The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-01-29

men, and only 0ne-nai o. tnas aepietion was 70 be
ments. The bil also provided FOR closing up the
Department and the Commissary Department. Az
necessity for this measuo may be mentioned the
such Claims sad BEEN ed No Sy oSs
tinaciOus claim agent OF the CITY OF Washington
and such claims would continue to come In 80 long
Of the bill transfers to the Jurisdiction OF the
Southern Claims commissioners all claims for
which are now pending before any department, Of
that may be presented before the 1st OF November.
1874 He explained. the propriety Of thus
the amount Of $So0OO,OOO or SEQ, OO0, 900
were now subject TO the decision OF the Quarter
whose time was fully taken up with the discharge
OF their ordinary Official duties. This legislation
wSos e%cuve OasDess It Was s1 to eas
other. +"
THE REDUCTIONS UN7IMELY AND UNGENEROUs.
most anxious to cut down The expenses Of the
government, bat the zeal for econonomy should not
re Ss .ss h sa sSu %ays
and that the rust and proper expenses Of the coun-
try were great too and they could not q AFFORD to
reduction Of the army Of not less than 5000 men,
a ,o47 men, scattered In small posts ali over the
country, 80 that Q funeral party for general ON
s ssT So &c Re sS S he sssa
tue army S'' made before the House, S.as y
reducsion OF the army would be an unwise
measure. This bill. he said, struck q blow in the
o. the present. ierce but Il aa Not determine pan IN
what particular branch Of the service It's desolat
ing touch should fab. This bill would compel re-
would have been better 70 determine the other
question first ana then make appropriations 40
Of than the army ny 'i DID Ss county oWs
sSsv,so 4 . u,sS them r :s W S:a9 q
and hardships than army ofhcers. They
COUNTRY s0a
cultivated, often away from their Irends and fam
ss % saS sa % to Keep
made economy and retrenchment necessary, these
faithful sentines and ofncers were the nrst
be turned out in the cold. AltSo1sS it might
not be popular Tor him to do 80, he could not
ns voice 5 PG Ss sn
and educated soldiers. The government had
life calling. and many OF them were not IN o con-
dltlOn to enter any other calling and make living
tor themselves He objected to making these faith
full officers and men the scapegrot for the sins Of
other men.
Mr.. WHEELER said there was not q line in the
Mr.. ALBRIGHT-If not then It is proposing to pay
men who do no service. The officers wlll be re-
that Is the operation Of this economicaI
system. II they would stop building
custom snS and %os and s
ings in Washington. 1t would not be necessary to
reduce the army. proper national pride should
to maintain domestic p peace and order TSsy
should save the army and provide for feeding ana
and the country would appaud them
Mr.. GARFIELD, Of Ohio. chairman OF the Com
mittee on Approximations, said he was very un-
attitude Of being the general eulogist OF all good
and generous things In the government That was
Der Of IT, The action Of the House to-day on the
bill in regard to public buildings had greatly dis
couraged him in the hope that retrenchment would
be made, and the speech he had just listened to
added very much to that disbursement. 1t had
led him to believe that all reductions we're good
and worthy ones except just such ones as were
before the House for It's action.
sCOLDING MEMBERS.
MI. BECK, tdem.l OF Ky., objected b. Mr.. Gar
morning.
Mr.. GARFIELD submitted that he had said nothing
Mr.. BEoK-I object to his scolding members on
Mr.. GARF1ELD-Ifit is a question as to scolds and
seedlings will submit that to the judgment or this
body as between the gentleman and myself II
the army was not too weak four years ago, when
the south was greatly disturbed. and when no man
could say that peace would reign for the next
three years, it Is certainly too strong now. II we
pursue the policy Of retrencnng where we are not,
and OF not retrenchtng where we are, we will get
through the session without any retrencnment at
all.
members who had voted to refer the bill to dlmin-
ish expenses on public buildings to the Committee
on Public Buildings and Grounds were actuated by
improper motives or by desire to prevent re-
trenc6ment. he (Mr. Becky had voted ior that
reference because he believed that the subject
properly belonged to that committee. Referring to
the movement made by Mr.. Copurn, of Indiana, ct
the beginning OF the session to divide up the work
Or tne appropriation Committee ne intmassd
duties that belonged to other committees 1t would
find itself not only in meagre minority (as 1t had
divide II and would take from It the subjects over
which other committees had Jurisdiction. He as.
s1%ea 5nas the Commute on rIolc Buildings d
well able to look into all the circumstances as the
Committee on Appropriations was.
order that MI Beck had no right to scoli one Of
the committees OF the House. Naughter.)
M. Mr. BECK confessed the point and sand he would
on the other side. He gave notice that he would
offer an amendment 70 the bill that no mileage
excess Of actual travelling expenses.
Mr.. WHEELER said he would accept such an
M. BECK said i he was glad glad TO hear it.
:. DEFY THE WORLD AND REDUCE THE ARMY.
Mr.. CoBURN, (rep.) OF Ind. chairman OF the
expressed By Mr.. wheeler and should cordiaiis
support the bill before the House. He believed
that the army might be reduced, not only In men
but IN oicers, and that the military establishment
itself might be reduced largely In public works and
In munitions OF war; Except In point Of popuIa-
ton and OF personal physical strength this
was not military nation. While 1t was
ready IN any just cause to DEFY the world, 1t was
not at the same time bound by any proper sense
OF public duty to make very great provision for
war. The axiom as to preparing for war IN time
of peace not applicable TO this country except
in q slight degree. The country was breeding the
men who would make 1t ready for war. No
nation that had ever shaken the globe with its
military tread equalled this nation, North and
South, for patience, for courage, for endur-
ance, for bearing-for everything that constr
tutod manhood IN war. What else, then,
had It to look forward to IN the way q
preparation for war; Az TO the seacoast fortihca-
tons ali that was necessary was to provide some
means Of preventing the great iron-cads OF foreign
nations from destroying our naval depots and
great cities. He thought that with great safety
| the troops could be withdrawn from the Atlantic
| coast, from the Canadian fr0ntier and from tine
| South, except, perhaps, az to New Orleans, and
| let the army be kept on the Indian frontier.
/ At the conclusion OF Mr.. Coburn's remarks the
FURTHER MPLAr1oN OF THE CURRENCY OF ossp
Mr.. POTTER (dem Of N. Y, presented q memo
A. MAJ Xpr ho uhoro nd