The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1870-04-01
WASHINGTON, March %, 1870.

80 iSsV'
EDITOR UNION K JOURNAL There seems to
be great deal Of dissatisfaction expressed ut
Gen. Logan's Army Bills and it has given rise
10 much discussion. Senator Wilson has pre-
sented bill 10 reorganize the army In the Sem
ate, which provides that after the first Of Sept.
the regular army shall consist of $4,000 men
and authorizes the Secretary ofWar to give hon
orable discharges TO all officers who apply for
the same, prior to that date. Officers who have
served ten years, shall mt the time Of their dis
charge, be entitled to ten years pay and allow
ance. And all who have served fyeyears one
and a half years pay and allowance. Officers
Of thirty years service, may be retired on full
pay and allowance The whole number Of the
retired list shall not exceed three hundred. No
appointment or promotion shall be made TO Ma
jor Generalship, until the number be reduced
to three, and no appointment Of Brig. Generals
until that grade shall be reduced Do six. Gen.
Sherman don't like either bill and has written
n very long letter to Senator Wilson. giving his
reasons against mastering out any Of the officers
of the army, but considering that there are some
500 unassigned, II certainly appears that the SER
vice does not need them. A great deal has been
said about the pay Of army officers exceeding
that Of civilians, and the question has been ask
ed, why should General Sherman'spa bell2OOO
and the Chief Justice but eighth One thing to
me Is evident, and that Is, that the salary OF
army officers should largely exceed that OF civil
ians. At the present time, officers connected with
the varions military departments here are pre-
pairing to leave this city TO perform duty in some
other place where they have been assigned. VI
course the frequent changes Of army officers to
different ports. is hrge expense which they are
required TO bear. AMI there should certainly be
some compensation for.it. There will be a great
deal Of discussion upon the army bill in the
Senate, and Il is really doubtful whether any ac-
ton may be reached
It's considered quite certain that the San
Domingo treaty will be rejected, although it
may have majority vote, but two thirds prob
ably will not vote In favor Of il. Senator sum-
ner's recent speech is considered sufficient to
kill il, If nothing more is DONE But other
distinguished Senators win oppose it. Gen.
Schurz made powerful argument against IL.
Our Alaska purchase proving 50 Improbable, 1t
will undoubtedly operate some what against
the measure. Senator Cole who has visited
San Domingo will speak in favor of the treaty.
Another measure that is to be discussed at great
length is the civil Service bill introduced by
Gen. Schurz. It's principal objects are TO give
some tenure to civil Office. to provide for COM
petitiye examinations before a Board Of Com
missioners consisting Of nine.
Some little idea Of what the new regime would
be. provided such bill should pass, may be
cleaned by just abiding to some OF the ques-
tons proposed to candidates for positions in the
census bureau, which is now being organized.
For instance, the aspirant for government ser
vice is somewhat startled by the question, What
Is notification! OF course II would do no good
for the applicant to ask what that has to do with
the census bureau. lie RECEIVERS little from
his surprise, and is asked, What is the veto pow
err Having left Johnson's administration 40
recently, this does not disturb the equanimity
Of the would-be clerk. Having tested him upon
political economy, he is next investigated upon
physical geography, and to give the principle
upon which the barometer acts. the weight Of
bodies, what the al is composed Of, &c. give
few simple questions for the benefit Of aspi-
rants. II the difference Of longitude between
two places is Is degrees, and II Is one o'clock at
the easterly point what would be the time ut the
westerly place, Between what degrees Of lon
gitude are the United States included' What
Is TIE difference between mean and solar timei
In what year was the battle of Waterfront what
year the battle Of New 0rleansi what impor-
tant inventions were discovered Immediately pre-
ceiling the discovery Of American IL these
questions that are put to the applicants for sit
uations in the census bureau are necessary, 1t Is
certainly query what the census bureau is or.
ganixed for! A very few questions are asked
in fractions, but large portion Of the questions
asked applicants are entirely foreign to the du-
ties of the Office. II these questions are sam
pie, and think they are, OF those asked at the
census bureau, what would be proposed to appli-
Giants under civil service bill
IL is stated by the Treasury officials that IL
we continue to pay Of the present debt Mt the
rate We have been during the past year, the to-
tai debt will be extinguishcd In ten years. II
this is so, II would seem very desirable to reduce
taxation to some extent, especially the income
tax, which perhaps is the most obnoxious Of oil
taxation and rs unjust in its application. l
referred in my last 10 the appropriation made
for the widow Of the late Edward Nj. Stanton OF
o, 800 one years salary Of an associate justice.
IL is stated that Mr.. Stanton left property to
the amount Of some 100000 and acontribu-
ton has been made 10 Mr. Stanton Of 10000
making the sum Of s25O,0OO to which comes
very insppropristely,I think, = gin by Congress
Of d, 800. Another charitable gin Of Is 900 has
made to the Sisters Of Mercy Of Charleston sc.
last week IN the House. II certainly seems in
bad taste to cry 'retrcnchment," and then
make donations to private parties and corpora
tons.
No little stir was made at the National Thea
tire the other evening. by the appearance Of some
half dozen eolored people In a private box.
with one white person. A great deal OF indts:
l..a