The New York herald., 1869-02-16

nave DNcu CoikeCtsQ WltH the army or navy,
Ms pfacusai mechanics or engineers. to be ap-
Re.nted ~ the President and confirmed by the
Senate. whose salary shall be the same as that OF
commission the sss comiss,on nn i 70 nave power
~ make requlsiiions on the secretary OF
War Tor all moneys appropriated 70 tho
ments To DC made at the United States armories
aIsenais as they may deem proper. Also 10 estab.
isn uniform system OF ordnance for tho army and
navy, both III heavy ordnance and small arms, which.
shaii pe adopen on the approval of the President.
NO purchase ol or contracts for ordnance, small
arms prolecties or other munitions OF war shall be
made by the War or Navy Departments until the
commission. alter proper experiments, shaii aD-
prove lne same; and all exsting contracts for any
enactment OF this bill- IL 10 also provided
that no patent heretofore issued 70 any officer In tho
m,ary or naval service for articles, or adopted 70
be used therein shall be valid against the unitel
Stafes and hereafter such patent shall be granted
70 any such oiiieer white he remains IN the service
IL Is hnay provided that after the lSt OF July next
the Ordnance Department OF the army shall be abo
ished and the duties now appertaining thereto ex-
cept as above specified shall be performed by such
officers detached from the artillery arm OF the ser
vice. and 10 carry this proposition into eject various
regulations are prescribed in detail.
Mr MORGAN offered a Joint resolution authorizing
Lhc secretary OF the Navy TO place vessel at tue
rcclioD Of New York. 10 be used FOR the purpose OF
nautical school, Referred TO the Committee on Naval
Anairs.
REMOVAL OF POLITICAL DISABILITIES.
|. MI. MORTON offered lomt resolution requiring
parties desiring 10 be relieved from political dsab
iies TO make application 70 Congress IN Writing over
their own signatures, setting Iorn the grounos upon
winch relef is asked. Referred TO the committee on
tue Judiciary.
SPANISH ARCHIVES AT ST. AUGUSTINE
Mr. WEIGH, (rep.) Of Fla. introduced q bil 10 pro-
VIDE i0r the removal Of the spanish archives u. ST.
Augustine, Fla, to the United states Land once.
CIVIL OFFICERS IN THE sOurIlERN srATEs.
On motion OF Mr.. SAWYER, (rep) OF 5. c., the SEN
ate took up the bill to authorize the payment OF ON
GERS appointed In the Southern states BY the Secre
OF tile Treasury aud could not take the test
oath.
Mr.. SAWYER advocated the BILL These men had
been employed and had in good faith performed The
services imposed upon them by the government
and therefore ought TO be paid.
Mr.. CoNNEsS said II IL could be shown there were
good ana loyal men among them he would vote to
pay these Individuals but he would oppose any pro-
position to pay those officers indiscriminatey, be-
cause they had been appointed by the secretary OF
the Treasury not only without the authority OF law,
but in defiance OF the law and OF Congress.
Mr.. SAWYER stated that the officers had been ap-
pointed before 1t was known in his part Of the cou
try that there was any breach between the admins
tration and Congress-al Of them before the assem-
bling Of Congress IN December, 1885.
Mr.. CONFESS said that during those months it was
already well known here that the plan was laid for
in the main OF the rebel element in the South and
that Parsons, OF Alabama and Humphreys, OF Mis-
Mr. SAWYER was aware that certain men in the
South, who ought not have had influence with the
administration did about tnat time obtain such in
fuence, but he did not regard that as reason why
discrimination should be made against this particu-
lar class or officers while there were others no more
emen because Inc nature Of % t1eir 1 Sces haDpens
not 10 require that they should take the test OATH
Mr. NYH (rcp.) OF New said that If tile officers in
question were as capable as represented by the
Senator from South Carolina lsir Sawyerl they
knew ut the time they took oilce that they did SO in
violation OF the law.
Mr. SAWYER replied that the tes. oath WAS not
Immediately or generally published in the Southern
seen before i was presenter 70 nm for his sigma
ture
Mr.. FEssENDEN uep.) OF Me-, said that on
former occasion. while a member of the COMMITTEES
on Fnance he had reported bili for the relief Of
these officers and he was in favor OF the passage or
such bill. The appointments had been made be-
fore there was ANYTHING more than a vague fear OF
adherence between the President and Congress in re-
gard 10 reconstruction and had been made with the
formed their duties ana they ought to be pa,d. 'N
MryHARLAN rep) OF Iowa confirmed the state
ment that the Cabinet had concurred with the Pres-
dent in the view that it was the duty Of the secre
tS c soute o te ae was @ me ~
81 the @ N naSs q ss states
that II the officers to be appointed could not be paid
under existing laws Congress would not hesitate 20
authorize Their payment
Mr. SAWYER further remarked that the govern
ment could hardly say that II was wrong to pay
those Ocers because they had acted without author
ity Of law after having confirmed their oicia acts
ard taken the benefit Of them.
case had een mde our IN favor 81 the gnyelneu
paying rebels when It had employed them but did
oot think the claim OF sucn officers to be paid for
,.Ns i1i&.. any more equitable thaa the claim OF
loyal citizens like Sue Murphy TO he paid for her
property, taken by the government
Mr.. HENDRICKS, (dem.l OF Ind, said that as no Sen
ator who had Individually employed a man to do
certain work, and received the benefit OF hts labor,
could, without dfshonor, upon any technical ground
refuse 10 pay MIN, so the United States government
could not honorably or honestly refuse to pay oIri-
GERS who had been employed by 1t and had performed
their duties.
Mr.. EDMuSpS thought the most important feature
In the case was the acknowledged fact that the
secretary OF the Treasury, with the assent OF the
other members OF the Cabinet and the President, had
deliberately violated q law OF Congress.
Mr.. SUMNER said that the act so violated by the
President and his Cabinet was the irst great act,
the corner stone, OF reconstruction, and that In his
Judgment the President and tue Secretary OF the
Treasury ought TO have been promptly lnDeached
for such violation.
INDIAN APPROPRIATION BILL
On motion OF Mr.. MORRILL,, rep.) OF Me- the fur
ther consideration OF the bill was postponed and the
Senate took up the indian Appropriation bill which
was read
The numerous amendments reported by the COM
mtsee were agreed TO, and also an amendment
offered by MI. Ramsey extending the appropriation
fnrtb mo Ip,If xvnr of Q6D IN