Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-11-19
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE
WAsHINGTON d. C. Nov Is 1877

WASHINGTON. ID. c., Nov. 10, 1877.
To the Editor of the Journal:
The joint resolution introduced by the House
Ways and Means Committee providing for adj
journment on the 22d inst, would seem to indi.
cate short respite before the regular session
but it is quite certain that the disagreements be-
tween the two Houses ON the army bill will delay
adjournment up to the last of the month, if not
until the regular session begins. The Senate pro-
poses to stick and hang on $4,000 men for the
army, with the clause providing for four regi-
ments OF cavalry to be stationed on the Texas Dor.
der stricken out. The Senate proposes to lop off
some of the expenditures named in the House
bill so as to keep the appropriation at the same
figure. yet providing for $4,000 men. To these
changes the House is quite likely to object, hence
the necessary appointment of committees of con-
ference and consequent delay. This seems fool
sh enough when we consider that the army is now
about at its minimum strength (2l,000 men, and
the fiscal year is half ended. There is not the
slightest possibility that the Secretary of War will
increase the strength in view Of the fact that the
regular session is Immediately at hand and will
appropriate for and regulate the strength Of the
army for the present fiscal year. This whole mat
ter might have been settled in q week, and the
rest Of the time if members had seen it, devoted to
| other necessary legislation. Besides, very much
anxiety and suffering mongst officers and men of
| the army would have been saved. Such legislation
ought to be ventilated before the people in order
that. hereafter, they may send better legisla tors
THE HOUSE AND THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Considerable noise and i'll feeling have been
stirred up by hasy report of the strength of the
army sent in by the Adjutant General, through
Gen. Sherman, followed by subsequent report,
which was seemingly contradictory. 1t seems
that the Committee on the Expenditures Of the
Army sent request to the Adjutant General. soon
after the assembling of Congress, that he would
forward to them the actual strength Of the army
on or about the LIST of November. Gen. Town
send, whose bureau is model of perfection, for
warded almost at once an estimate based on the
| returns then in possession of the Office. which re-
turns Appropriated the actual strength and based
1t at 20 900 men. 1t was found, after the report
had been forwarded that very many monthly re-
turns, from various army or recruiting stations,
| Tor the month of October had not as yet been re-
ceived, and as soon as most of these had been re-
| ceived, more exact report was forwarded, which
increased the actual estimate as by the former re.
port, some 800 OF 600 men. Many of these tardy
returns were from distant or out of the way
places, like Oregon, Arizona, California or the
Black ILLS country. This last report, which only
showed the desire of the Adjutant General to be
exact, gave Mr.. Atkins, Chairman of the Army
| Committee, a chance to ventilate his sp.een
on the Adjutant General, the General of
the Army and the Secretary of War, he
accusing each separately and all togeth-
err of deceit fraud, lying and l am not certain
how many more dreadful sins. Gen. Sherman,
anxious to correct any false impressions, has
tened. in his impulsive way to explain to the
House the cause of such apparent differences in
reports, and rather mixed up matters, by not quite