Mr. WILSON. There is a report accom unying the resolution from the ComMilAffrs, which states the facts of the case perhaps with more brevity than I can state the Gi now, and I should like to have that report rea. The secretar read the followin report, submitted by Mr. WILSON on the l8t instant: The ComMilAffrs , to whom was referred Senate resolution No. 86.to provide for the publication of the official history of the rebellion. having had the same under consideration. Respectfully report:. That they recoininea the passageof the jtResolution without amendment. During the 1st session of the 38 h Congress a JtResolutionwas passed and approvedby the liitp resident providing for tho publication at the public expenseof the “re ports of commanding officers.all correspondence by telegraphor otherwise and documentsof every description. in relation to the existing rebellion. to be found in the archives of the War Dept since the 1st day of December. 1860.” The object of the resolution was to perminute the proud record made by the armies oft c cpublicin their efforts for the maintenanceof the Union and to furnish a means for historical reference and professional instruction. by the compilation and pii lication in a compact. convenient and permanent form of what may.be termed the officiiil military history of the rebellion. th ewar for the suppression of the rebellion being still in progressat the time of the passageof the resolution. the War Dept. owin to the pressure of public businessand the unavoida lo incomplete nessof the official records during the continuiince of active operations in the field. wasnot able to carry out its provisions immediately. Since the return of peace. iowcver. the work of compilation has been commenced and pushed forward as expeditiously as circumstances would allow. Under the broad terms of the resolutional lthat the War Dept is reurred and authorized to do is to furnish pnrbahman liferulim copies.arranged in chronological order. of everyreport, dispatch.letter and other documentary paper relating to the rebellion on file in its various bureaus.for publication to the Public Printer. Although no exact estimateof the quantity of matter which thelutteris called upon to print at.the public expense under the law asit now stands can be made. it is evident fromwhatisulrciid in his hands that it is so vast, and in part of such doubtful value. as to call on economical and other groupds. fpr aincudatory legislation. It is believed safe to assume that, with the comrehensive scope of the resolution. it will require a Forge pumber of volumes to comprise all the matter compiled and to be compiled by the War De art ment. which Wlll niukc the total expense 0? the whole series, inclusive of the engraving of the maps aecom anyin the reports amount to several 100,000 dollars. Ifion due investigation the committee have come to the conclusion that a large saving of this sumcan be effectedwithout defeating the object of th resolution. There is inueh matterially among the reports. that can be properly efl out Without doing injiisticeto anyone or impair ng the completeness of the Imblltfltlflll.Of the many 100s ot maps of different sire and merit, the engraving of all of which would require; vast out lay. a great number Could be entirely omitted or epnsolidated. By proper condensation and elimination tens if not 100s of 1,000s of dollars could besaved. Nor is this the only feature of the proposed work suse eptible of improvement in the opinion of the committee. The term as well as the substance of the matter to be printed needs a thorough revision. Owmg to the fault partly of the authors and partly of the copyists.many of the reports are not in a condition to be incorporated in an authoritative publication that is to form an authentic record of the deedsof the loyal armies and find its way as such into every library at home and abroad and mold the Judgment of history. Bad grammar. misspelling of geographical names and of names of distinguished officors and other shorti oiiiines should be crarliciited from the manuscript before it passes into the hands of the printer. It has alsobeenfound that the methodofoomilation i"ollowed uuder the orders of the Adjutant eneriil is mt in accordance with the terms of the resolution. It directs that the reports and all correspondepee.by telegraph or otherwise be arranged an published in "chronological order." The Ailin tant (general has only transmitted sofar. to the public Printirig Of lleo. Reports of commanding ofliccrs.which he desires to be printed in a succession of volumes. to befollowed by another containing the correspondence. As required by the resolution. the reports and correspondence pertaining to thesomesubieet.should begrou pd to other. It is obvious that the pl of publicaion adoptedby the Adjutant General.i car ried out. would seriously detract from the value of the volumes as a convenient meansof reference.in asmuch as the orders.dispatches.letters. $10. of the War Dep and commandingoficemoften form the key to an intelligent understanding of the operMiAagmaiinto. Twhehircehsothluetyiorncl requires that anINDEX be prepared to eachvolume. The Adiutant General proposesto preparea general one after the publication of the wholesories. The olfect of this deviation from the prescribed plan would be to render reference to the several volumes during the progresspf publication a sourceof annoyance and poi plenty. In the opinion of the committee a special INDEX shopld ac compunyeachvolume.anda gon craolne thes eries. In order to insure the publication of the official military history of the rebellion inproper form and at the least expense the committee have deemedit besttorecommendthat the SecyWar be authorized to roeure the servicesof some competent person of a ility and literary experience familiar with such work. whoseduty it shall be to preparethe matter furnished by the War Dept in the statedmanner for the printer and to supervisethe printing of it and for this purpose the recommend the passageof the accompanying reso utiop. They are confident that the small outlay of public money it authorises will be a very economical investment and result in a large saving to the Treasury.