[9] providing that the Superintendent of the United States Military Academy--whom the law required to be selected from the corps of engineers — should be an officer of the army, a graduate of the Academy, and distinguished for his scientific attainments. Mr. Hale of New-Hampshire moved to strike out the words, “a graduate of the United States Military Academy” --yeas, fourteen; nays, twenty-seven. Mr. Grimes moved to strike out the entire amendment, but withdrew the motion to allow Mr. Wilson to move an amendment providing that the Superintendent of the Academy should be an officer of the engineer, topographical engineer, ordnance or artillery corps. This amendment to the amendment was agreed to, and the amendment as amended adopted. The Military Committee reported as an amendment, to strike out the seventeenth section, authorizing the Commissary-General to vary the subsistence of the army by substituting fresh meats for salt meat, and potatoes, fresh or dessicated vegetables for other portions of the ration and to insert in lieu of it: “That the army ration shall be increased as follows, namely: twenty-two ounces of bread or flour, or one pound of hard bread, instead of the present issue; fresh beef shall be issued as often as the commanding officer of any detachment or regiment shall require it, when practicable, in place of salt meat; beans and rice shall be issued in the same ration in the proportions now provided by the regulation; and one pound of potatoes per man shall be issued at least three times a week, if practicable; and when these articles cannot be issued in these proportions, an equivalent in value shall be issued in some other proper food, and a ration of tea may be substituted for a ration of coffee, upon the requisition of the proper officer.” The amendment was agreed to. Mr. Wilson moved an amendment consisting of five sections, repealing the law allowing double rations to department commanders; providing that brevet rank should not increase pay; that officers entitled to forage should not commute it, but should draw in kind; that officers, when absent from duty six months, should not receive the allowances authorized by existing law; that sutlers might be appointed not exceeding one to each military post. This amendment was agreed to. On motion of Mr. Grimes, the section authorizing the increase in the Ordnance Department was stricken out. Mr. Harris, of New-York, moved to amend the bill by adding: “That any cadet who shall hereafter be reported deficient, either in conduct or studies, shall be discharged from the Academy, and shall not be returned or reappointed except upon the recommendation of the academic board of the Academy.” Mr. Hale moved to amend so that such cadet could not be appointed to a place in the army. Mr. Fessenden suggested a modification of the amendment so that it would read, “or appointed to any place in the army before his class shall have left the Academy and received their commissions,” and Mr. Hale accepted the modification, and the amendment to the amendment of Mr. Harris was agreed to; Mr. Harris's amendment was then adopted. Mr. Wade, of Ohio, moved to strike out the entire section relating to the Academy. He declared he was “not in favor of increasing the number of cadets. I do not think the experience of the country has been such as should lead us to be in any great hurry to increase the number of cadets or to add to the patronage of the Military Academy. I cannot help thinking that there is something wrong about this whole institution. I do not believe that in the history of the world you can find as many men who have proved themselves utterly faithless to their oaths, ungrateful to the Government that has supported them, guilty of treason and a deliberate intention to overthrow that Government which has educated them and given them its support, as have emanated from this institution.” On motion of Mr. Wilson, the eleventh section relating to the West-Point Academy, was stricken out with the view of perfecting the matter in a new bill. On the seventeenth, the Senate resumed the consideration of the bill. Mr. Wilson moved to amend by striking out all after the enacting clause, and inserting a new bill of twenty sections. In explanation of its provisions, Mr. Wilson said:
I have labored night and day, for many days and nights, to fit and prepare this bill to meet the actual wants of the country; and in doing so, I confess that in every step of it, I have had to meet the interests, the jealousies, or the prejudices of men connected with the army of the United States. But in framing this bill, I have endeavored to be governed wholly by the public interest, and not by the wants or wishes of any particular men in the army or in the departments: The first section provides for an Assistant-Secretary of War, with a compensation of three thousand dollars per year; The second section makes an addition to the quartermaster's department; The third section provides that there shall be added to each of the corps of engineers and topographical engineers and the ordnance department, three first, and three second lieutenants; The fifth section provides for raising three companies, to be composed of one hundred and fifty men each, to be sappers, miners, and pontoneers; The sixth section authorizes an addition to the medical department of the army, of ten surgeons, and twenty assistant surgeons; The seventh section proposes to add to the medical corps, fifty young men — medical students — to be called dressers; The eighth section provides that, in permanent hospitals, female nurses may be substituted for soldiers, under the guide and direction of the surgeons of those hospitals; The ninth section provides that one chaplain shall be allowed to each regiment, to be selected and appointed by the President; but he must
