New-York tribune., 1872-02-14


WAsHrSGroN Tuesday Feb 10, Is7a
The abuses Of the system Of retired pay for army on
GERS are likely 70 be ventilated again this Winter in
Congress. There 3many officers the retired st
VINO are drawing twice much pay for doing nothing
as they received while service. This brought
about by law passed during the for the benefit Of
few officers who had friends in Congress- under which
authority given to retire regular army officers upon
the rank and pay OF the grade they held in the Volunteers
service during the Rebellion In this way captains
been retired as brgadlers, and majors as
major generals. II officer Is retired in
1877 1t is too frequently discovered that ha
disability incurred before 1865 particularly II be held
high rank at that time a volunteer The injustice OF
this system will he made apparent by citing two
specimen cases. Capt A. and Capt Is. served through
the war and were wounded in the same battle. They
were regular officers but Capt b. held Volunteer COM
mission BrigaderGeneral retaining his Captainey in
the Regular Army. They now retired, and Capt A.
gets s0 year. which is about u 900 more than
he received before he retired, while Capt Is. gets
but q 500. Another is still worse Gen. and Gen.
p were both Volunteer Major Generals, and each lost
leg battle. Gen. F. is retired, his actual rank
in the Regular Army Of Captain, but General, and
gets about a. COO annually while Gen. p, who only
volunteer, receives but $50 month as pension.
The bill for the increase OF the Navy by the eonstruc
ton OF sloopsowar cannot be reported to tho
House regular order for more than month. Tho
Naval Committee desirous Of having 1t passed a5
once and after their Chairman Judge scofed returns
from NewOrleans the House will probably be asked 10
permit IL TO be at once reported.
Mr.. Trumbun attempted TO get through the Senate
during the morning hour to-day, the bill which has been
characterized by TO get rid of u. s.
Judges" and by others bill to make fat places for
good Senators when they die politically" Under tho
present law, Judge Of u g. Court, when he arrives
at the Of TO- may IL he has served the Bench ten
more, retire life pension equal to his SAL
but it sometimes occurs that Judge becomes unfit
for duty long before he reaches the mature age of
three years and ten, and few OF them die and
none resign, the business Of the courts is often
greatly interfered with. The bill reported by
the Judiciary Committee gives permission to any U. 8.
Judge who is physically mentally incapacitated, 10
retire at any time full salary Almost the only
who opposed the bill was Senator Bayard, who fears
party machine may pensioned by being appointed
10 judica! positions, with the understanding that t1ty
not concluded Alter the morning hour. the senate
spent hour and half in protless debate wha1
Customs service was the regular order but Mr.. Cole
moved to postpone it, in order to take the legislative
preferred go with Mr.. Fenton's BILL but II thss
wsS to ,so be Hasse S aside s b Not Note 20 as
would move his Civil Rights bill again as amend
ner this purpose it provoked bitter
war of words between him and Mr.. SAWYER. Mr..
and not be willing to put IL in as part Of the
severe on MI II as an amendment lime and has been tts
@ Were sS,e ~ 10 f Civil Rights. plainly that
aid adne'y ne Food Ihe TSe TSisPgs .
bill taGen up The c2f wDpers tns persSrapTiatiog
it, and the Senate went through twenty-five OF tho
bill before adjourning.
bill to appropriate $3.50 oo for the construction Of a
Government building at Albany, " Y. was the hrsu
business Of interest in the <tOday 1t was re"
ported by Mr.. Hasey, Chairman Of the Committee on
Public Buildings ana Grounds Mr. Farnsworth, wha -
loses opportunity TO make thrust at the super
ysing architect of the Treasury spoke about that Off
GERS going galvanng about the country and hoped he
would stay home, and that the building would bs
erected by local architect. Gen. Garfield, speaking in
the interest Of economy opposed the BILL but hand.
somey beaten by Mr. Halsey The bill was passed, and
nobody but the nine members Of the Appropriations Com
mtee could be got demand the yeas and nays 1t.
Mr. Dawes obeying the order of the House, made yes
erday present the bill repeating all duties on
coffee and tea and wanted make statement which,,
il understood. would close with an appeal 10 tle
House allow the bill TO be recommitted and brought
would not allow him to make this statement, for fear,
apparently, that inteminable discussion would arSe,
Naval Appropriation bill Mr.. Hale, who had charge "
the @ SCn and 'e sO 81 Of %
navy. He declared that the policy which Congress had
forced Department 10 follow since the war; OF SPEND
ing great sums upon old vessels instead OF building new,
was poor economy He advocated the sale OF ali the sh5
new yessels Ii this done, he thought saving II
nearly sSOoOOO would be made 10 the annual ex.
now went keep old craft in tolerabie condition of
seawOrthness He said the repairs recently put on ths
and those on the Iackawanpa, SAC 900 Mr.. Hale d.
yided the naval vessels in into four csssss as follows
up and worth repairing IN case Oh war Mo a. renas
Ing, 49, The remainder Of the I79 vessels on
the naval register store ships transports receiving
ePded the sale of ali Of the third and fourth class
illustrated the wretched character OF the vessels con-
stricted during the by saying that the hne SHIPS
that considered to be the best In th Navy werd
built before 1850 They are the 'Coiorado FTanhn,
followed Mr.. Hall with long speech against the man.
agemen OF the Navy The abuses he particularly sPeeh
unusual number OF Admrals and Commodores in
pSptance repetition OF the one made by him last yeai
when the Naval bill was before the House upon ita
conclusion the House adjourned.
new jury was chosen in the ex-Congressman Bill
Stokes case and the trial proceeded again yesterdays
But little testimony taken. and the counsel SUBJ
mtted the case without argument. Some additional
letters however, brought in by the Government
which still unfavorable 20 the defendant A
Of Stokes TO Stronger tells the latter thahe ought
not to let any one the amount Of the certificates ana
keep back all who will not sell their claims, the
being the claims at an immense discouno
s soon as the amount be awarded should he known.
In another portion Of the letter he says, be exceeds
ingy cautious keep shut mouth. will push the thing"
And the following: II Capt Beatty and the members Of
his company Say the money had been stopped tell them
having kept quet"; also, The whole liability for the
seTon Is signed by BY Pewe the Clerk not
by Stokes The next letter, marked confidential and
piS are coming to me in relation to other
caims All want s to get out OF Congress, and can
mouth pays" Burn this d-n letter up and promise
to say no more" stl further letter dated March q
me am ruined The letters are Coming from ali quar-.
ters claims; make 10000 within two years
soa was wan sens TO oy AZ the
Hotel, which contained these sentence: @ "W,n yoS, y,
around and say nothnsp' 1t appears from other sy