Mr. SCHENCK. If the gentleman had no such intention, then m remarks are not in the slightest degree npplica 10 to him. I misunder stood him, perhaps, in supposing that he did impute to e committee a design thus indirectly to get men out of office. But we have been charged more than once in the course of the debate on former days, if not today, with being exceedingly cunning and sinister in our designs. If we have not been so charged, then my remarks fall to the ground. If we have been so charged, then that is the only replyI have to make. Now, in reference to this particular matter, I am not certain but what in point of law the gentleman is right, and that this provision on it now stands would vacate some of these commissions and when my attention was called to it, after we had adopted this different nomen clature for these officers, under the circumstances stated by the Gentfrom Maine, [Mr. BLAlNl I] I" myself prepared an amendi ment to obviate an such difhculty, and to prevent any such conc usions against these officers. My amendment was written specially with ref erence to the Adjutant Generals Dept, as I promised it should be, because my conver sation was with one connected with that Dept, who spoke of this as the probable effect of this provision and I intended, should the House agree with the committee in simplifying these titles (otherwise it would be unnecessary) to move a similar amendment in reference to any other Dept in which the titles have been changed. [will read the amendment which I have prepared to come in at the end of this section as a proviso: Provided, That nothing in this sectionshall baconstrued to vacate the commissionof any officer nc commissionedas asstadjutant general.but only to changethe title to adjutant. leaving the sameon cer in the same position he held when bearing the former title. New, I repeat, this change of title is a matter of taste and propriety, more than anything else; and therefore, if the House should disagree with the committee, I shall not feel disposed to complain. My colleague on the committee has stated how this change originated that the QuarterMGen himself, in the course of a discussion of all the various matters crtaining to his Dept, adverted to the umbering titles which attach to the officers of that Dept as well as other bureaus or stallDepts. Any gentleman who considers for a moment what those titles are can satisfy himself whether the complaint of the QuarterMGen is well founded. We have a large number of officers these 17 who have been spoken of wbo are called asst adjutant generals. They are connected with the Adjutant Generals Dept. We thought it would implify the matter to provide that, in this great Dept, where the adjutancy of the Army is concen trated, the subordinate officers should be called “adjutants” simply, while we provide for 2 assts of the Adjutant General, who retain the title of asst adjutant general. So also, in the quartermasters Dept, we thought that, instead of having a la e number of otheers signin themselves “ eputy QuarterMGen ” and Asst QuarterMGen, ” it would simplify the matter to have a QuarterMGen, with 2 or 3 asst quarterMGens, to take his place in his absence or upon an emergency, and to call the rest simply “quartermasters, ” some torank as lieutenant colonels, some as maors, and some as captains. he system of having these numerous officers with these cumbrous titles sometimes leads to confusion. I recollect an instance that occurred a “ good many years ago when the title of Deputy QuarterMGen ” been recently adopted in the Army.badgerrhanthpesr fancy gentleman who held that position, but whose occupation before he went into the Army had been very different, was fan i of attaching to his name upon every hotel register the letters “D. Q. M. G, " after which, on one occasion, a mischievous fellow following him wrote as the explanation or translation “Damned quick inade general l [Laughter] Now, if I can avoid it, I want no more of these “ D. Q. M. G.s, ” “A. Q. M. G.s, ” “A. Q. M.s, ” and “A. A. G.s.” Now when we have an opportunity, u n a general reorganization of the Army, It ink it would be better, without legislating anybody out or anybody in, (for this bill is made with reference to the Army establishment, and not to persons, however gentlemen may mistake it in that respect) to simplify names as well as other things, so far as we can, taking care that in doing so no injustice shall be done. If this idea. should alrevail, gentlemen will find am ready to meet em more than half way in the effort to provide against any such consequences as they app.rroewh, ensdir., one who rd more before I close. I am not surprised at the warmth which is man ifested whenever a tin or is laid upon one of these bureaus or at Depts. It is a difficulty which we have encountered whenever there has been any attempt at legislation upon the subject of the Army, and wTiich is every day increasing, that while our legislation is generally satisfactory to the line officers, the men in the field, the men at the front, the men who do the hard work out of doors, we are surrounded by gentlemen just as good, just as industrious, just as laborious, who, however, bein situated here at the center, are ready to wate our proceedings, and unless we take care to refrain from doing anythingwhich shall interfere in any way with their preatives or their convenience or their comfort, we have the whole of them using their influence against us and these gentlemen exercise very desery edly a eat deal of influence. There are statione in and about this city in the various Depts and bureaus, some 100s of officers, each one of whom has his official, his personal, his social, his moral influence which we all feel. I know a vast number of them, having, perhaps, as large a circle of acquaintance (and very pleasant acquaintance) among them as almost anybody else. But I declare here now that this sort of social and official and personal influence shall not, if I can help it, influence me in reference to the legislation which I may deem best for the general interests of the whole country. In regard to these bureaus, let me say, for mer legislation has tended to attract men to Washington. I prefer the tendency of this bill and such other measures of reform as the ComMilAfiiiirs desire to propose, which will have rather a centrifugal than a centripetal influence upon these gentlemen. I admit they must many of them be here, and are highly useful in being here, but at the same time say a great many of them under this influence, or by our legislation which has stolen upon us, degree by gree, are here occupying places in these bureaus, not exactly the place for soldiers. There are men here in this city in these various bureaus who have been content to sit at their desk while the war was going on, engaged in copying records, indors mg papers, and other kined ocendpations which might as well have been done, an as well done, perhaps, by intelligent clerks. I do not wish to continue that system of influence if I can help it. I wish to reduce the number of persons employed as Officers as low as possible. I wish men educated at WestPoint, and well educated in all that relates to military knowl edge shall not, because they have been edu cated at our expense and after a term of 4 years service there, good engineers, goodgunners, full of the knowledge of military tactics, be employed simply as clerks. There will be other features in this bill to which this same objection will be made, and I have thought it. ropeito so this much in advance. It wilrbe found when we come to dept and the pay Dept we have made a like provision in regard to them. We do not believe that iuen educated for 4 years at WestPoint, at the Government expense, should be selected for the purpose of inspecting crackers and buying beef. his is the general effect of the kind of legislation this committee propose, and it is for the House to say whether they will sustain us in that line of legislation or not. I do not believe the Adjutant Generals Dept should be increased.