Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-16

sailon has remained nearly STATIONARY.
HE effects are severely felt by the subaI-
Tern officers. II requires The most rigid
economy for them 10 subsist on their pay
and emoumeDts. Documents marked
and @ exhibit the pay and subsistence
during the revolution, ard as a, present
established aud document marked II
exhibits the allowance Of clothing, fuel.
forage, Misrepresentation, quarters. walters,
stationary and straw, al The Termination
OF The revolutionary war, ami IN 1902,
1873 and 1918. By a reference 10 those
documents, il Will he seen, that under
most OF HE heads, The variation OF ;hc
different periods has been very small
aud that, on a comparison OF the Whole,
the pay of all officer is mol iiear equal
now, u allowance Is made fnr The Gepre-
ciaiion of money, 10 What il Mas during
the revolution. | will abstain from fur
ther remarks, as ii m,isi be obvious from
these statements, that The cNpence OF our
military establishment cannot be mate
rally reduced, without injury 10 the pub
iic service, by reducing The pay and e.
inoiuments OF the officers and soldiers.
IL oiHy remains Ia consider, in relation
To tins part OF The resolution of lie house,
whether The expense OF our military es-
tabilshmen, can be reduced by Ii proper
aitenlion 10 lis administration, OF by
more rigid enforcement OF responsibility
and economy. Our military establish
mentis doubtless susceptible of great inn
p,ovemeDt in its administration. Tie
field Is extensive, aud the attention of The
government has not heretofore been so
strongly directed towards ii as lis impor-
iance deserves. Here all savings are real
gain, not only an a mOnied, but d moral
and political poimi at view. An ineiici lent
administration, without economy or res
ponsIbIIiiy, not ouiy exbausis the public
resources, but strongly tends 10 coniami-
nate the moral and political principles Of
the officers who are charged with the dis
bursemrnls Of the army. To introduce,
however, "A high stare of economy and
responsibility in tie management ot
subject so extensive aud complra,to as
our military establishment, is task Ut
great difficulty, and requires not Only a
perfect organization ut the department
charged within, but a continued energetic
and JrdiciouS enforcement OF the laws
and regulations established forts govern
meDf. The organization is the proper
sphere OF legislation, as the application at
tie laws and regulations isihat OF admin
islIailon. The former has done nil, or
nearly all, thatcan be done. II is belIev-
ed that ite organization OF ihe War de-
paiimepi, as well as the general staff OF
tie army, is NOT susceptible OF mrcI, i'm
provemeni. The act Of the last session
regulating Tie stall has mol only made
important savings. in the expences of the
army, bat has given both 10 The depart
ment and the staff much more efficient
organization Than they ever before had.
Every department of the army, charged
viii disbursements, has now proper
head, who, under the laws and regula-
tons, Is responsible for lis adDiiiIislra-
lion. The head of HE department., is
thus freed from detail, and has leisure
10 inspect and control the Whole Of the
disbursements. Much time and reAec
ton will be required 10 bring The system
MIC complete operation, and 10 derive
from II all the advantages which ought 10
be expected. The extent of the saving
which may result from ii eau only be as
ceriaincd by lime and experience bu,,
with an attentive and vigorous admins
tration, it doubtless will be considerable.
In war, II will he nirch more difficult 10 en-
force economy ana responsibility but
with system well organized, and with
officers framed 10 method and punciual-
ny, much OF he waste and frauds which
Womb oiher"iSe lake place III war, viii
he prevented. In peare there can be no
ibsuperaDie dliiIcniv la attaining high
degree Oi responsibility aud economy
The mere mUnied responsibility, or DIAL
OF purchases and disbursements. will he
easily enforced. The pubic row sus-
faIns mrcb greater losses ~ The waste aud
lDpropff use of public property, than III
IFS monled transactions. In our military
establishments, responsibility in HE latter
Is well checked, and not badly enforced.
Iho accounts are rendered with cousi,ie-
rahIe p'inciualliy aud are promptly set
led; and even neglect or nIiSappicaiiou
ni pubic funds, by the discussing officers.
are not often accompanied with Ultimate
losses, as HEY are under bonds for
The faithful discharge Of ihcir duties.
Accountability, as u regards Tie public
property. is nmich lAorr difficult. and has
heretofore btrm much i"ss complete Re-
turns OF prnp'1ty III mG,.y eases, pJriic,l-
larry IN the medical department, have
rarely been required aud even where
they have been, they have moi been made
with puuctualItv. II cannot be doubted
but Vllai f,r public has sustained very
considerable damage from iris want of
accountability. Every article oil public
property, even lie smallest, ought, if
possible. 10 J." III charge oi some person,
who should be responsible for it. II will
be difficult tO attain this degr. Of per
tecilou bu' II is hoped, by making each
of The suborilHaie departments of The
War Department liahIe for the property
in lis charge, very considerable i'm
provemeGi and reduction OF expenses
will be made.
On The quality of thc ration, and the
Sftfn r fpfr md ~.,tt,,.,
J propose neat 10 consider, The health,
omfnrt apd ou,rt.,p,. al a., -. 800. ..,,,; J..