The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1882-07-08
SOLDIERS In CIVIL LIFE.
THE LAW AS TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT
INTHE GOVERNMENT SERVICE.
Response to Resolution Of Inquiry-Has the
Statute Been Strictly Adhered tO-The Rec
ord From the Various Departments.

March last, the following resolution of inquiry
was introduced and referred to the Committee
on Military Affairs:
Whereas the following provision of law en-
acted in 1865, is contained in section 1854 of
the Revised Statutes of the United States, to
wit: Section 1852 Persons honorably dis
charged from the military or naval service by
reason of disability resulting from wounds OF
sickness incurred in the line of duty, shah DC
preferred for appointments to civil o1lces' pro-
vided they are found to possess the business
capacity necessary for the proper discharge OF
the duties of such Offices" Therefore, be 1t
Resolred, That the Committee ON Military
Affairs be- and they are hereby instructed TO
inquire into and report to this body: First
Whether said section is in full force and effect,
or whether it has been in any manner repealed,
modified, or rendered nugatOry and void.
Second-Whether said section has been faith
fully executed in appointments to civil offices
under the Government or whether it has been
openly and habituaIly disregarded and vio-
lated. Third-Whether the terms and mean
ing of said section apply to provost and deputy
provost marshals quartermasters and suffers
who were not disabled in the military or naval
service of the United States, or whether they
apply solely to persons who have been honor
ably discharged from such service by reason of
disability arising from wounds or sickness in
CURED in the line of duty. FOurth-Whether
any additional legislation is necessary to cause
the provisions of this law to be carried out and
enforced by the various Departments of this
Government.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE
under the above resolution was submitted to
the Senate on Monday last, and what follows is
a synopsis of the facts and conclusions arrived
at, the former having been gathered from re-
ports transmitted by the heads of the different
Departments in response TO the committees re-
quest. The committee also express the opinion
that while the section above referred to relates
IN terms to only disabled soldiers, yet taken in
connection with section 100 it has much
broader scope
Section 1915 reads as follows: "Sec. 1755. In
grateful recognition of the services, sacrifices,
and sutferings of persons hohorably discharged
from the military and naval service of the
country, by reason of wounds, disease, or the
expiration of the terms of enlistment it is
respectfully recommended to bankers, mer-
persons engaged in industrial pursuits, to give
them the preference for appointments to re-
munerative situations and employments." And
the committee therefore say that they are not
aware of any attempt to repeal or modify these
sections of the law and therefore report that
they are still part of the public laws of the
United States, and as such are binding upon
the appointing power, and should be literally
construed and faithfully enforced"
TOUCHING THE SECOND INQUIRY
presented in the resolution, the committee say
that inasmuch as the civil list of the United
States numbers considerably more than 100000 |
appointees scattered over the entire country, |
it has been impossible for them in the short
space of time and with the means placed at
their command for them to arrive at any salts
factory result. They then exhibit the replies
received from the various heads of Depart
ments and the officers of the Senate and House
of Representatives, from which it appears that
the sections referred to are recognized as of
effect by all.
THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY REPORTS
that the law has been faithfully executed in
his Department, the records showing " that out
of 154S appointments and reappointments from
March, 1877, to March, 1852, SOB were persons
who either served in the military or naval
service and were honorably discharged there
from, or were widows or orphans Of soldiers
and sailors"
THE SECRETARY OF WAR REPORTS
that of the present number of civilian en- |
ployees in. the War DEPARTMENT 1923 have |
been appointed since March 3, 1863 of which |
number have 6S females and boys, leaving |
as male adult apPointees go. OF this number /
602 Tor more than 90 per cent? have served in |
the army or navy, and 137 Tor more than % |
per cent. of those who served IN the army or |
navy were discharged for disability resulting .
from wounds or sickness incurred in the line |
of duty"
THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SAYS:
90 The records show that Of the whole force, 457
persons, or more than "a per cent, served either
in the army or navy, and that of the female
force of the Department 123 persons, or more
than SO per cent, are either widows, orphans,
wives or daughters of Union soldiers and
sailors in the late rebellion"
THE POsTMAsTER-GENERAL REPORTS:
"The total number of employees in the Post
Office Department is 1876; of these JOS are
females. OF the remaining 35S, 135 were either
soldiers or sailors during the late war"
THE ATTORSEY-GENERAL,
in response to the committees inquiries, says:
81 In respect TO the first, third and fourth of the
series, beg most respectfully to remark that
they present questions of law, bringing them
within the decision of my predecessors which
have been recently followed by me, to the effect
that the Acknowledgement is not authorized
to give his official decision upon call OF either
House ofCongress or any committee or member
thereof, as TO any matter pending before Con-
gress.' To the second inquiry he replies that
he can say nothing because he has no knowl-
edge but that since he has held the office he
has seen no instance wherein the law has been
dlsregarded or violated. He fails to give the
number OF ex-soldiers holding office under him,
but the committee report that they equal about
% per cent. Of the whole force.
THE SECRETARY OF THE NAvYrsAYs
he hnds that since the war in his Department
the sailors and soldiers have receixed fulI con-
sideration. He gives no figures put the COM
mittee ascertained from another source that
in December last there were POS male empIovees
in the Department, of which number seventy
two, or little more than 81! per cent, had