Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-13


Rights of the Secretary of War and STAFF
the Salient Features-General Capital
News.
REPUBLICAN, CAUCUS.
Special Telegram to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Jan. PA long and highly i'm
poraant caucus of Republican Senators was
held yesterday afternoon devoted principally
to proposition that the Republicans should
take an affirmative and congratulatory view
upon resumption of specie payments. 1t was
represented that as the bill for the resumption
Of specie payments after originating in the
Senate passed the House four years ago, while
! that chamber was in Republican hands, it was
| fitting that the triumphant completion Of the
policy then originated should be nvticed by the
Senate before it passed from Repu blican hands.
The suggestion met with great and general APP
prevail, and committee was appointed to
draft resolutions the subject 1t is under
stood that they will embody the Republican
doctrine on the question and be cast in a shape
to invite the opposition by men as tar
apart on Democratic side as Thurman
and Voorhees,. 1t is hoped in other words. by
alphabetically endorsing The currency as it is, to
make support Of national banks an imp piled re-
suit Of their adoption. The resolutions recent
~ proposed by Senator Edmunds on the con-
stitutional amendments came up for considera-
| ton, but no special action beyond their gen
eral approval was taken.
THE CIPHER DISPATCHES.
resolution will be introduced in the House
next Tuesday from the Potter committee, ask
ng for sum OF money to enter into an inves-
tlgatlon of the cipher dispatches. This reso-
luton would have been Introduced yesterday
had 1t not been for adjournment out Of respect
to MIR. Schleicher's memory. The sudden reso-
the cipher dispatches, and the fact that afr'tbe
administration members of the committee
| voted against the project, causes it to be sur
missed that counsel of Tilden has seen his wit
nesses and got his case ready for trial. 1t is
known he has written lately to members of the
committee, asking that the inquisition be ex-
tended to the clphering MANY and there is
reason to say that the resolution Of the COM
mittee has been taken up on his motion with
view rather to whitewash the galvanized
mummy rather than to intensity his blackuess.
THE NATIONALS AND VOORHEES,.
The Greenbackers here insist that the National
party will have 10 be conciliated before Voor-
bees can be elected. An Influential Green
hacker says he thinks Voorhees, will be elected
Senator for six years beginning March 4th, but
declares that he may after all be defeated I'M
less his friends accede to the demands Of the
Nationals in another matter. Surprising that
Voorhees, should get every Democratic vote in
joint convention he would still lack one vote of
sufficient number to secure an election, if he
is returned he must get that vote from the Ma
tionas. of which party there are twenty-six
members in the legislature. Now, in order to
gain that vote the Greenbackers say the friends
OF Mr.. voorhees, must support James Buchanan
OF Indianapolis and chairman of the State
convention of the Nationals, for the United
States Senatorship for the time elapsing be.
tween the assembling of the joint convention
and March 4th, being about six weeks. There
| is precedent in Indiana for such an election.
ARMY Observation-Disclosures BILL,
Western Associated Press.1
| WASHINGTON, Jan. bit seems generally
conceded the Burnside bill for reorganization
of the army cannot pass. The bill as whole
will be vigorously opposed by some Of the
ablest members of both houses on the ground
that it tends to subordinate the war depart
ment and even the President himself to the
general of the army and establish sort of
military aristocracy, which is not in harmony
| either with The wishes of the people or the
spirit Of our institutions. Some of it's leading
opponents do not hesitate to say that the au-
thority which it gives the general Of the army
is not only excessive, but wholly unconstitu-
tional. Under the conviction that the bill in
its present shape, or in any shape which it is
likely to assume will fail to receive the APP
p oval of Congress. Representative Atkins,
nndaar.t the GO counsel and suggestive
officers of the army, has prepared
another as substitute, which although it is
of the same general object as the Burnside bill,
differs considerably from the latter in it's meth
DDS and details. Its principal provisions are
as follows:
The army is to be reduced to the desired
strength, not by summary dismissaIs or en-
forced retirements, but by the slower operation
of natural laws. Vacancies created by death,
casualties and resignation are to be left un-
filled. Regiments are to be consolidated as
their affective strength decreases, and the
whole army. line and staff alike, allowed to
gradually shrink to the desired numer-
ical limits. The retired list, instead
Of being restricted as now to 100,
IS to be made as large
as the necessities of the service NAV
! require, and all officers without exception arc
to be placed on that list as fast as they be-
come incapacitated for active duty, or reach
the age of 62. In the meantime the supply of
new officers from West Point is to be cut off.
The bill provides that members of the next
two classes graduating from that academy
shall, it they so desire, receive $3.50 each upon
completion of their studies, and be permitted
TO return to their homes subject to recall at the
expiration OF two years II their services are re-
quired.
| The provisions Of the bill with regard to a
reduction of the number of regiments in the
army are similar to those of the Burnside bill
The army, however, is placed under the SUI.
preme control Of the secretary of war, subject
only to the higher authority of the President
as commander-in-chief. The power of the gen.
eral of the army instead of being increased as
by Burnsides bill, is strictly limited to its
present bounds.
The bill provides for the adoption of the
battalion system of regimental organization
and makes a change in the present rule of pro-
motion regards first and second lieutenants
Lieutenants can now be advanced only in regi
ments to which they are attached, while cap
tains and majors may be promoted to higher
ranks in other regiments belonging to the sam,
army service. This difference the bill pro
Z poses to abolish by giving lieutenants the sam,
eligibility to promotion in other regiment; tina
higher officers enjoy.
The general features of the proposed organi
cation of the staff departments are similar t.
| those attached to the army appropriation bill
by the House last session, and subsequently
, abandoned. The INTERCHANGEABLE
) of line and staff officers, which is the niue
critisized feature of the Burnside bill, is no
, included in this substitute. Other changes q
| greater or less Importance are made in the dc
calls Ut army organization, but the abov
are the salient features of the proposed-4a
is now under consideration of the sub-con
mittee on the navy appropriation BILL and
ls believed the latter will be recommended t
the full committee for adoption, at least il
more important provisions. IL. however,
! should not be incorporated in that bill, it wi
shortly be introduced by Atkins or Hewett {
: New York, on its own merits as a substitu1
for the bills of Generals Burnside and Bal
ming.
WEATHER TO-DAY.
3 WASHINGTON, Jan. 1s.-For upper Missi
e sippi and lower Missouri valleys, southwe