Mr. DAVIS. I.beg to make a remark in connection with the amendment offered by the chairman of the ComMilAffrs. I think he is entirely in error in striking out the term “asst” in connection with “ad jutant" in this Dept, and I wish to assign one reason which has not to my knowl edge been adverted to on this floor. The asst adjutant generals are directly connce ted with the military Dept at Washington. For instance, General Seth Williams was asst adjutant general in the army of the Potomac, representing the Adjutant Generals Dept at Washington, under Burn side and Meade and every other general who had command in that Dept. His relations with the generals in command were not those of a stat? officer; his relations were with the Dept here, and although he issued the orers of the generals in command, those orders beloned to the Dept at Wash iigton. He adeustody of the records, and even an order issued by the general in command of the Dept could not control these records. I my belong here, and the duty of the asst adjntant general is to see that they are presented here as part of the records to be kept at Washington. Now, I wish to say in connection with thisquestion, that from every military Dept during the war we have accumulated, through the asst adjutant generals, all the records pertaining to this war, and that there are in this city a number of buildings filled and stored with these records which are ofinvaluable service both to the troops and Officers of the Army and to the history of the count, by reason of the fact that these asst adjutant generals are under the direct control of the Dept at Washington. Mr. Speaker, while I am on the floor I may perhaps be permitted to allude to another matter. The honorable chairman of the ComMilAffrs has, I doubt not without intending any unkindness, not only reflected upon the general eflicieucy of these de art meuts in Washington, but he has declared ere that to a great extent positions in them are retained by certain persons as a matter offavor itism as " soft places.”