Mr. SCHENCK. There isthe plainest reason why officers have not applied from other arms of the service for appointment as Superintendent of WestPoint, because the law has confined it to the Engineer corps and their applications were utterly absurd if they made them. Now, sir, almost every Board of Visitors of WestPoint for years past, including the last, of which I had the honor to he one, has concurred on examination of that institution in the recommendation that this change of the law should be made throwing open the Superin tendenc to the entire Army. The reason, suinme up in 3 words by the last Board of Visitors, seems to me to cover the whole ground. They say to confine the Superintend ency to the corps of Engineers in the early stages of that institution, when it was a school of engineers, might be well enough, but when it came to be the one great national military and polytechnic institution of the U.S. that reason ceased. And asithat institution is used for the purpose of making officers in all the arms of the service and in every staff corps, it is right and proper that every arm of the service and ever staff corps should have an opportunity of urnishing its best material. Why, sir, GenlGrant told me in conversationand I do not hesitate to repeat what he said, as there was nothing of a confidential character in it lie remarked that without disparagement of the present Superintendent at WestPoint if the appointment should be confined to the Engineer corps he knew that there was one man whom he had in his mind who would make a perfect and model Sn erintendent who never could be appointed under the present law. Let me say here that if GenlGrant himself desired to be the head of that institution, as Admiral Porter is at the head of the Naval Academy, he is not competent by law to fill that position. GenlSherman could not do it. GenlSheridan could not do it. The officer must be selected from the engineer corps, now numbering 105, but to be reduced by this bill to 80. The purpose of this amendment is to throw the position open to the whole Army, and to let the best men in every branch of the service be eligible for selection to this position. The senate, after voting down by a majority of one, the proposition of the House, has by amajority of 2/3rds adopted this very amendment as an amendment to an appropriation bill. It belongs more properly to an Army bill. I am glad to see the Senate thus selectin provisions of our Army bill, and giving us in a vance their judment upon some of the reforms which we prep se. 'Ihe question was taken upon the ameiid‘ment, and it was disagreed to.