Mr. GARFIELD. No, sir; he was as I have already stated authorized by the President to do so whenever in his judgment the good of the service required it. It was the law and not General Rosecrans that I complained of. Now, what I desire to say on this point is, that according to this opinion of the Judge Advocate General, the POTUS has, under the Constitution, without any legislation whatever, a right inherent in himself as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy to dismiss any military or naval officer without any trial whatever. I am free to say that in my opinion there never has been a practice or a principle more entirely subver sive of the independence of our Army, and more destructive of all that is noble in its officers. If this doctrine be true, AndrewJohnson may dismiss from the service GenlGrant, GenlSherman , Admiral Farragut, or any other officer of the Army, or Navy. The section which has been referred to in this debate provides, that when the President dismisses an officer without a trial, the officer may demand a trial within 6 months thereafter, and if the court martial shall not decide that he was properly dismissed he shall be restored. So long as the 17th section of the act of 1862 is unrepealed the President can dismiss the highest or the lowest officer from the military or naval service; and there is but that one clause which was referred to by the Gentfrom Pennsylvania [Mr. WILLIAMs] that can in the slightest degree interfere with his power. Now, I regard it of the utmost importance that while we are regulating the question of removals and appointments we should see to it that no officer shall be dismissed from the military or naval service except by the sentence of a court martial. I regret that we have not a bill prepared by which courts of inquiry shall be established for the trial of persons in the civil service, so that they may be dismissed by the verdict of such a court. I am informed that the distinguished Gentfrom RhdIsland [Mr. JENCKEs] has drawn such a bill, to regulate the tenure of office in the civil service. I believe that such a measure would meet the necessities of our situation better than any other; but in the absence of such a bill as that, I hope the gentleman will consent to such an amendment to this section as shall provide that officers in the military and oservice shall be dismissed only on the verdict of a court martial regularly convened according to law.