Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-11-16
THE FOHTN-FITTuC CONGRESS
EXTRA SESSION.
HOUSE

WASHINGTON, Nov. l2.-Mr. Hewitt con-
tended that the President had no right to
authorize enlistments 10 the absence of an
preparations. Ii the President had that
power it would be a concession of every
principle for which the AnelO-Saxon race
had struggled from the time of the Charles
the First to the present. lie quoted Judge
Story as saying the control of the people
| over the standing army was absolute by
reason of the power OF the House to direct
the appropriations. The proposition of the
secretary of war was that the President
might maintain the army up to its limit
in the absence of any appropriation. From
that proposition Mr.. Hewitt dissented in
the name Of human freedom. The only
safeguard which the country had in refer
ence TO standing army was that the army
comes from the appropriation bill and from
no other source whatever.
Mr.. Garfield wished to know if the gen.
| tlemsn thought the President should have
| dissolved the army because there had been
no appropriation made. If he did not think
| that, did he think the army should be allow
| ed to melt away by death and desertion,
until it should become too int iicient 10
protect the frontier Did he mean TO
say the President had no power TO appoint
an officer, or to fill vacancy. because no
| appropriation had been made to nav the
officers? The whole regular army bill had
been passed without dollar OF appropria-
tiOn bill Congress could refuse to appro-
pirate money, but the army would still
stand. The law fixed tho number of the
army at %. 600 In the presence of danger
on the Pacific coast men had gone To the
army headquarters in order to assist in pro-
tectIng their homes against savages and
mad hgen tnIH thav unnII
Congress tor their pay. When BY this
means the country had been saved, it was
Haunted in the face of the secretary of war
that he was impeachabe. The ATTEMPT to
talk impeachment aud blame the war de-
partment was unk.nd, was unpatriotie and
was cruel TO thearmy. Congress might re-
fuse TO pay those thousand men who had
been recruited, but the Country would then
know whether Congress is the enemy of
the army.
Mr.. Hewitt said the army existed oy yir-
tue of tho law and should not be dissolved
by reason of the failure of the appropria-
tions, but should continue to exist 50 long
as the officers and men were willing 10
serve without pay but there had been no
necessity for the army gong without paw.
The President had the right II call Congress
together in extra session before the end of
luO HHNhA lChl, anu MS HI-l Impulse IN that
direction had been sound and right. Sat
urday he had stated it the secretary of war
had expended the public money withoutap an
preparation. he violated the law and was
liable to impeachment. Mr. Hewitt charged
the secretary, however, as well a. the gen
eral OF the army and ad general, with
having concealed the fact when before the
cOmmlttee) that over 900 men had been
recruited since the end OF the last fiscal
year, but told the committee that recruit
ing had ceased since that time for want of
an appropriation.
Mr.. Conger said no did not ri>n 10 defend
the secretary of war, nor Ten Sherman nor
the adiutant-g general. The gentleman from
New York had said the army existed by
virtue OF law and that tine law allowed the |
President and his executive officer TO keen /
the cavalry companies M T. fixed standard. |
MIR. Banning said he woni vote for the /
present bill, hut not before putting on rec
ord his opposition to the man who violated |
the constitution by failing to call CONGRESS |
together before the first OF Jelly. u the |
President had done 81 the approximation |
bill would been passed and the constitution .
would not have been violated and trotden
under loot.
After some further debate tho bill passed
without division after which numerous
4. N. ..,-I.,.I
"'''' WIN
DEBATE ON THE BILL RErE,IISG TIE RE
SUMPTION ACT.
The House then considered the bill re-
peaiing the resumption act. Mr. Eder, of
Illinois, offered a substitute repeating the
'ntu suo'T ,,at ,hnr, bo M nn,h act ana
h.nt nores ex.a,,, ~ ~ ,% VI
wnrn ar dc-,rnveJ ''''9o
Nj rhitrrndcn had rcaJ a ,,,,,,r;.l -,
~. r,tinn,I hoard ni traJc anI 80,
# smh.tituts f,r the ncndin,, b,ii ror.1r,aj
,y ,bn, h,Iv UnIdir,, ma : In Is',aI -
,',c hs s.,,J no v,s wy mr,.b u,i-t,tas r.
.bc mi befnrr tho Unnsc w,,s mn, - {
,.,b, rsnud,,t,,n Th,s hill lin b;s bal
vas the nrnmise of the Government IN na,
INN so hat no date was fixed iIr the nav