Mr. CONNESS. This section, if allowed to remain in the bill I am aware fibere is an amendment pending, but I wish to call attention to it now will do the State of California, at least, a great deal of injustice; and I wish to call the attention of the chair man of the ComMilAffrs to it. That State, owing to its geographical position, did not furnish its proportion of troo a during the war, but it was not the fault of the State. The State furnished all the regiments that they were called upon to furnish, and in addition to that the Government refused tenders of regiments who offered to come here to 0 into the field and pay their own expenses or transportation to get into the field. Now, I submit that such a State, havinga population so willingto enter the service an to reach the field of operations, should not be, by an especial provision, prevented from participating in some other proper proportion in the number of officers tiiat should be furnished to the Alwy. I submit this seriously to the chairman and to the Senate. I have not determined on just what language would be necessary; but the Government, or the Administration, constantl refused to receive more than the number o troops that was necessary for distribution on the Pacific slope, because, as was stated by the Administration and by the War Dept, it was essential and of the 1st importance to maintain peace and preserve the in us tries of that coast during the war, and therefore they decided that that country could not spare its able bodied men to be sent here. Again and again regiment after regiment of our vol unteers made application, and offered to pay the expenses of their transportation here to get into the field. 600 of our citizens. enlisted in the Massachusetts service for the sake of getting into the field, making up part, of the quota of that State. New, I submit. there cannot be any justice in this 5th section unless it be changed. I have no objection, of course, to the pending amendment to the section, but before we shall take a vote upon it I wish to have time to consider what language will be necessary to prevent us from being cut ofi", as proposed now in this section, from a proper proportion of the officers required under this act.