Mr. SCHENCK. Now, 1 do not know that I have in regard to this matter superior advantages to those of any other gentleman; we all think that we know something about the matter. But I undertake to say this: the 1st bill reported in the Senate was called Senate bill o. 67, in which these matters were ar rangedjust as each of the bureaus wanted them. That bill was afterward withdrawn, and a new bill, No. 67, was introduced. That new bill was the bill presented to the military council. Those officers went over that bill, suggesting changes in regard to the number of the Army and many other matters; but in scarcely a single instance did they touch these bureau concerns. In general, I believe, they made no recommendation one way or the other in rerd to them. Afterward there was introduced into the Senate another bill, No. 138, the bill which has been passed by that body, both the bills No. 67 having been abandoned. In the bill No. 188, the Senate departed from the bills No. 67, and also departed in many respects from the recommeuations of this military council. So far as concerns the quartermasters Dept, the Senate proposes to have 80 Officers in that Dept, being, as the gentleman says, something like this substitute, with the excetion of the 3 quartermasters general, which the Senate bill provides for, but which he does not includein his substitute. The ComMilAffrs of this House, after a full consultation with the Quar terMGen, hearin all he said upon the one side and the other, during a session of some 2 or 3 hours, came to the conclusion not to allow all that he claimed. Nor did they agree entirely with the Senate. There was no question made with this military council. The committee, after full consideration, reported this bill, and I will state the differences in this respect between it and Senate bill No. 138. The present quartermasters Dept, as left at the close of the war very much increased from what it was before the war has one brigadier general, 3 colonels, who are called asstquartermasters general, 4 lieutenant colonels, who are called deput quar termasters general, 11 majors, who are called quartermasters, and 46 captains, who are called asst quartermasters; making a total of 65. The Senate bill, departing from the present arrangement, gives us one quartermaster, ranking as a brigadier general; 3 other brigadier generals, to be called chief asst quartermasters general; 4 colonels, to be called asst quartermasters general; 8 lieutenant colonels, to be called deputy quartermasters general; 16 majors, to be called quartermasters; and 48 captains, to be called asst quarter masters; making a total of 80. The House bill provides for one brigadier general in the quartermasters Dept, leaving out 3 other brigadier generals, putting it upon the same footing as the others. It also provides for 6 colonels, ten lieutenant colonels, 15 majors, and 44 captains, making in all 70six. It further provides, aftert e 1st apointments, as vacancies may occur in the grades of major and ca Lain, no appointments to fill the same shall e made until the number of majors shall be reduced to 12 and the number of captains to 30. Thereafter the number of officers in each of said grades shall continue to conform to said reduced numbers. That makes a reduction of 3 in the grade of major and 14 in the grade of captain. It makes a reduction of 17 in all, so that there shall be 59, instead of 76, which is believed to be sufficient for the purposes of the quartermasters Dept. I know that a great many more quartermasters might be employed. 1 know that the chiefs of bureaus are reluctant to give up any of the offices which they now have. I know officers may be ordered here who will do good service, but no better than clerks can do it. But I will not repeat the argument which I made in ref erence to the Adjutant Generals bureau. I call attention to the fact that the substitute, so far as hrigadier generals are concerned, differs from the Senate bill. It is not what passed under the inspection of themilitar council. It is not what the House proposed. this something which gentle men offer, and which they have a right to offer. We arrived at our results after much examination, finding out how many were necessary for osts and so on, and we submit them to the House and to the country.