Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-03-11
HOUSE,
Railroads.

Mr.. Wells reported from the Committee
on Railroads and Canals, bill authorizing
the Norfolk, Louisville and st. Louis Rail
road Compauy TO construct their road. Re-
committed
The New York and Washington Line
Railroad bill was taken up.
Mr.. Twichell moved its postponement to
April II. Lost-60 against 81.
The bill then went over tall Thursday.
our Army--The CIumsiest in the
World.
A bill to reduce the number of officers In
the army was taken up.
Mr.. Logan addressed the House in ex-
planation and advocacy of the bill. He
characterized the present organization OF
the army as the clumsiest in the world. Its
present status was beyond what was de-
sirable or efficient The bill did not propose
to curtail the army to the extent the COM
mittee and himself thought necessary, but
only to the extent that 1t was supposed
Congress would sanction.
He denied that any i'll feeling was enter
tanned on his part towards army officers:
He would not pluck leaf from the well
earned laurels of one Of them, but previous
to last November there were six hundred
and twenty-five supernumeraries among
army officers. That the number according
to the report of the Secretary of War had
been reduced by assignments, trainers,
designations, dlsmissals, deaths, ETC., to
500 on the first of November. He asserted
that there would be saved a bill in pay OF
officers along over one and a half millions
and as to saving in communication was i'm
10 estimate
was that the saving to be effected by the
bill would appropriate three millions.
The bill was then considered by sections
for amendments.
Mr.. Butler, of Mass, moved to amend
the first section by providing that the re-
ports of the board shall set forth instances
of inexperience, inefficiency, immoral con-
duct or other causes on which they are
founded in each case, to be open to public
inspection.
Mr.. Logan assented to amendment,
which was agreed to.
Mr.. Butler would amend the first section
bv providing that the board shall not hold
its session within five hundred miles o.
Washington. He did not wish 1t subject tc
Washington influence.
Mr.. Logan opposed the amendment OF
the ground that the records to be examined
were all at the War Department.
The amendment was rejected and sector
agreed to.
The second section, which provides tina
anv officer transferred to fill the vacancy o
| grade previously held 10y him, shall TAX
| rank in such grade from date of his com
mission, was agreed to.
The third section was also agreed L
without amendment.
MIR. Pratt moved to strike out the fourt
| section, reducing the number of Majo
3 Generals to three. He did not wish {
| throw the disagreeable duty on the Presi
dentof designating who would be mustere
r out.
MIR. Kelly moved to substitute for Il
section, s'That there be no promotion
the grade of Major General until the nun
her on the active list is reduced to three
MIR. Pratt.withdrew his amendment.
Messrs. Shanks and Logan abused NJ
$ Kellv's sympathy for Major General
O whereupon Kelly retorted upon Loga1
! former Democracy, saying he kelly b
+. never mingled his voice with the clankll
1T chains Of slaves.
Mr.. Logan did not know what the b
IT had 10 do with his record.
!. Mr.. Kelly-Nor had my name, which
gentleman mentioned.
Mr.. Logan begged his pardon. Ii
thought he would not have done SO small
thing. As to his record, he was, II
chose, quite able to defend it. He Logs
D., had stricken more chains from limbs u
be Kelly and all his ancestors had done OF
isl posterity would ever do
The amendment was repealed and
,st section agreed to.
gv Mr. Negly offered an amendment to
,rs first section for the mastering out OF
- military storekeepers in the Quarterm
ter and Ordinance Departments, and
we medical storekeepers, within six mont
he and the adjustment of other offices, VIII
was adopted.
Mr.. Slocum disagreed with Mr.. Logan
# TO the extravaganza of the army. 1.-TWO
Nv compare favorably in that respect v
ali foreign armies. He also defended its
FL iicienoy, the best proof of which was
late war.