Year: 1877

most all the Democratic Representatives, believes
that the army ought TO be reduced to fteeh OF seN
ortoo, tbousand men. In order that this might be
ACCOMPLISHED he so constructed the House Commit
toe on Military Affairs that it would be sure 10 re-
mart bill reorganiAng the army on this reduced
basis The Military Committee has not yet begun
i+s work but to-day the House, by repeated votes,
evpressed its belief that the army ought not TO be
,o5rced below its present strength of $4,000 men,
and although the majority by which this decision
was reached was not large. it was of such charac-
tsrss 10 give assurance that no such reduction as
the Democrats generally desire will be made during
the present Congress.


The occasion Of this vote the consideration Of
tbe Army Appropriation Bill in Committee OF the
Whole. Tho House had been proceeding with 1t
d,rip the session Of yesterday, without much diff
ference of opinion, except such as grows ont OF
poltical divisions until the bill came TO be read Dy
soctioDs The committee had engrafted upon the
biU clause prohibiting the recruiting of the army
above it, present actual strength; and on the theory


that e number of men actually upon its rolls on the
first day Of the present month was only 10000 men
had provided forthc support Of olarger force When
tlscause Of the bill was reached, Mr. Schelcher OF
Texas. who represents the district in which the
Mexican border troubles have principally occurred
moved Ms an amendment to strike out the provision
N stop recuting the army up to its legal standard
This rluugcd the House at once into somewhat
heated discussion Of the main question whether the
army should be reduced, or maintained on
the basis now provided for by law. Inc
Rcprosentatiyes from Texas all opposed with great
esrpestness any reduction. Their experience for
years has been that when they have called upon the
secretary Of War or the General Of the Army for


larger force TO protect their borders from the raids Of
MEXICAN robbers they have been informed that the
necessary troops could not be spared from other
stations and that the force already patrollng
the Rio Grandc rs great as could be sent
revithout authority from Congress to enlist more
men. THIS excuse has been accepted as valid one,
and in the last Congress Mr.. Scheicher introduced
q Joint resolution TO authorize the filling Of several
cavalry regiments by new recruits up to their full
strength of 600 men each. This bill failed IN the
House of Representatives which was not only un-
willing 20 increase the military establishment OF the
United States but was bent upon its re-
ducion TO 1000 men. The arguments Of
tie Texas delegation in the House, yesterday,
were unanswerable, and the advocates Of
the Appropriations Committee Bill on the Demo
cratic side of the House did not attempt 10 reply to
them Their speeches consisted generally OF
rantng hsrangues against the principle Of main
tanning large standing army aud in some cases
against the Of United States soldiers for police





10 show where a single soldier could be spared for
service either on the Mexican or Indian frontiers
but with one or two exceptions outside of the Texas
delegation they were determined to stand by the
committee and reduce the army as much as possible.


Blackburn, in the afternoon. made q violent
speech, IN which, after introducing amendment
20 cut down the rank and file of the army to $4,000
men, he gayc notice that he should demand the yeas
and nays upon il in the House. lie discovered, dur
inQ the Democratic caucus last night that the sent
raent of tho more popular branch of the National
Legislature had been greatly changed since last
Spring and that all propositions either to reduce the
army below its present strength, or TO provide that
il shall not be used in the Southern States were dis
tasteful to the majority Of the Democrats.


In the House this morning when the vote was
reached upon the amendment, it was defeated by
an overwhelming majority, and Notwithstanding
his demand for the nay and yea vote on it in the
House. he did not secure permission to call for such
division. The vote then required Mr.
Schleichers original amendment TO strike out Of
the bill such portions provided for reduction Of
tho army. This was adopted very much to
the surprise of the Democrats, by a vote Of 139
in the affirmative to 1876 in the negative.
Two hours were then spent in vain
attempts by the Democracy to amend this bill fur
tier in such way TO restore IN subStanceit orig
I1al prOYlslOus but tne texas OeIesdtOh, ana the
two or three Democrats who voted with it stood
firm, and none Of them were passed. Finally,
General Banning chairman Of the Committee on
Military Adars, moved that the Secretary OF War
be- authorized TO recruit the cavalry regiments up to
their full legal strength providing that nothing in
the bill should authorize increase Of the rank and
file of the army to above 25,OOO men. To this
amendment there were no objections on the Demo-
cratic side, and it was carried by majority Of about
six eight.


The Importance Of these votes in the House Of
Representative to-day can hardly be overestmated
Speaker Randall had three or four especial objects
IN view when he organized the committees Of the
House. One of these was a great reduction of the
expenditures Of tie Government, and another was
the cutting down of the army by the discharge Of
from 5000 TO 10000 mon. The House has to-day
decided that III its opinion, the army is none too
great and ii cannot without stultifyng itself, even
during the regular session, consent to any further
reduction. his is victory for the army which
was little expected even by its friends, but is
tbe tss gratifying on that account


only two or three speeches today contained
P3hts OF striking interest. Delegate McGlnuls, of
tlontana made an eloquent plea for the defence Of
PSIqer settlers from attacks OF Indians. lie
minutes, even if he did not succeed in
convincing any Of those who are dsDOsed
let the Indian border take care of itself Ho was
toHOWed by Martin l. Townsend, very much i'm the
silfall, Dut who could not allow the occasion
ZIP Dy without striking blow at the Admins
ShtlOh; which was greeted with g0od-natured peals
~ laughter on both sides Of the House. He said that
49,, .i9 were only two ways to deal with the Indian
GietIOni one was to withdraw the army and con-
'"'S 'ne Indians, and the other TO make the