The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1878-05-25
HOUSE.

WASHINGTON, May 25.--Hartridge
offered a resolution directing the post
Office committee 10 investigate the practic-
abilitysof preventing postal frauds; Re-
ferred
The house then went into the committee
of the whole, Springer in chair, on the
army appropriation.
Hewitt, of New York, WITHDREW his
proposed amendment to the l4th section
for the mastering out of officers reported
unfit for service. and consented to the
entire striking out of the section. He
then named an amendment to the 18th
embracing the same general provisions
In explaining, he said the corresponding
provisions in the bill as originally drawn
were more liberal, but they had been
ruled out under points of order; the bill
had not been undertaken by him Of his
own choice, it had been assigned to him
and he had found the army organized in
such manner as that no business man
could continue to do business under such
ar organization without being rui1ed.
be therefore suggested such meas
ures of&eorganization and retrenchment
as would effect economy under
the bill as it was originally reported,
had, which would come in two forms, lst
consolidation of regiments, I'd, reduction
Of men, The reduction of men was a
minor question; he confessed that when
he approached that subject he had done
so with the conviction thai the army ought
1t) be at least $4,000 mer, and it was
only after investigation he had come tc
the conclusion an army Of 10000 men was
adequate for such services as an army
ought be called upon to perform. 10 thai
particular. however, the committee of the
whole overruled the committee on appro
priations. 1t had, however, sustained the
committee on appropriations on the ques
tion of consolidating by which two third.
of the entire savings would be effected
Garfield said he was opposed to tht
amendment, but he did not consider i
liable TO point of order without discus
sion, The amendment was adopted.
Section Is now reads, that the presideD
is hereby authorized to transfer the sur
plus of officers from regiments of cavalry
and infantry who may be upon the super
, numary lists June lst He shall plac,
upon the retired list all officers who MAJ
, be unfit for duty by reason of injuries in
; Cured, or disease contracted, in the lint
/ | of duty, but the nun Der so retired shal
not exceed 100 in addition to the presen
list In order that the president ma,
properly select officers to be placed on tn
retired list and to be mustered out, tn
commanding officers of the several militar,
geographical divisions and department
shall, as soon as practicable after the pas
! sage of this act and before the first day Q
: September next, forward through and 70
the remarks OF the general of the army t
the secretary of war, list of the officer
serving in their respective commands an
departments declared by them unfit fror
: any cause whatever for proper and efficieu
a discharge of their duty, setting fort
= fully and specifically in such case tn
cause of such unGtness. The secretary
war is hereby authorized aud required O
e or after the LIST of October next 20 const
s tute board to consist of the three majo
generals on the active list, to which boar
e said lists will be referred for examination
q aud said board shall report TO the pres
IS dent such officers as il shall recommen
n to be placed on the retired list, and to
e mastered out of service. and the presidei
y shall thereupan grant leave of absence |
such officers and cause them to be place
v on the retired list. and 70 be mustered o,
o o. service on the first daSo of July 1879. ar
IF Iif the Dumber so sorec0mmeuded TO be mu
n tered out of service shall not be equal
as the number Of officers remaining on Il
,e supernumera liston the first of Japua,
70 1879 the president shall transmit to co.
n. gress.a at its next session, a list of a
,e Iof6cers 10 excess of the number to
q. mustered out, for such further action
shall be deemed necessary. a.S IA /.
No amendments were offered to sectio,
ll6 or II. which limit the number
. major generals to one. and of brigadi
generals to three. s-. p. 80