National Republican., 1882-12-06

tive officers of the Territory III, case would
be somewhat different. | ask that the first
part of the bill be again read.
The Speaker The question is upon the
passage of the bill; but if there is no objec-
tion the bill can be again read.
Mr.. Holman. ask that it be read as part
of my remarks.
The Speaker. The Clerk will read the
whole bill; it is very short
The Clerk read as follows:
BE IL enacted &c., That the fourth clause of Sec
tion 1860 of the Revised Statutes be- and the same
is hereby, amended so as to read as iollows
Fourth-No person belonging to the, Army or
appointment in any Territory except officers OF
the Army ON the retired list.
Mr.. Holman. l hope that the word zap
pointment," and also the word "hold," will
be stricken out of the bill.
Mr.. Brents. If they cannot hold any office
why allow them to bGclected to it?
The Speaker. The bill is not open to amend-
mGnt nt this stage.
Mr.. Holman. 1t can bo amended by unani-
nous consent.
Mr.. McNGillin desire the consent of the
House to oficr an amendment
Mr.. Brents. | will reserve any objection to
the amendment until it is read.
The Speaker. The gentleman from Indiana
Mr.. Holmanl asks unanimous CONSENT be-
fore this bill is put upon its passage, to amend
il by striking out the words "or appoint
mont." Is there ohjoctiOnr
Mr.. George. | object
Mr.. Robinson of Massachusetts,. think my
friend from Indiana [Nlr. Holman1 would not
desire the adoption Of the amendment he has
suggested If he understood the scope of it,
The statute now forbids the appointment of
officers of tho Army or Navy to positions in the
Territories. If the gentleman strikes out the
words he has indicated, this bill will make it
possible to appoint any officer of tho Army or
Navy tO n uOsitiOu in the Territories
Mr.. Holman. Oh, no; the effect of striking
out the words cor appointed" would be sim
ply this That retired officer of the Army
might be elected to any Territorial office, but
could not be appointed governor or secretary
of the Territory. He ought not to be APP
pointed to either of these offices without some
deduction from his pay as an army officer;
he should not of course receive the full pay
for both Offices i trust that my friend from
Washington Territory Mr.. Brentsl will assent
to striking out the words or appointed"
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,. | think
the trouble is that we are dealing with II
negative clause, and we shall he led into diff
Guilty by making the change proposed. / am
in harmony with the purpose which the gen
tleman from Indiana wants to accomplish,
but am fearful in this confusion we shall do
what we ought not to do.
The Speaker. Objection was made to the
proposed amendment.
Mr. Randall. Then move to reconsider the
vote by which the bill was ordered to be en-
crossed for third reading my object being to
open the bill to amendment.
The motion to reconsider was agreed to.
The Speaker. The bill is now open to
amendment.
Mr.. Holmon. ] move to amend the bill by
striking out the words or appointed
The Speaker The Clerk will read the clause
as proposed to be amended.
The Clerk read as follows:
No person belonging to the Army or Navy shall
be elected to or hold any civil Office In any Ter.
ritory, except officers of the Army on the retired
list
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,. If we may
have u little quiet, so that we can do business
properly, l shall be very glad to say some
thing.
The gentleman from Indiana proposes to
strike out the words " or appointed" At the
present time no officer of the Army or Navy
can be elected or appointed to any civil Office
in any Territory. Now if we strike out the
words or appointed" " the effect will be to al
low person to hold by appointment terri
torial office, although he belongs to the Army
or Navy.
Mr.. Holman Will my friend allow me to
explain? ..., ritf' '-.q.l ',.- TVr
Mr. Robinson, of Massachusetts, With pleas
ure.
Mr.. Holman. / conCede that the criticism
of my friend from Massachusetts, is correct;
gentleman is right
Mr. Robinson, of Massachusetts,. was quite
confident that my friend from Indiana was
going wrong.
Mr.. Holman. Yet think it very clear that
this bill as it now stands goes beyond what
the House intends, for under the bill in its
present form Il retired officer of the Army may
take, either by election or appointment any
office in Territory, and receive the cOmpen-
sation of a retired Army officer as well as the
pay belonging to the Territorial office. l do
not believe this is intended by the House. |
think the provision should be amended to
read as follows:
shall be eligible to an ollce in the Territories eX-
cept by election.
Under this provision retired Army officer
could not be appointed to the governorship or
sCcretaryship of u Territory.
Mr.. Brcnts.. There are many officers in the
Territories besides those appointed by the
head of the Federal government; there are
notaries public and many other appointments
made by the legislature and by the governor.
There seems to me to be no reason why a re-
tired Army officer should be excluded from
having Offices of this class or even from being
the governor of Territory, any more than
any other pensioner under the government
Practically retired Army officer is simply a
pensioner. He is no part of the Army for
practical purposes. The probabilities are that
he will be called to heaven much sooner than
he will be called back into the Army.
Mr.. Browne. l move that the bill and
pending amendment be laid on the table.
Cries of "Oh, no!"l l object to passing a
bill about which we know so little. l will
withdraw the motion if the gentleman in
charge of the bill will consent
Mr.. Brents. suggest Mr.. Speaker, that this
| bill lie over, retaining its place on the calen-
dar, until the gentleman from Montana Mr..
Mugnnisl who made the report, shall be
present
Mr.. Haskell. desire to call the attention
of the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr..
Randall to this fact That Il retired Army
officer in any of the States is Mt liberty TO en-
gage in employment in civil life and toreceive
whatever compeutatou he may earn in that
employment and also his pay as a retired
officer. This bill simply allows such officer
to go into the Territories ssas an oiIice-holder
and to receive therefor a compensation per-
haps smaller than he would earn in civil
service, and so puts him upon the same footing
that he holds in the States.
Mr.. Randall. This is the difference, how
ever, that if | am correctly advised, an officer
of the Territory is paid by the United States
government,
Mr. Haskell. Not civil officer.
Mr., Randall. So that retired Army officer
holding an office in Territory would draw
double pay from the United States.
Mr.. Brents. This bill provides for the cleo
tion of retired Army officers us Territorial
officers only, from which they are now pre-
cluded by statute; and it gives the lcgisla-
ture Of the Territory the right to act upon
/ the subject, and to make them eligible or in-
eligible, the same as they are in the States.
After further discussion the bill went over
]