Mr. FARNSWORTH. I will explain this matter if members will give me their attention. With 2 or 3 exceptions this is the House bill substantially. The bill as reported by the committee of conference provides for 45 regiments of infantry, ten regiments of cavalry, and 5 of artillery, making in all 60 regiments for the military establishment. The 45 regiments of infantry are composed of ten old regiments with their present organization, 27 regiments to be formed from the battalions now existing by adding 2 new companies to each battalion, 4 colored regiments and 4 Veteran reserve regiments. One principal ground of contest between us and the Senate has been with reference to the Veteran Reserve corps. The House bill provided for ten Veteran e serve regiments; the Senate bill for none. The Senate was very loath to concede anything in this regard. All I can say is, the best we could do was to get the committee on the part of the Senate to join with us in recommend ‘ing 4 regiments of Veteran Reserves. The House bill provides for 5 regiments of colored troops; we have cut it down to four. The Senate bill provided for 12 regiments of cavalry; 6 now being in existence and 6 to be raised. 3 of the latter to be colored, and 3 white. We have come down to ten regiments of cavalry, four new ones to beraised, 2 of which are to be colored, with the provision that any portion of the cavalry force may be drilled, armed, and equipped asfoot soldiers at the discretion of the President. With reference to the officers of the Veteran Reserve corps they are placed on the same footing as other disabled officers, no better, no worse. In officering these 4 regiments other disabled officers of other regiments stand on the same footing with them and have' the same chance of being apointed. The officers of colored troops are declared by this bill to be officers of volunteers so as to place them on an equal footing with other officers. The senate concurred in the House provision in reference to the organization of the medical and quartermaster’s depts. The House bill provided that enlistments should be for 3 years; the Senate for 5. I should have been very glad m selfif the House had provided differently. prefer that the enlistments should be for 5 years; I think 3 years is entirely too short a time. But in deference to the expressed wish of the House we insisted upon that provision being retained, compromising, however, with the Senate by providing that recruits for the cavalry regiments should be enlisted for 5 years. It is much easier to obtain recruits for cavalry service than for infan try and artillery; and it is much more important that they should be enlisted for a longer period in order that the men should be thor oughl drilled and fitted for service. The Senate biil provided that each regiment should be entitled to aband of music; the House bill provided that only 15 bands should be allowed in the whole military establishment, and the senate conceded that to us. I believe these are the only points that the House will take any interest in. I will only say, in conclusion, that this was the very best we could do, and, under the circumstances, the committee on the part of the House thoughtit best to recommend the passage of the ill. It is very important that a bil should be passed. It is recommended and strongly insisted upon by GenlGrant, and by all the officers of the Army. I am satisfied ifthis is not adopted we shall lose the Army bill. I think it is a very fair bill. We retain the provision in reference to officering the new regiments, by which all the vacancies below the grade of captain are to be filled by officers and men who have served with the volunteers. under the law as it now exists with reference to the Veteran Reserve corps, a man who has been disabled by wounds may be appointed an officer of a regular regiment. An officer who has lost an arm as many of our most worthy officers have, who are still in the service may still, under the present law, be appointed to a command in an regiment of the regular service. So that the necessity for enlarging the volunteer corps on that account is not so great. The argument on the part of the Senate against the Veteran Reserve corps is this: that we shall get into the service a large number of officers who are incapacitated bodily for the performance of efficient service, and who Wi I be, in consequence, retired in a short time; that under the law as it now exists they will be placed upon the retired list, with large pay. There is considerable force in this argument. But, sir, I will not occupy the time of the House. Unless some gentleman desires to say something on the subject I will call the previous question.