Mr. RICE, of Massachusetts. It appears from the evidence before the committee that Paymaster Spalding was ordered to Mound City, Illinois, and entered upon the discharge of his duties as paymaster of that station on the 23d of February, 1865. At that time there were connected with said station a fleet paymaster, a purchasing paymaster and navy.apaymaster in charge of provisions and clothing, and paymaster of the receiving ship, making in all 5 paymasters, including Paymaster Spalding. In process of time the duties performed by all these paymasters were cast upon Paymaster Spalding alone, and he continued to perform them tiff October, isos. on the 21st of August, 1865, finding his duties too onerous, Paymaster Spalding, with the approbation of his commanding officer, Commodore J. W. Livingston, applied to the Navy Dept at Washington for an asst. On the 6th day of October, 1865, Acting Asst Paymaster J. S. Harvey, a bonded officer of the Navy, reported for duty, by order of the Dept, to Paymaster Spalding at Mound City, and was by him placed in charge of the office and the accounts of the station. On the 21st of December, 1865, Paymaster Spalding had received at that station, from sales of Government property and other sources, nearly 3 million dollars. This money was deposited in the national banks at Cairo, some 8 miles from Mound City. On the night of the 21st of December, 1865, before alluded to, there was in the possession of Paymaster Spalding at Mound City $54,000. That money was left in charge of Paymaster Harvey, sent out by the Navy Dept to assist Paymaster Spalding, in whose charge also the keys of the safe were when this money was taken. The keys of that safe Paymaster Harvey placed in his private desk, locked with his. which he put inside of his pocket. During the night the premises were entered by some person unknown, and the amount of money in the safe, about 54,000 dollars, was abstracted. On sweeping out the room the following morning the porter found a parcel of money amounting to $39, 700, leaving about 14,000 dollars missing, which had been stolen and carried away. Paymaster Spalding immediately asked Commodore Schenck, in charge of the station, that there should be an investigation into the loss of this money, and the responsibility of the person upon whom the custody of the money devolved. That examination was made, and subsequently a court of inquiry, at the request of Commodore Schenck, was ordered by the Navy Dept, which court investigated the loss and reported that Paymaster Spalding was in no manner to blame in the premises. It appears in the testimony before the committee that Paymaster Spalding was a man of integrity and entire competency for the situation. The person immediately responsible was a bonded oi. sent by the Navy Dept and placed under him. In the opinion of the committee and of the court of inquiry and the 4th Auditor of the Treasury no responsibility attached to Paymaster Spalding in the premises, but belonged to Paymaster Harvey, is asst. In support of this it may be stated that the Navy Bono. has recognized the ability and integrity of Paymaster Spalding since then by appointing him to an important and responsible position, in which he is at present serving. But, sir, there is no law which will permit the 4th Auditor to relieve PaymasterSpaiding, and therefore it becomes neces that Congress shall pass an act for his relief; and such an act is the one proposed in the pending bill.