Mr. BOYER. Mr. Speaker, I fear very much that in the present temperof the House this section is likely not to receive that attention which I think its importance demands. It proposes to make a radical change in the whole system of promotion in the Army. The system which at present exists has not, I believe, been foun so deficient in its workings as to call for so radical a change as this. We are about to organize the Army upon the basis of a peace establishment; and I trust that many years may elapse before it will be called into active service in the field. It is a serious question whether it would be an improvement upon our military system to make promotions below the grade of colonel by selection instead of by seniority. How is the merit of the officer to e determined? Among the various catains, majors, and lieutenant colo nels, it will be ver difficult to decide, from the manner in which they perform their duties in garrison or upon the parade ground, which of them are entitled by merit to be promoted over the heads of their seniors. In time of war military genius makes its way; and during actual hostilities our old system did not prevent those who occupied subordinate positions in the Army from rising in the course of a few months to the very highest rank. That system did not smother the genius of a Sher man or a Grant. Why, then, shall this radical change be made now? What is there in the experience of the past to recommend it as a necessary measure? I fear that however beautiful the system of selection by merit alone may appear in theory, it will be ound in practice to be a system of political favoritism, under which officers will e promoted, not on account of their military merit, but because they happen to have afriend at court. I fear that under this system the officer stationed at some remote place upon the western frontier, having no relatives or friends in Congress or in the abinet, will be likely to remain in obse urity with his merit undise overed; while some more fortunate Officer much his junior, who has been enjoying for many years a soft place here in the city of Washin ton, will, because he happens to have an unc e in the Cabinet, or a brother in Congress, be promoted over the head of his meritorious senior; and that will be called a selection by merit! If you could determine the value of men as you determine the value of jewels, by their luster or their color; or if you could gauge their value by the irweightperpound, like so man bullocks, it would be easy to distinguish which man was entitled to the most consideration, and then you could make selections, as this section proposes they shall be made, exclusively by merit. gutwhat man ever discovered in GenlGrant when he was a simple lieutenant in the Army the merit which would entitle him to be commander in chief of the Army of the U.S.? What man ever discovered in GenlSherman , when he was the principal of 9. military academy in the Southwest, that he was the man to lead the forces of the U.S. through the very heart of the rebellion 2 It was the merit alone of these men that enabled them to gain the distinction which their country ultimately bestowed upon them. But, sir, it was under the old system that this was achieved. and, sir, when we have before our eyes these illustrious examples of selection by merit, why are we to change the whole system, to reverse the whole order of things in the Arm?Ibelieve, sir, that there is nothing which would be more calculated to demoralize the Army than this very measure. Allusion has been made to the practice of foreign countries; and among others that of France has been cited. I happen to know, however, that the selections wlhich are made for promotion in the French army are made very differently from the manner in which they at so would be made in this country, if the system proposed by this bill should be adopted without incorporating in the bill anything else to assimilate it to the system in the French army. In the French army the promotions for merit are made upon the recommendation of a board of officers of the army. That part of the French system is not incorporated into this bill. If hereafter promotion by selection is to embrace all ranks above that of captain, or, as proposed by the amendment of the Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. GARFIELD] all below as well as above that grade, I think the injurious effects of this system should be obviated by incorporating into it that which is deemed necessary fpr its proper, efficient, and beneficial working in the French army. Let, then, a board of officers be established, (composed of officers of the Army, not of politicians) empowered to recommend their juniors forpro motion. Let the men selected by a disinterested and capable board like that be the persons promoted by merit, if merit alone is to be the criterion. But as it is the practical result will be that the professed object of this section of the bill will defeated. Instead of promotion by merit it will be a system of nepotism and favoritism throughout. I am therefore opposed to this section, and also to the amendment of the Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. GAB r ismi] and if it be in order I will now make the motion that this section be stricken out of the bill.