National Republican., 1883-01-23

viding that there shall be allowed at the
naval academy five cadets ut largo aud
one from the District of Columbia,
to be appointed by the president, and
a number of cadets equal to one
half of the representation in congress from
the states and territories, or as near thereto
as may be. Two adjoining congressional dis
tricts, taken numerically, shall constitute
cadet district, and the district having the
first vacancy shall be entitled to the first APP
pointment, the appointments to alternate
thereafter. The odd district in any state
and any state having but one district shall be
entitled TO appointment once in every twelve
years instead of every six years. In case of
adjoining congressional districts having va
cancics at tho same time the district being
first numerically shall have the first APP
pointment. In case of o vacancy, the va
cancy shall be filed from the congressional
district from which the original appointment
was made
Mr.. Harris advocated the amendment,
though he did not think that all
the legislation relative to the navy should
be incorporated in the appropriation. The
time had come when the country should have
q navy to put its officers on or else reduce the
number of those officers.
Mr.. Shallenberger offered the following as
q substitute for Mr.. Talbotts amendment:
Hereafter, for the purpose Of appointing candi-
dates FOR admission to the naval academy us naval
cadets the secretary of the navy shall divide and
arrange the entire country considered as congress
sonnl Districts territories, and the District oI Coz
lumbia, into forty territorial districts. composed
OF not less than eight and not more than nine OF
the above named subdivisions, and as nearly as
possible of contiguous territory, to be numbered
and designated as naval cadet districts, from each
of which forty districts one appointment for ad.
mission TO the naval academy shall be
conditions, namely: The secretary of the navy
shall name competent board of examiners and
arrange for n competitive examination every year
in each of the forty districts. Representatives,
delegates, and the president of the board Of COM
missiOners of the District of Columbia may each
name one candidate every year to appear Tor eN-
animation In their respective cadet districts, the
candidate standing highest on the list of these
examined to receive the appointment; the candi-
date next highest may be appointed alternate,
and proceed to Annapolis at his own expense, to
be Immediately examined for admission IN tho
event Of the failure of his principal provided that
this legislation shall not affect admission to the
academy during the year 1883.
Mr.. Herbert offered an amendment to Mr..
Talbott's amendment providing that the
cadets now in the naval academy shall not in
any manner be affected by the law created
Aug. ., 1852, but shall be retained in the SER
vice in all respects us if said act had never
been passed. Ruled out on point of order.
Mr.. Shallcnberger's substitute was lost--65
to SO; and Mr.. Talbotts amendment was also
lost-S3 to 81.
Mr.. Knott offered an amendment providing
that officers of the medical, pay, and engineer
corps, except those holding the grade of lieu
tenant, shall receive the same pay as is now
allowed by law under similar circumstances
to officers of the line with whom such officers
hold relative rank.
Mr.. Knott advocated the amendment as O
matter of simple justice to line officers and
as saving 100000 year to the government
After n long discussion upon point of or
der, the amendment was ruled to be in order
Mr.. Harris regretted that the fight between
the line and staff of the navy had again been
introduced into the house. That fight had
been one of the destroying elements in tho
navy. The amendment originated, not in Q
disposition to cut down the staff but with
the hope ultimately of raising the pay of the
line.
Mr.. Robson opposed the amendment as
working an injustice, if not an absolute
wrong, to the staff of officers, who were kept
down in the lower ranks, and whose promo.
tion was more slow than that of the line.
Mr.. Knott, in reply to Mr.. Harris said that
no line officer had asked him to take any o
the steps which he proposed to take in re
gard to the pending BILL but probably i
would not be any violation of confidence tt
say that he had been appealed to by stat
officers not to cut down their pay. He pro
posed the amendment in good faith rs beinJ
demanded by the best interests of the coun
try, and as being called for by the all-pre
valent cry for retrenchment and economy
| Mr. Thomas favored the amendment. /
| was an outrage that men who were appointed
to assist the commander of ship in dis
| charging his duties should receive higher pa.
than the commander. There was no iustiica
ton for it, and the amendment was n step il
| the right direction. Whether IL was u iigh
between the line and the staff or not, it was
thing which ought to be done, and it was
| burning shame to the American congress tina
it had not been done long ago.
Mr., Hiscock said that he was ready to re
duce the staff, if IL were too large; but wha
staff there was should be adequately paid.
The amendment was lost-ychs GS, nays 8;
| Mr.. Calkins offered an amendment prOvid
ing that no further original appointment Q
paymasters of the navy shall be made, bu
when vacancies occur officers of the line shal
be detailed to perform the duties of paymas
ters without extra pay.
Mr. Hepburn offered as a substitute pre-
viso that every officer in charge of II vessel or
navy yard belonging to the United States shal
be detailed by the secretary of the navy tO pa
the officers and men under his command, AM
that after June 30, 1883, all pay directors, pa,
inspectors and paymasters shall be mustere
out OF the service, with full pay for one yeni
Mr.. Knott also offered n substitute prohif
iting further promotions to any grade of tn
pay corps, but whenever vacancy shall occu
in any grade q suitable officer shall be dc
tailed from the line to discharge the dutie
thereof
Mr., Robeson opposed Mr.. Knott's proviso
gave statement of the duties devolying o
the pay corps, and declared that an ineSpcr
enced line officer, detailed to perform thos
duties, would find himself in the clutches G
the law, with his bold forfeited, in u yer
short time.
Mr.. Knott said that the duties of o paymaS
ter were nothing more than any corner grOce
was competent to perform. Any $1,000 clcr
in the government employ not capable of PEI
forming those duties ought to be drummc
, out of the service for inCOmpetency. If
were true that the line officers Of the nav!
educated at vast expense, had not sens
enough to buy what n ship needed, and
count the money which came into his hand
; they were unworthy of the service, and ougl
TO be put out of the service.
Pending further discussion and withou
completing the consideration Of the first pari
graph Of the bill, the committee rose.
Mr., Robson moved that when the hou'
next go into committee of the whole on I'll
naval bill all debate on the paragraph an
pending amendments be limited TO tlftce
minutes,
The vote resulted--yeas 10, nays 30.
Mr., Robson then, saying that it SCENE
evident that gentlemen on the other side d
I sired to flbuster in order 20 delay the bus
ness of the session, moved that the house az
journ.
Mr.. Sparks. Tho gentleman has no right
make any such statement, and he knows it.
The speaker laid before the house the repo
of the board Of regents of the Smithsona
Institution. Referred,
The house then lat 5:15 n. m adjourned.