Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-05-25
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Washington, d. G.. May 25.-
NJ. Sargent called ~ the resolution declar'
ug that the modification Of the treaty with
China would be wise, and inviting the
of the president 10 the subject.
Passed.
Consideration was resumed Of the bill 10
relation to the Dlstrict of Columbia, and
and after debate, the sixth section, providing
for the election Of a delegate 10 the house Of
was stricken out, on motion
Of Mr.: Ednunds, by vote of yeas, 40,
nays,9.
The house provided for the election Of
council, and the senate committee amended
the section 20 a. 10 elect delegate to con-
gress instead Of council. The section
having been stricken out there will be no |
election in the district.
HOUSE.
Washington, May 25.-Mr. Pa;trldge |
offered resolution directing the postof1ce |
committee II investigate the prac,cabilitv |
Of preventing postal frauds. Referred.
The house went into committee OF the |
whole, Mr. Springer in the chair, on the
armv appropriation bill.
Mr. Hewitt, of New York, withdrew his
proposed amendment to the l4th section for
the muster out of officers reported uniit for
services. aud consented to the entire striking
out of the section. He then moved an
amendment to the 18th sec
ZION embracing the same gen
eral provisions. ln explaining 1t he said
that 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 t had been as
signed to him, and he had found the army
org lniZed In such manper that no bus-
ne. s man could continue tn do business 10
der such an organization without being
ruined. He therefore suggested such meas,
ures of reorganization and retrench-
men! as would effect economy.
The bill as originally rep ,rted had come in
two forms first, consolidation of regiments,
and second, reduction of men. The reduc-
tion Of min was minor question. He con-
fessed that when he approached that subject
he had done SO with the conviction that the
army ought 10 be vt least 5000 men, and it
was only after investigation that he had
come 10 the conclusion that an army of 90
600 men was adequate for such services as
the army ought 10 b, called upon to perform.
In that particular, however, the committee
of the whole overruled the committee on
appropriations. 1t had, however, sustained
the committee on appropriations on the
question Of consolidation, by which two
thirds Of the entire saving would be cffec. ed.
Mr.. Garfield said lie was opposed to the
amendment but he did not consider it liable
TO y point OF order without DISCUSSION.
The am .ndment was adopted. Section
fifteen now readr:
That the president is hereby authorized
to transfer the surplus officers from the rcgi
ments o. c,vaIry that may be consolidated,
and from the several staff departments TO
the list of s.pernumarics and all vacancies
now existing, or that may may occur i'll cav
airy, artillery, infantry .r staff DEF ar,ycnts
BY reason Of such ansfer nr from other
causcs, shall be filled in due proportion by SUI
pernumary officers having reference to rank,
seniority and fitness; and the president IS
hereby authorized and required TO place ON
the retired list or TO muster out Of the service
officer. equal in number to the officers who
may lie upon the supernunary list. July
first (; he 81 all place upon the retired list all
officers who may he unfit for duty by reason
Of injuries incurred or disease contracted in
the line Of duty, but The number 40 reti. ed
shall not exceed one hundred in
addition to the present retired list. In
order that the president may properly select
officers to he placed on the retired lirt, and
to be mustered out, the commanding officers
of the several military geographical divi
sions and departments shall, as soon as prac
tcable after the passage Of this act, and be
fore the fir,t day Of Septemb next
forward through and for remark. o
the general Of the army TO the sec
retary Of war list Of officers serv
ing in their respective commando
and departments deemed by them unfit, from
any cause wha ever, for the proper and eff
cient discharge of their duty, .ettiug fortl
fully and specifically in each case the caus
Of such uni,uess. The secretary Of war i
hereby authorized and required, on or be
fore the frat Of October next, to constitute
board to consist Of three major generals on tn
active list, to which board said lists shall b.
referred for examination, aud said boart
shall report to the president such officer
% It shall recommend to be placed on tht
retired list, and to be mustered out of th,
service, and the president shall thereupol
grant leave of absence to such officers, ane
cause them to be placed on the retired list
and to be mustered out of the service OF
the first of July. 1870; and if the numbe
90 recommended to be mustered out OF th'
service anal not Oe eQual W suo uumoe
Of officers remaining on th'
superuumerary list on the first Q
January, 1879, the president shall forthwith
transmit to congress, at its next session,
, list of the officers in excess Of the numbe
TO be mustered out, for such further actor
"A shall be deemed necessary.
No amendments were offered to section
sixteen or seventeen, which limit the majo
generals to one, and Of brigadier generals t
three, after those figures shall be reached
Foster moved to strike out section is
which limits the number Of aids-de camp
Defeated.
A point Of order made AID sustain.
against section l9, which prohibits the pro
motion Of officers unless recommended by
, board Of examining officers, and the sectio
was etruck out Section 81, which provide
for the appointment Of second lieutenau,
from the graduates Of the military academy
and ly tho promotion Of non commi.aione
officera, was amended, on motion Of Keyfel
by adding the words: "And also from sbl
bodied, honorably discharged officers an
soldiers Of the United States volunteer an