Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Documents and Narratives, Volume 10.
Frank Moore, Ed.

[37] in his judgment, would promote the public service.

Mr. Sherman moved to repeal the act authorizing the President to appoint additional aids-de-camp, and to discharge the staff-officers so appointed in thirty days; but after debate withdrew it. Mr. Grimes renewed the amendment, so modified as simply to repeal the act of August fifth, 1861.

On the fifth of March, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill, and Mr. Grimes's amendment was, on the suggestion of Mr. Clark, of New-Hampshire, modified so as to read, “That the act approved the fifth of August, 1861, entitled ‘An act supplementary to an act entitled An act to increase the present military establishment of the United States, approved the twenty-ninth of July, 1861,’ be, and the same is hereby, repealed. But the repeal of the said act shall not be construed so as to deprive those persons already appointed under it from holding their offices in the same way and manner as if it had not been repealed ;” and the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Foster, of Connecticut, moved to strike out the tenth section in regard to chaplains, and insert: “That in each of the permanent hospitals, where the President may deem it necessary, he may appoint a chaplain, who shall receive the same compensation as is now allowed to chaplains in the volunteer service.” Mr. Foster's amendment was rejected. Mr. Rice proposed to amend it so as to read, “That the appointments of chaplains to the army hospitals, as made by the President of the United States, are hereby approved, and the chaplains so appointed shall be compensated for their services in the same manner as regimental chaplains ;” and the amendment of Mr. Rice was agreed to. Mr. Harlan moved to so modify the tenth section as to provide that chaplains in permanent hospitals should receive one thousand dollars per annum — yeas, fourteen, nays, twenty-three; so the amendment was rejected. Mr. Nesmith moved to add to the eleventh section the words, “and that hereafter there shall be but one chaplain in a brigade;” but it was rejected. Mr. Rice moved to add as a new section : “That hereafter all chaplains, whether in the regular or volunteer service or hospitals, shall receive one thousand two hundred dollars per annum.” Mr. Harlan demanded the yeas and nays, and they were ordered. The amendment was adopted — yeas, thirty-one; nays, ten.

On the twelfth, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill, and Mr. Rice moved to strike out the ninth section, relating to the deduction on salaries, and the sixteenth section, relating to mileage. Mr. Grimes moved to amend the ninth section so that the salaries over eight hundred dollars per annum should pay ten per cent; but the motion was rejected. Mr. Rice's motion to strike out the ninth section was lost — yeas, twenty; nays, twenty; the Vice-President voted nay. The motion to strike out the sixteenth section, relating to the mileage, was lost — yeas, eight; nays, thirty-two.

On motion of Mr. Wilson, the bill was amended by adding as new sections: “That every person who shall furnish supplies of any kind to the army or navy, shall be required to mark and distinguish the same on the outside of each and every package, with the name or names of the contractors so furnishing such supplies to the army or navy; and no supplies of any kind shall be received unless so marked and distinguished. That the President of the United States shall have power, whenever in his opinion it shall be expedient, to purchase cemetery grounds, and cause them to be securely inclosed, to be used as a national cemetery for the soldiers who shall die in the service of the country.” Mr. Grimes moved to amend the section relating to the compensation of chaplains, so as to allow them “one ration when on duty.” Mr. McDougall moved to strike out the section authorizing brigade bands, and to strike out all of the section abolishing regimental bands, and to insert that “regimental bands be reduced to sixteen musicians;” but the motion was lost. Mr. McDougall demanded the yeas and nays on the passage of the bill, yeas-thirty-seven; nays, two; so the bill passed the Senate.

In the House, on the tenth of June, Mr. Blair, from the Military Committee, to whom the bill had been referred, reported it back with amendments. The first amendment proposed to strike out the first section, providing that brevet commissions should not entitle officers to increase of pay, and it was stricken out. The second amendment was agreed to, striking out the enacting clause of the second section, disallowing commutation of forage, making it the first section of the bill. The third amendment proposed to amend the section so as to provide that when forage in kind could not be furnished, officers should be entitled to commute. Mr. Blair moved to amend the amendment, so as to allow officers assigned to duty requiring them to be mounted, to receive the pay and emoluments of cavalry officers of the same rank. The amendment to the amendment was agreed to, and the amendment adopted. The fourth amendment to the bill proposed to strike out the sixth section, abolishing regimental bands. Mr. McPherson, of Pennsylvania, Mr. Fouke, of Illinois, and Mr. Edwards, of New-Hampshire, opposed the amendment, and it was rejected. The fifth amendment proposed to strike out in the seventh section the word “brigade,” and insert “regimental,” so that a regiment, instead of a brigade, should have sixteen musicians; but it was disagreed to.

The seventh amendment to strike out the ninth section, deducting ten per cent from the pay of Government officers during the rebellion, was agreed to. The eighth amendment, requiring chaplains employed at military posts to reside at the posts, and be subject to such rules in relation to leave of absence as commissioned officers, was adopted. The ninth amendment proposed to strike out the twelfth section, repealing the law