qualize soldiers'
bounties, introduced by Mr. Schenck of Ohio, passed the House by a
nearly unanimous vote, but was lost in the Senate. Subsequently, the
Senate attached to the Civil Appropriation Bill a provision for paying
additional bounty, differing materially from the bill which passed the
House. This being in such shape that it could not be easily detached,
became a law.

During the first session, Congress passed the "Act to increase and fix
the military peace establishment of the United States." By this law
the regular army consists of five regiments of artillery, ten
regiments of cavalry, and forty-five regiments of infantry. It
acknowledged the services and claims of the volunteer officers and men
who served in the recent war by providing that a large proportion of
the commissions in the new service should be conferred upon them. At
the same time the standard of attainment and talent was not lowered,
since the law provided for such an examination as must exclude the
unqualified and relieve the army from some who unworthily held
commissions.

The important fact that general intelligence is one of the greatest
safeguards of the nation was fully recognized by the Thirty-ninth
Congress. Of this they gave permanent proof in establishing a Bureau
of Education. Early in the first session, Mr. Donnelly, of Minnesota,
introduced a resolution instructing the joint Committee on
Reconstruction to inquire into the expediency of establishing a
National Bureau of Education "to enforce education, without regard to
color." The necessity for such a measure was set forth in the preamble
to arise from the fact that "republican institutions can find
permanent safety only upon the basis of the universal intelligence of
the people," and that "the great disasters which have afflicted the
nation and desolated one-half its territory are traceable in a great
degree to the absence of common schools and general education among
the people of lately rebellious States." This resolution passed the
House by a large majority.

This subject was subsequently referred to an able select committee, of
which Mr. Garfield was chairman. On the 5th of June he reported a bill
to establish a Department of Education. The measure was supported by
Messrs. Donnelly, Garfield, Banks, and Boutwell, and opposed by
Messrs. Pike, Rogers, and Randall. The bill passed the House on the
19th of June and went to the Senate, where it was referred to the
Committee on