Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

THIRTIETH CONGRESS—FIRST SESSION.
H. R. 432.
(No Report.)
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
April 26, 1848.
Read twice, and committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
state of the Union.
Mr. T. Butler King, from the Committee on Naval Affairs,
reported the following bill:
A BILL
Prescribing the age at which candidates for the appointment
of midshipmen in the navy may enter the naval school,
and for other purposes.

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3 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of America in Congress
assembled, That, from and after the passage of this act,
no applicant or candidate for the appointment of mid-
shipman in the navy shall be admitted into the naval
school who is over fourteen years of age, and who is not,
as far as can be ascertained, mentally and physically capa-
ble of becoming a good officer.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all candi-
dates for the appointment of midshipman shall, before be-
ing ordered to sea—except for practice and instruction

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8 remain two years at the naval school; they shall then serve
three years at sea in a ship-of-war, after which they shall
return and remain two years at the school, before being
examined for promotion to the grade of passed midship-
man. The appointment of acting midshipman to be given
as it is now.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to cause a sloop,
or other suitable vessel of war, to be prepared to receive
that commanding officer or superintendent of the naval
school, with the professors and scholars on board, every
year, on or before the first day of July, for the purpose of
making a cruise, to give instruction in the active duties of
sea service. The rules and regulations of the school, and
the regular course of studies to be observed and pursued,
as far as practicable, and the cruise positively to continue
for three months.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to adopt such rules
and regulations, as far as practicable, as may best pro-
mote and preserve the good habits of, and enable, all acting
midshipmen to pursue their studies during the three years’
absence from the naval school, and all who shall neglect
or refuse so to pursue their studies shall be dismissed from
the service.

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6 Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That from and
after the passage of this act, each congressional district
and territory of the United States, shall be entitled to
the appointment of two midshipmen in the navy, who
shall be nominated to the Secretary of the Navy, by the
member or delegate representing such district or ter-
ritory in the House of Representatives of the United
States; and no district or territory, from which there
are no two midshipmen in the navy, or students at the
naval school, with a view to their appointment as passed
midshipmen, shall be entitled to such appointment, until
all the districts and territories which have not now two
midshipmen in the navy, including the students at the
naval school, shall have received the appointments to
which they will be entitled under this act.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Presi-
dent of the United States is hereby authorized, to appoint
ten midshipmen at large; and that no more midshipmen
shall be appointed than those authorized by this act.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That whenever
a vacancy shall occur in the number of midshipmen, to
which each district and territory will be entitled under the
provisions of this act, it shall be the duty of the Sec-
retary of the Navy to give notice thereof, to the repre-
sentative or delegate, as the case may be, from such

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13 district or territory, whose duty it shall be to nominate
a candidate to fill such vacancy, and if he neglect or
refuse to do so for the space of one month, the Secretary
of the Navy shall give notice thereof in one or more
newspapers of such district or territory, and recommend
to the President of the United States such appointment
from said district or territory, as he may deem proper.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 2 3	Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre- sentatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, from and after the passage of this act, no applicant or candidate for the appointment of mid- shipman in the navy shall be admitted into the naval school who is over fourteen years of age, and who is not, as far as can be ascertained, mentally and physically capa- ble of becoming a good officer. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That all candi- dates for the appointment of midshipman shall, before be- ing ordered to sea—except for practice and instruction
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4 5 6 7 8 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8	remain two years at the naval school; they shall then serve three years at sea in a ship-of-war, after which they shall return and remain two years at the school, before being examined for promotion to the grade of passed midship- man. The appointment of acting midshipman to be given as it is now. Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to cause a sloop, or other suitable vessel of war, to be prepared to receive that commanding officer or superintendent of the naval school, with the professors and scholars on board, every year, on or before the first day of July, for the purpose of making a cruise, to give instruction in the active duties of sea service. The rules and regulations of the school, and the regular course of studies to be observed and pursued, as far as practicable, and the cruise positively to continue for three months. Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Navy to adopt such rules and regulations, as far as practicable, as may best pro- mote and preserve the good habits of, and enable, all acting midshipmen to pursue their studies during the three years’ absence from the naval school, and all who shall neglect or refuse so to pursue their studies shall be dismissed from the service.
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 5 6	Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That from and after the passage of this act, each congressional district and territory of the United States, shall be entitled to the appointment of two midshipmen in the navy, who shall be nominated to the Secretary of the Navy, by the member or delegate representing such district or ter- ritory in the House of Representatives of the United States; and no district or territory, from which there are no two midshipmen in the navy, or students at the naval school, with a view to their appointment as passed midshipmen, shall be entitled to such appointment, until all the districts and territories which have not now two midshipmen in the navy, including the students at the naval school, shall have received the appointments to which they will be entitled under this act. Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Presi- dent of the United States is hereby authorized, to appoint ten midshipmen at large; and that no more midshipmen shall be appointed than those authorized by this act. Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That whenever a vacancy shall occur in the number of midshipmen, to which each district and territory will be entitled under the provisions of this act, it shall be the duty of the Sec- retary of the Navy to give notice thereof, to the repre- sentative or delegate, as the case may be, from such
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7 8 9 10 11 12 13	district or territory, whose duty it shall be to nominate a candidate to fill such vacancy, and if he neglect or refuse to do so for the space of one month, the Secretary of the Navy shall give notice thereof in one or more newspapers of such district or territory, and recommend to the President of the United States such appointment from said district or territory, as he may deem proper.