The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-03-17
Vol 81, No. so
Congressional.
SENATE
Washington, Mar. ..


Congress. He made an Intellectual
to take up the Georgia bill so as to
dispose of at once.
Mr.. Sherman objected.
The funding bill was then resumed
and the motion to recommit che bill
was defeated without division. The
question recurring on the amend.
ment of Mr.. Corbett to strike out the
provision tor foreign agencies, the
debate was continued on the general
subject.
Senator Morrill,, of Vermont, said
he had not sighted the evidence in
the discussion that a less rate of in.
terest than per cont could be at.
tanned. He finally offered an amend
ment ia the first section by inscrt-
ing the words "not exceeding" and
which was adopted. He then moved
to amend the second section so as to
make the rate Of interest on $780,
900, 900, not exceeding instead Of
Al per cent. Lost, 8 yeas, 40 nays.
The question was then stated on
Corbett's amendment to strike out
the fifth section providing for the
payment of coupons at European
cities. The amendment was agreed
to, yeas 29, nays IL.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Stutsman from Committee on
Mileage reported bill to regulate
the mileage. Recommitted. 1t re-
duces mileage from 20 to 10 cents
per mile, and requires travel on the
shortest practicable route.
Washington, March 10.
SENATE.
The funding bill WAS proceeded
with.
Mr.. Howard moved to amend the
sth section so as to lauthorize banks
to go to the Treasury and exchange
bonds.
Mr.. Sherman objected to the
amendment The amendment was
rejected.
MFR. Buckingham claimed the Gov
ernment had no right to diminish
the value ofits obligations and com.
pei banks to take them.
Mr. Sherman believed that Nation.
al Banks ought to cheerfully aid in
reducing the public debt, and said
he had not expected any complaint
from that quarter.
The Vice President laid before the
Senate communication from Genl
Reynolds, commanding the depart
ment of Texas, enclosing copies o
the new Constitution Of that state
and the ratification of the 18th l4tl
and 18th amendments, and othel
papers.
After some discussion, principally J
on tho sth section, Mr.. Hamlil
moved to amend 30 as to limit thu
provisions Of this section to banks
whose bonds become redeemable
and as they shall become redeema
BILE.
Tho amendment was rejected
yeas l6, nays 29.
The amendment to strike out the
eighth section was rejected--yea.
IA, nays %.
Adjourned.
HousE.-The bill reducing the
number Of officers in the army wal
taken up.
Mr.. Logan addressed the House il
explanation of his advocacy of the
bill. He characterized the present
organization Of the army as thu
clumsiest in the world. and deniet
any i'll feeling entertained Oh thu
part of the Committee toward th'
army officers. Previous to las
| November there were 622 supernu
merary officers. That number ha
since been reduced by assignments
dismissals, deaths, ETC., to 500. Th,
first section of the bill provides fo
the board to examine into ths
military record and qualifications o
the officers below the rank Of Briga
dier, and recommend those to b.
retained the President to order sucl
transfers and with the consent o
the Senate make such appointment
as are deemed proper officers. so rec
commended to the existing vacancies
all officers not recommended by tn
Board to be mustered out.
| Mr.. Logan asserted that the stat
of the American army of thirty
thousand men was Is large as tn
staff OF the French army Of half
million of men, or the Prussian arm,
of eight hundred thousand. Th
staff corps Of the American army il
| 1860 consisted of three hundred an
| fifty officers, and in 1869 Of six huI
dred aud SIXTY three. These officer
were mostly lieutenants or captains
now they are all from majors up I
brigadier-generals. He ridiculed th
idea of putting brigadiers and majo
generals at the head eof quarterma
ter's and commissary department
where their duties were to be judge
of boots aud shoes and bean SOUP
The pay departments are to q larg
extent, ifnot entirely, unnecessary
The following section provides Il
officers: A General and suit. ii
General shall continue in comman
until q vacancy occurs, and no lol
ger. There shall be only three Nj
ior Generals and six Brigadier Gel
erals after the 1st Of September ne,
, to be selected by the President wit
out regard to seniority. All othe
: will be mustered from the servic
The heads OF staff departments shs
have the rank and pay of Colon'
but the present incumbents may co
tinue as officers at that rank. II
, officers mustered out under this b
shall have one years pay and allo'
ances.
The ninth section abolishes Il
: brevet rank.
The eleventh section forbids al
} officer holding civil office wheth
by election or appointment. III
18th section repeals the clause or a
ofJune Both, which makes the &c
oral OF the Army superior TO t
: President.
Q The 18th section provided I
. transferring the Indian Bureau
= the War Department, but since res
!, ing the account Of the Pigean m,