Mr. DAVIS. Mr. Speaker, I have no in tention of trespassing for a long time on the atience of the House in the discussion of the bill before us; butI wish to present a view which I think is pertinent to it, and which is based upon practical business principles. Before, however, proceeding to the consideration of the bill, I will sa that I speak without any degree of prejudicc. either for or against the bill. I am for doing, so far as I can, exact and equal justice to all arties. I have no imputation to make upon e motives of the committee who have introduced this bill or upon the motives of any of the gentlemen who have advocated or opposed its passage. What we all wish or should wish is to do that which is just as between the Government of the U.S and the oliicers of that government employed in the protection of its interests. he relations which exist between the officer and the Government are peculiar. They are unlike those which exist between the Government and members of Congress, whose term is temporary, or those existing between the Government and any other temporary a out. the officers of the Armyare sworn into the service as a profession, and except in the volunteer force this service is intended to be for life. They are educated to this service, and are the appointed defenders of the public interests and the national honor upon the field. The gentleman, therefore, should look kindly upon and deal liberaly with those who stand to itin such relation. '1 e entire theory of the system of payment to our military officers is that officers of equal rank shall receive like compensation for the personal service which each one in such rank is supposed capable of rendering. Thus all brigadier generals receive a certain and equal pay proper. And the same with slight modifications may be said of colonels, lieuten unt colonels, majors, captains, and lieutenants, whose pay proper depends upon the several rank 0 those officers., But while the same pay is awarded to all officers of similar or equal rank for personal service and ability, it is evident that, while the places of employment are widely scattered and varied, from our national capital and our seii ort towns and great cities. to the interior of the country and the frontier settlements, resulting in a vast difference of expenses of living in these locations, the Governmentowe it to these its agents to compensate them in some mode for the increased expenses of living in localities where they may be stationed. And this precise adjustment is sought to be effected by the existing laws and Army Regulations in respect to allowances and commutations. We cannot ignore the fact that these differences ofexpense in livingdepend upon localities and therefore, if the pay proper for a persona service be assumed, the necessary expense of main tenance should be added, and that varies with the poet, city, or town where the officcs are located. I insist, therefore, that this bill, either as it was originally framed or as it has since been amended, makes no nst provision in respect to this essential principle of justice. Take any olfieer of the line, say a major general, whose pay proor is about $2, 640 perannum, and whose a lowances for rations, servants' clothing, forage, &c., while he is stationed in quarters furnished by Government make up an aggregate, perhaps of $6, 600 or $7,000. If this officer be sent where he can have no Government quarters, and where it may be necessary to furnish uarters for his family atan expense, perhaps,0 $2,000 or more perannum, where every incidental expense is increased, it is clear that he must be the loser unless the government shall, in some way, allow him commutation for quarters. He is sent by the governmentas its agent to attend to its business, and every expense sustained by him not cov ered strictly by the compensation for personal service should be borne by the Government. Again, if an officer be sent to some place in the country where living is cheap, where labor is low, and where quarters can be iven him by the Government, it is clear that these allowances would be neither necessary nor reasonable. We ought to look upon this question as one simply between principal and a ent; and in every civil appointment we know t ml. the compensation oflagents is and must be graduate upon the basis of different allowances for different locations. A company in NewYork employing agents of equal ability to represent its interests in Washington, in SanFrancisco, in StLouis, in Chicago, or in Kansas, must assume all the'expenses of its various a cute, paying equal salaries, or must graduate sa arics according to the expense of location. Any other sys tem would work inequality and injustice. The chairman of the Military Committee presented this bill as one fixing uniform pa lgor uniform grade, giving absolute pay in all cases instead of rations or commutation, and discriminatin only in favor of those doing service in the fiel. But upon reflection the honorable gentleman [Mr. Sonsnexl has conceded the justice of a broader discrimination by providing for forage, and by substituting an increased% age of pay every 5 years instead of the longevity rations now allowed for continued service. But he has not gone far enough to effect a perfect remedy. I shall offer no criticism upon the chairman or any member of the Military Committee. I know that the honorable chairman wishes to be just to the officers of the Army, but in his desire for a system of simple and uniform compensation he has inaugurated a system which produces discriminations and inequalities. Indeed, having by hiaamendments conceded the very principle which I claim to be applicable, I know not why licshould not go furtherand make just provisions for all parties, and for all conditions of the service. Under the existin law and regulations an officer located at hea quarters in Vasliin ton is entitled to the same pav proper as an 0 car of equal rank located at Portland, at Fortress Monroe, StLouis, Cincinnati, Dayton, or Car lisle, whether in Government quarters or in quarters owned or hired by himself; but if the officer furnish his own quarters, in the absence of any Government accommodations, an allowance is made for the additional expense. Now, sir, what is the present commutation of officers located at Wasington for defraying the expenses attending the ocation? Under the existing law and regulations of the Army the amount of commutation paid in the city of Washington during the last year for fuel and quarters, items not at all embraced in the amendment of the Gentfrom Ohio, is as follows: Qammutah'ofonr year 1805 Recajn'lulation. Rank' Total Amount amount. Tu' paid. Majorgenernl. $1, 87495 $9374 $1, 78121 Brigadier general. 1,55050 7755 1, 47295 Colon. 1,53093 76 54 1, 4“ 39 Lieut'enant coloneland. 1, 27048 6'351 I.“ 92. 97645 4884 92! 61 65745 3289 62456 These allowances are made to these officers because of the difference of expenses in Washington and other points. It is because the bill does not go far enough in that regard that I am compelled to oppose it. Again, it will be remembered that every officer who. served under this Government and reccives compensation is chargeable with the internalrevenue tax, so that one 20th of his pay and commutation is deducted before it comes to his hands. There is another item that has been entirely overlooked by the committee. Now, sir, the system under which the Army has been organized has been in existence for over 70 years, and so far as I know there has not been a single petition presented to this Congress by any officer of the Army in favor of a change. 0 such )etition has been sent here, no communication has been received and no officer has been here asking that the basis of pay and commutation should be altered. Why, therefore, let me ask, is the change proposed? The system which we have introduced from other countries where it has worked well, where it has existed without complaint; a sys tem introduced as early as 1704, under which we have gone. on prosperously and peacefully; a system under which the operations of the Army which we raised to put down the rebellion were carried on triumphantl; why, sir, is that system to be changed? because it is said that it is a mysterious system, and that the people of this country desire to know the amount which is paid to officers and agents for service. Sir, there is no very great to story about it. anyone of the constituents o the Gentfrom Ohio [Mr. Sonnxex] who can read the Army Re ister can determine precisely the amount 0 commutation or pay due to an officer of the Army. It is much more certain knowledge, much more easily obtained, than that which might be obtained from some of the Depts of this Government. Suppose the gentleman should desire to know what becomes of the contingent fund of the HoRep, where will he get his information? Suppose he desires to know for what reason the vast appropriations which you make here for the support of the Army and Navy are made, what item goes to this purpose, what amountis actually necessary for that purpose, what information does he get? Why, sir, he a peals to the chairman of the Committee on p propriations and he hears the response, “The head of the Dept told me that the appropriation was necessary, and therefore the committee recommend it.” Not a man on the committee can say he has gone to the basis and knows the merits of the appropriation. And so in every Dept of the Government. We rely upon the fidelity of those who are in charge of the matters at the head uarters. We to e their statements and we believe in their fidelity.