Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

between him and Pichon. Part of his letters have been immediately addressed to the President. As far as I have seen, there is more evidence of integrity than of wisdom. The details I have not time to write nor you to read.

It is one of the misfortunes to which we are subjected by the wild and irregular starts of a vain, jealous, and half frantic mind, that we are obliged to practise an infraction of correct principles, a direct communication between the President and Senate. I am this morning to wait on him and solicit an interview between him and the committee upon his nomination. The objects are to induce him to alter it, as it respects the person; and instead of an individual, to propose a commission,-as it respects the principles on which the negotiation shall commence, and as it respects the scene within which it shall be carried on.

On all these points, I am told, and from good authority, he has formed strong opinions. If they are unalterable, I believe I must vote against the appointment, but at present I think that is not the inclination of a majority. A circumstance confirma. tory of the President's total ignorance of human nature is, that he frequently declared, that he believed the message would add to the federal energies of the legislature.

I am most sincerely yours.

WASHINGTON TO HAMILTON.

SIR:

MOUNT VERNON, February 25th, 1799.

I have been duly favored with your letter of the 15th instant. When the disposition was contemplated for assigning to Major-General Pinckney and to yourself your respective districts of superintendence, I was of opinion (as you will see by the inclosed copy of a letter, which I wrote to the Secretary of War on my way from Philadelphia to this place), that the whole of General Wilkinson's brigade should be considered as under

your immediate direction, because if a part of it which is or may be stationed in the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, should be under the superintendence of General Pinckney, and the other part under yours, it might occasion great inconvenience, and perhaps confusion, for General Wilkinson to have to communicate sometimes with one of the Major-Generals and sometimes with the other. This, I conceive, will still be the case if the disposition which mention to have been communicated by the Secretary of War should continue. I am therefore decidedly of opinion that the whole of General Wilkinson's brigade should be under your superintendence.

If it be determined to pursue the recruiting business at all, I regret extremely that there should have been so much delay in it; for the favorable season is passing off every day, and when the spring opens, great numbers of those who would readily enlist now, will be then engaged in other avocations, and we shall lose the precious moment.

I shall hope to be regularly advised of every occurrence which takes place in your military arrangements that you may think essential to communicate.

With very great regard, I am, &c.

P. S. I inclose herewith returns of troops, stores, &c., at Niagara, which have been forwarded to me by Major Rivardi; and shall, in acknowledging the receipt of them, desire that the returns in future may pass through you to the War Office.

AN ACT TO REGULATE THE MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT.

Draft by Hamilton.

25th February, 1799.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, that in the medical establishment of the United States there shall be the following officers:-A physician-general, who shall

be charged with the superintendence and direction of all military hospitals, and generally of all medical and chirurgical practice or service concerning the army or navy of the United States, and of all persons who shall be employed in and about the same, in camps, garrisons, and hospitals.

An apothecary-general, and one or more deputies, who shall be charged with the safe-keeping and delivery of all medicines, instruments, dressings, and other articles for the use of the hospital and the army. A purveyor, who shall be charged with providing medicines, stores, and whatsoever else may be necessary in relation to the said practice or service; a competent number of hospital surgeons, who shall be liable to serve in the field, and who shall have the immediate charge and direction of such military hospitals as may be committed to their care respectively; a suitable number of hospital mates, who are to observe the directions of the hospital surgeons, and shall diligently perform all reasonable duties required of them, for the recovery of the sick and wounded.

Section 2. And be it further enacted, That each military hospital shall have a steward, with a competent number of nurses and other attendants; which steward shall be charged with procuring of such supplies as may not otherwise be furnished, and with the safe-keeping and issuing of all supplies.

Section 3. And be it further enacted, That the said physiciangeneral, hospital surgeons, purveyor, and apothecary or apothecaries, deputy or deputies, shall be appointed as other officers of the United States; that the said mates and stewards shall be appointed by the authority, and at the discretion of the said physician-general, subject to the eventual approbation and control of the President of the United States, and shall be removable by the authority of the said physician-general; and that the surgeon of each hospital shall appoint, employ, and fix the compensations of the nurses and other attendants of such hospital, subject to the control of the said physician-general, or the hospital-surgeon, of senior appointment, with a separate army, or in a separate district.

Section 4. And be it further enacted, That as often as the

regimental sick will not suffer by the employing of regimental surgeons or mates, in the temporary or other hospitals of the United States, the physician-general, or the hospital-surgeon of senior appointment with a separate army, or in a separate district, with the consent of the General and Commander-in-Chief, or the officer commanding a separate army, may require the attendance of such surgeon or surgeon's mates, as, in his opinion, can be with safety so withdrawn from their regiments.

Section 5. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the physician-general, with two or more hospital-surgeons, to frame a system of directions relative to the description. of patients to be admitted into the hospitals; to the means of promoting cleanliness in the hospitals; to the prevention of idleness, skulking, and gambling in the hospitals; to the prevention of the spread of infectious distempers in the camps and hospitals, and the government of nurses, and all others charged with the care of the sick, in camps or hospitals, subject in the first instance to the approbation and revision of the Commander-in-Chief, the commander of a separate army, or in a separate district, as the case may be, and eventually, the approbation and control of the President of the United States. Provided always, That the said directions having received the sanction of the Commander-inChief, or the commander of a separate army, shall be operative, and remain in full force, unless altered or annulled by the President of the United States.

Section 6. And be it further enacted, That the compensations of the said several officers shall be as follows: Of the physiciangeneral one hundred dollars pay per month, and fifty dollars per month, which shall be in full compensation for forage, rations, and travelling expenses. Of the purveyor, one hundred dollars pay per month, in full compensation for his services and all expenses. Of the apothecary-general, eighty dollars pay per month, and thirty dollars per month in full compensation for rations, forage, and all expenses: of each of his deputies, fifty dollars pay per month, and sixteen dollars per month in full compensation for forage, rations, and all expenses: of each hospital-surgeon, eighty dollars pay per month, and forty dollars per month

in full compensation for forage, rations, and all expenses: of each mate, thirty dollars pay per month, and twenty dollars per month in full compensation for forage, rations, and all expenses: of each steward, twenty-five dollars pay per month, and eight dollars per month in full compensation for forage, rations, and all expenses: Provided, that none of the officers aforesaid shall be entitled to any part of the pay or emoluments aforesaid, until they shall respectively be called into actual service.

Section 7. And be it further enacted, That for the accommodation of the sick of the army and navy of the United States, the physician-general and hospital-surgeon of senior appointments, with the approbation of the general commanding the army within the district where he shall be, shall have power to provide temporary hospitals; and the physician-general, with the approbation of the President of the United States, shall have power to provide and establish permanent hospitals.

Section 8. And be it further enacted, That all the said officers and others, shall, as touching their several offices and duties, be liable to the rules and regulations for the government and discipline of the army; and shall be bound to obey, in conformity with law, and the usages and customs of armies, the orders and directions of the chief military officers of the respective armies, and within the respective districts, in which they shall respectively serve and be.

Section 9. And be it further enacted, that the physician-general, or in his absence, the senior medical officer, with the approbation of the Commander-in-Chief, or commanding officer of a separate army, be, and hereby is authorized and empowered, as often as may be judged necessary, to call a medical board, which shall consist of the three senior medical officers then present, whose duty it shall be to examine all candidates for employment or promotion in the hospital department, and certify to the Secretary at War the qualifications of each.

« EdellinenJatka »