Mr. SCHENCK. Before the vote is taken upon the substitute, I will move, for the purpose of perfecting the section, to add the following proviso: Prouidrri, That nothing in this section shall be construedto vauato the commissionof any ofllcernow commissionedas asstadjutiint general, butonly to change the title to adjutunt, in t cease of those who ran as lieutenant colonels and majors.without affecting in any way their relative position. 1the time from which they take such rank. Those of the members of the House who remember the discussion upon this subject yesterday, will see that the amendment I have offered removes the objection which was made, that there might by some possibilit be a construction of the law, if this bill should be passed as reported by the committee, so as to legislate out of office these particular gentlemen. There was one other objectionto the section made by the Gentfrom Pennsylvania [ML THAYEB] upon which I wish to make a very brief comment. It has been the object of the committee throughout to legislate, not with reference to persons, but with a view of establishing an Army system, having reference to all the various Depts of that Army. For that reason, in fixing these bureaus, the committee have adopted this language in regard to each Dept of the staff “ shall hereafter consist of the number ofofficers now authorized by law.” The Gentfrom Pennsylvania says that that is wrong that it ought to be made to read, “shall consist of the officers now authorized by law.” In other words, we are asked to legislate with a view to particular incumbents, to the class of persons who now hold the othees. Now, I should like to know from the Gentfrom Philadelphia, [Mr. Tannin] who is learned in the law, what will become of this Dept when all these otheers die or resign. If you decide that this Dept shall consist of these particular Officers it cannot consist of any other officers. Now, we prefer that the Dept shall consist of a certain number of Officers for all time to come; and that when the offices shall be vacated by death, resignation, or otherwise, the number shall be kept full by subsequent appointments, except wherein we have otherWise provided. As we are to have the application of nice construction of law, I repeat that if you legislate that the Depts shall consist of certain officers who now hold certain positions, nobody else can hold those positions until you change the law so as to let others in. Then, again, the last art of the section which it is proposed to strike out provides for a decrease of the Adjutant Generals force hereafter as vacancies shall occur. Now, I do not wish to be repeating arguments which have been already submitted to the House any further than may seem to be absolutol necessary. But I will say this in reference to that and kindred propositions contained in other sections relating to the bureaus; we have been satisfied, in reference to man of these bureaus, that the gradual increase of their numbers has been carried beyond the necessities of the Army; we have been satisfied that this is the continual tendency of legislation, and we think that a great many of the duties of this bureau, as well as of other military bureaus, might just as well be performed by men who have not received a full military education. Now, the proposition to strike out the section includes that restriction of the number of maors hereafter to ten, which is but a small renotion in the Adjutant Generals Dept. There is a larger reduction proposed in rerd to some of the other bureaus, to which the House may or may not agree, according as they shall or shall not concur in the recommendations of the committee. But the general opinion of the committee is that there are but few Officers needed here at head uarters, such as the chief of the Dept, an some properassts to supervise, direct, and control the affairs of the Dept. Our opinion is that you do not nee officers with a military education to remain here month after month, and year after year, to be compelled to remain here as some of them have been, to perform clerical duties. That general feature runs throuflh the whole bill; and the remark is as applicable to other bureaus, and still more applicable to some of them than to the Adjutant Generals Dept. I hope, therefore, that the section will not be stricken out, but that the gentleman will withdraw his objection to it. the amendment which I propose certainly removes most of the objections which have been urged against the section. I trust that the amendment will be adopted, and that the section will not be stricken out, carrying with it all this wholesome legislation, as we intended it to be. restricting the number of officers in that bureau.