Mr. PAINE. I never knew anything about the law regulating the subsistence dept of the U.S. before the commencement of this war. I knew very little about it, of course, in 1826, and cannot therefore answer the gentleman’s question. I can give the gentleman, however, a little 2nd hand information this moment received from the Gentfrom Indiana, [Mr. Dummy] who tells me that he served as an officer in the Mexican war and knows that the law was then, 17 years ago, what it now is. Now, I come to the subject of forage, which I will consider before fuel and quarters. Forage is required for mounted officers only. There is an amendment pending before this House which certainly should be incorpwrated into this bill giving mounted oliicers forage for their horses. I would be 0 posed to the passage of this bill without such an amendment as that. I cannot by any possibility differ with the Gentfrom Maine [Mr. BLAINE] or the Gentfrom Pennsylvania [ML THAYER? on that subject. But when those gentlemen say that in adopting an amendment of that kind as aportion of this bill you yield the whole principle which underlies it, Iain compelled to deny the assertion. Why, Mr. speaker, we could not conveniently embrace this subject of forage in a general provision for the whole Army because it concerns only mounted officers. But, sir, there is one other item of the officer’s pay which should go into the same category with subsistence, and be disposed of b a provision similar to that which now reg ulates the sale of commissary stores to officers. I now come to that. It is the item of fuel. The Gentfrom Maine seems to me to have misunderstood the law now in force relating to this subject of fuel. He seemsto meto be of the opinion that an oHicer stationed at Fort Brider could, if he saw fit, draw commutation or fuel, at $100 percord, and that this isa substantial reason for regarding the law now in force as preferable to the bill before the House. Wh ', Mr. Speaker, an officer stationed at Fort hridger can by no possibility draw commutation of fuel; the law permits no such thing. There is but one case in which an oficer can, under these Army regulations, draw commutation of fuel. When an officer is separated from troops, when he' is stationed at a post where he oes not serve with troops, he can receive commutation for quarters, provided public quarters cannot be furnished him by the Government; but if he serves with troops, or if serving awa from troops he can be furnished by the government with public quarters, then he draws no commutation of quarters, and in precisely the same case he can draw commutation of fuel, and in no other case. If there be any doubt about it I can read the letter of the law. But I trust that my statement in this regard will be taken for true. If, however, any gentleman desires to hear the law read I will read it. Now, no officers at Fort Bridger could, by any human possibility, draw commutation of fuel or quarters, and for this obvious reason, that no oficers could be stationed at Fort Bridger without serving with troops. It is one of those posts where troops are necessarily used, and would be worthless without them. Mr. Speaker, I think there should be a provision in this bill on the subject of fuel, and I have prepared an amendment on that subject which I shall submit to the House. I think it will remove every possible objection to the bill now before as growing out of this question of fuel. I ask the Clerk to read it now for the information of the House.