposing that every
gentleman here has made up his minC
whether he will vote for an increase OF pay
to the soldiers or not, do not propose Il
enter into any discussion upon that subject
There may be difference of opinion be
tween members as to what amount of in
crease ought to be granted. Some are il
favor of raising theif pay to fourteen dol
lars, some to fifteen dollars, some to siXteei
dollars, the rate we have agreed on, an,
some mt a higher rate.
The Committee on Military Affairs hav,
determined, considering all the circum
: stances, considering the necessities of tn,
service, justice to the soldiers, what ha
been done in regard to bounty, what ha
taken place upon the subject of the curren-
cy, and the ability of the Treasury to NEE
, the demands upon it, TO leave II to tn
House to adopt or reject our proposition.
The rest of MIR. ScHENCK's explanation
is devoted to the other section. He moUe,
The precious question
. Mr.. ROSS-f ask permission of the gen
tleman from Ohio to offer an amendment {,
strike out SigteeR dollars a month for sol
diers, and insert ttUeRty dollars a month.
| N fhn bnnnrohln (haft.t,,.v, q 4,