The Portland daily press., 1877-11-12
( With CONGRESs-Extra sessi on.
HOUSE..

IOOoE
WASHINGTON. Nov 10.
Mr.. Banning asked leave TO offer a resolution
directing the military ommittee to inquire in
to the total mum Der of officers and men in the
army the LIST of July, the 1st Sept and thu 18th
of Nov, 1877, and where such men were EN-.
ployed during the year; the number and rank
of all officers on the retired list; number and
rank of all officers on the active list and to
what duties they ara assigned; the number and
rank of those absent on leave, number and To-
cation of all SITS and forts; the condition of
affairs GA Mexican frontier; number and
cbaract' troops on that frontier; conduct of
military operations there ard whether apy adj
dtional military protection ought to be proyid.
ed for the defence of the border against In
dams and Mexicans and giving the committee
authority to send for persons and papers.
Mr.. Conger objected to the clause authoriz-
ing the committee to send for persons and pa
pers.
Mr.. Banning withdrew that clause but MIR.
Garfield objected to the resolution and it was
not received.
The House then went into committee of the
whole on the army bill the pending amend
ment being that Offered by Mr. Crittenden linn
itiDg recruiting in the cavalry and infantry to
the number in service on the LIST inst
Mr.. Banks addressed the committee and
read letter from lady who spent some time
last fall at one of the frontier ports, stating
that the condition of the men there was very
that English Insurance companies refused TO
insure lives of United States officers because
the United States government exposed the
lives of officers TOO much.
Mr.. Crittenden asked Mr.. Banks how many
soldiers were now stationed in Wasbin gton.
Mr.. Banks replied that he had not slightest
information on that subject. He was speaking
OF soldiers on the frontier who were deprived of
all things necessary TO enable them to defend
the positions they occupied.
MT. CrtteQdeD said ha up6QrstOod sthcra WI
two full regiments stationed at Washington
w ny were those regiments not removed from
the city to the frontier?
Mr. Banks asked why the gentleman did not
offer amendments to that effect.
Mr.. Crttenden said the President had power
to remove troops. why had he not done so.
Mr. Banks answered that his understanding
was that the President had no money to trans
port troops.
The question was taken on Mr.. Crittende MS
amendment and 1T was rejected. 104 to III.
Mr.. Atkins, chairman of the appropriation
committee, had read communication from the
Adjutant General referring to Mr.. Atkins
speech on Thursday, in which be stated that
the Secretary of War had given the number
of troops 10 the service on the 3Oth of Oct as
q, 1868, and that be had sent despatch to the
Ad1utant General requesting more definite in
formation, to which despatch he had received
no reply. The Adiutsnt General says he did
send telegram in reply to this despatch, Civ
had been increased by 539 since his communi-
cation of the Both of October, which, with the
| 400 10 the sic nal corps, would make the whole
| number %, 1902. Mr.. Atkins went on to say
l that the despatch SAID to have been sent by the
| Adjutant General had not been received, and
| that there was no track of it in the impr. ssou
book Of the telegraph operator az the CAPITAL
| and he called attention to the fact that since
the draft of the bill had been commenced The
| army had been decreased by over 500 men with
out auy appropriation for recruiting He would
| not make any comments upon this fact. II
| bore its own comment
| An amendment was offered by Mr. Hooker
| of Mississippi prohibiting the use of troops tC
suppress insurrection or protect order 10 any
state except on demand of the legislature OF
| executive, caused an animated discussion, Mr.
Garfield leading the opposition and pointing
out the dagger of having such law on the
| statute book as would have in 1861 ted the
hands of the President and wrought the de-
| strnction of the government
After an exciting debate Mr.. Hooker:
| amendment was rejected, SO to 1877.
| The bill passed through the committee of the
| whole and was reported to the House but an
| adjournment was effected before fnal action.