The Clerk read as follows: WAR DEPT, BUREAUof MILITARY Justic E, WAshiNgtoN, D.C., January 19, 1867. SIR: The undersigned, Judge Advocate General of the Army, hasthe honor to submit the accompanying draft of a proposed enactment, and the following suggestions in support provisions of the recommendationthat the thereof becomelaw. The objectof the legislation desired, is to complete and settle the organization of the Judge Advocate's corps of the Army upona basis called for by the needs of the service and sanctionedby experience. It is sought, without increased, expenditure, with oorutalmteurlatitpiolincaotfiotnheoffuonffcitcieornss, aonfdthweit Dhoeuptaretxmteennst, ioton secure to the military establishment, while it. be secured, the permanent effectiveness of a branch of the serviceo insignificant in cost and numbers, but indispensable, to the interests of the Army and the value of which is liable to be irreparably impaired unless legislation shall consolidate and Preserve its force. The plan offeredsimply places the officers authorized by the Army bill of last session to be retained upon the same footing with other officers of the establishment. The design is merely to insure, in the mode in which it can be done, the maintenance of a small corps of subordinates in this Dept, twrahion, eqdu abliy fieid. by capacity and, culture, haye been required to be perform labor, anted twhheodseutsieersvwicheisc, hwhairlee ftihdeeynctlaynanfoftirbmeesdp, ared without serious and, it is conincurable detriment to the interweshtis chof mthuest Gbeovsaecrnrimficeendt, quanrleesinstvheesitretdewnuitrhe oafvoaflfuicee is now made the same as that of other officersof the rmy. The following are respectfully submitted as a few of the considerations thought to imperatively call for the adoption of the provision suggested: 1. Certainly not lessthan 4 or 5 judge advocates of the number authorized to be retained, will, for an indefinite period, be neededin the Bureau of Military Justice, for the performance of current labors connectedwith its ordinary routine functions. tFiocripaatceodmprehensiveexhibit of the Presentand an fully madbeutsoinethsesoffotlhloiswbinugreapua, rraegferarepnhceoifs rmesypleacstt report, October8, 1866: “The operations of the bureau during this period aoblloowutineglesvuemnmmaornyt:hs) are briefly Presented by the an“d.1.oNufm;ber of records of general courts martial commissions received, reviewed, and filed, 8,000 148. re“g2u.laTrhitey number of special reports madeas to the military offoefndjuedrisc, ial proceedings, the pardon of sentences; the remissionor commutation of questions and upon the miscellaneoussubjectsand referredfor the opinion of the bureau; in calnuddi ng a.lso letters of instruction upon military law to judge, advocate, reviewing officers, &oy 4,000, and 8.. The number of records of military courts received at this bureau, reached a passage minimum soon after the of the late Army bill. Since that time these recordshave continued to increasewith the increase of the Army; and their number, as also the amount 9f the other business of the office as an advisory branch of the War, Dept, will continue to be augmented until the peace establishment shall be completely organized and the new Army be fully recruited. The factthat in a largeclass of important cases commanders of depts and armiesare not authorized to execute the sentences in time of peace, and that such casescan no longer be summarily disposed of without a reference to also require from this bureau the Executive, will a very considerable number of reports to be made to the President which herelofore have not been called for. The aggregate business, therefore, of the officewill not be reduced in proportion to the reduction of the military force.” this to beadded that since the date of this report the business of the bureau has, as was anticipated, continued to increase, both in the number of judicial records required to be reviewed, and in the amount of the varied miscellaneouscasesand questions of law referred to it for consideration and report. At the Presenttime there is ployment found ample em for the judge advocatesnow detailed as assts in the bureau, and it is believedthat the oof none of them could well be dispensed with. 2. It is found, absolutely essential to uniformity, and expedition of the admtinhiestarcactiuornacy of military justice that an accomplished and instructed officer of this corps be assigned to duty at the head quarters of each of the most important commands into which, the national territory, is geographically divided. This distribution which is substantiall impracticable without the legislation asked, will employ, necessarily and usefully, for many years at least, 3 or 4 more judge advocates. 3. It is also of very great importance that several of theseofficersbe constantly available for detail on courts martial in assignment casesrequiring unusual care; for to special temporary duty, in investigations and like service requiring legal as well as military knowledge and experience; and for such inspections in the line of the dept business as only trained judge advocatesare suitable for. For these, among other well considered reasons, I feel it my duty to recommend the passage of a law conferring the same status judge advocates o the corps of ten as is held by the generalstaff of the Army, as provided in the draft which is submitted, whereby herewith o the discrimination against this alone is simply removed. These views are the result of the experience of this bureau in connection with the administration of military justice, and are submitted for your consideration, and in the hope that it may be agreeable to ou to refer them to the consideration of the Military Committee of Congress. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedientservant, J. HOLT, Judge AdvocateGeneral. Hon. E. M. STANToN, SecyWar.