New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-02-06

Gioon hoveycr presented and urged is TO be
at once aud absolutely rejected Una. ane I,n n
pletely and thoroughly upheld, so tat every ponan0oe
in this country abroad may ie S nteS States his
has invested in the securities OF inc n.e1 t Us ~ s
safest investment and happen what may that the Gov
eminent OF the United states VIII pay on Thai a. 10
obligations fairly and hOnorably seeO, y, r. ,n 20
the purpose and policy OF the Goyerhe no snSSanIo
currency TO sound bSt in the hest prae
teal manner by judciousy ana gIaau notes and the
amount OF legatendeT notes ut me amount necessary
TO conduct the trade and commerce "a bs riobt ~
at par with coin The country neGs evil is not to be
increased by an Indefinite expansion VI ~ Iii be de-
ysed 70 reach and remedy the existing evils OF the cur
rency without any serious widespread , Cnross
WILSON'S or embarrassments II the present oongress
shall give TO the public mind basis ior an ssureu
conviction these two points namep nS Good faith
and thai the present evil OF deprecated currency VIII
be removed at no distant PERIOD III VIII Ia 70 rho
Its duty to its constituents to the country anu ~ o
commercial world.
Mr.. BLAINE Rep. Me- made statement IN reIer
ence to the Army Appropriation bill Iho lCTsl a mn u;
anDrOprated m IT, he said e3l995OO. The Dill Oh
last year was $9OOo0o and s0Oo0OOo less tnan
this BILL and he had at that time stated Tue
that might be incurred In consequences Oh an wal
The increased amount In this 6 came IRON IaI bS th
army ought be reduced, and he had lass yGa d NOT
provision for the reduction OF tne army w tbe
then meet the concurrence and apprOyal OF lo h
The objection made then was that an Appropriation ta
was not proper place Tor bPmss persnaded that
It was not The Committee Appropriations had not
1s 0r In oTdef however, to preserve his own
ssteney, he would state now his belief that lhsteaa o
Drav1de for a reduction OF the army regiments
Cen Grant as Communicable OF the army hau uoo
ermy and although Il now contained regiments, there
were In all $1,000 enlisted men and
aured for 60 regiments. In his Judgment, larSe mum
Der OF those officers should be allowed TO retain tneil
stons; butt with the present strength OF the army anu
in the present financial condition OF the country there
ought to be some reduction. The Committee on Appro,
proporons OF the bill TO what the Committee thought
ought TO be the size OF the army.
Mr.. BROOKS asked Mr. Blaine whether there was any
chance OF reducing tho army except by TINS Dill Ar.
Mr.. BLAINE said he would be very gau II WIN tno
consent Of the gentleman I from EI oSanHSe believed
they were both interested In he could offer proVlso
70 ms bin for reduction OF the army. He declined to
do t. because having been voted down last session he
did not care TO the risk OF a second reDut. 49,.
Mr. LOGAN (Rep, I'D said he had not the slightest
objection t. any amendment that would DO offered to
this bill for the purpose OF reducing the army II te re-
had opposed the bin OF last session. because he believed
tho mode Of reduction which II proposed 10 be improper
Tile officers should be reduced in prOpOrtionate ratio
with the men, so that there would not be moro officers
| than were required for the number OF men -, i.
Mr. GARFIELD Rep., Ohio reminded tho House that
the Committee ON Military Affairs had at the last session
reported bill well prepared and well considered LOT ho
reduction of the army. but that as 1t did not meet the
loaded with amendments and thus killed. The Commit
DAYS of the session. when tho secretary War aud the
General OF the Army desired that In view OF Indian nos
Committee was ready at any time for the last eight
| months 10 report measure OF reduction ana the
House consented, he thought he would be ready by
Monday to report some measure which he hoped would
receive the sanction OF the House lie had some douDs'
however whether they ought to wait for the sugges
tons and recommendations OF the incoming Adnlnstra
| MIR BLAINE remarked that he had only been wishing
10 open the gentleman from ONO, expecting
that would DO ready to enter in as he had been 10
In reference the Indian bureau Mr.. GARFIELD said
he would accept the genteuan open door ana the Com
mittee Military Anrs would be ready to walk III next
Mr. LAWRENCE Hcp., Ohio remarked that II there
thing in which the people OF All pOluca parties
united IN opinion 1t was that there Ought to DO re-
ducou Of expenses OF tho army and ho desired TO
ask his colleague whether was not expcdlent To conso
date tho army into - or less number O1 legines .d
to reduce the officers TO the number required for that
MI Garfield replied that several Of the regiments
and especially the infantry could be cOns0udaIed
Mr. LAWRESCE (Rop.. Ohio asked his colleague
whether when skeleton regiments were cohsouatu tne
number OF officers shouIu NOT ~ 'io s""i0 'H' '0 "
Mr. GARFIELD-oh. certainly. that ought to be done.
Dut spealng for myself. confess do not think we
ought 70 do It. do think that public policy or public
justice requires us TO muster out Of service ureeey o
tive and by absorption. II could DC done rapidly enough
II Congress would stop all promotions ana al cohls-
souing OF new officers. The rate at which officers we've
leaving the army was very great During Tue pisi
conc ont and II the which he suggested had
been adopted last the number OF officers would nave
| been reduced by that amount.
Mr PILE said he was convinced that the Government
was now PAYING for the support OF the Army 100000
or $5OOOIOJ than II ought TO pay, when sum 0hst
10 DO saved and could be saved Congress would only
give one two weeks TO careful consideration OF q
| thorough and systematic reduction OF tue army ana
liking the peace establishment; hut he expressed his
doubt whether the subject could DO gone over as tor
oughy aud carefully IL ought To De, IN connection WIN
! Nj LOGAN SAID that Il the Committee on Military AZ.
fairs proposed 10 offer the same bill FOR the reduction or
the army offered last year. he would say OF 10 as
ho had SAID then, IL Was humDug Why shOuld regiments
DE consolidated II the number Of officers was not re-
ducodi In his opinion, better To nave sixty regi-
mcns skeletons than thirty regiments consolidated II
the same number Of oihcers were To DO mah,aheu ms
own proposition that the officers should DO reduced,
| but the gentleman from Ohio thought that 10
| be- n great hardship. IL WAS no hardship any
| more than the sending back TO evil luo OF tho
| volunteer officers at the close Of tho Rebellion.
II man held the rank OF colonel nut had not tue u-
OF colonel perform he was not entitled either To
the pay TO the rank The correct rul9 was 10 reduce
the rank OF officers according To inc duties thaI me
were required 10 perform The country demanded ms
reduction During the war the same thing had been
done, not Dy act OF Congress- puV ny sHpe ouel ",
the Secretary OF War. IL was no hardship then, and
| why should II be a hardship now when officers bad
nothing more to do than walk the streets and play inc
gentleman at receptions =,
Mr.. WINDOMlltep.. Mimi expresscdhis surprise that
the gentleman OF the Committee on Military Audlrs iu
had time 10 attend TO the matter when ne ha snch
ample attend TO the business OF the COMMITTED
on Indian Affairs. The House had been told That by a
proper measure the Government might nave Oeeh saved
the Committee Military Affairs Was 50 busy IN other
matters that lac could not attend to that lie thought
motion yesterday lay the Indian Appropriation bill on
the table IL would have been the violation OF 80 or 40
treaties, and would have undoubtedly produced an Indian
war That would have gwen employ 10 these officers
whom the gentleman from ONO WAS SO DESTROYS To retain
in the service There would not have been necessity
for reducing lhe number Of military men, ana cOse-
quently, thonEh II would have cost the Government
for Indian wars II would ut the same time
have given employment To those persons whom the
gentleman from OHIO 81 anxious To save from being
turned out IL Seemed to be his policy let them live
pensioners the Government uutl they died or re
signed, aud it very seldom that an officer drawing
good pay either died resigned. Laughter lie
WineOm was favor Of the reduction OF the army, aud
ho hoped that the Army Appropriation bill would be
postponed for week, N necessary In order 10 gNo tbs
Committee Military Affairs chance To attend To their
business.
MIR. GARFIELD Ia reply to Mr. Window, re-