Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-12-14
00NrRNM9 STDWAHs
DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING; THE PRE-.
SfDE.NI'S MESSAGE.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR


WAR DEPARTMENT.. LIT Dec 1880
To the President Of The United States:
SIR hav. tn houor 10 make known to Won ia >
operation OF this Ds artment during the present
aud I" eli such sugges ions appear to me ne
" 10 be presented. TITO Army, at the diff rem,
tons II has occupied along western aud sou,hrru
frontiers has been engaged in preserving quiet IN hos,
quarter. and has fully ,ucceedsd Fears wer enter
taintd oil aerous rupture with our northwest
ern tubes oil lndian-; but the presence OF military
'o'ce' ana Tue exercise oil proper discretion the
part OF those to whom the trust re ccncng Them wa.
conhiel has had the erct prevent j., AID peace bas
o"en Tue consequence Similar appre have
Gently been sn.rtaioed Of the Indians who reside on
our southwestern boundary, and prec auonary sfep
nave oeen taken to prevent any acts OF hostility The
Vs"ance. 'Dr Igence, and discretion OF our officer
induce hcis that by their IN tsnt tribes
eau Do tanned a, peace with each oher. Occasional
Interruptions have arisen from maranding parties who
range through the brest, and at points distant from
pe't., commit citations: these acts in uro, produce
retaiiaon. 1t is important to prohibit thess aggres-
lions possible though Other plan be sug ted
han wha has already, here oforp, been presented viz
an authority to employ detachment OF mounted troops
hese, through the country a, irregular peri
OILS. would do much more towards rviug pc ace
with our lndisn tribes, aud quiet along our borders.
than could be eff cted through my OF ou,
posts
regret TO say that desercns from tn. Army are no,
ois' frequent occurs than heretofore. Tae nun.
her Tor ihs present year will exceed thousand Va
rious eFrts have been made, and many theories suy-
se.ed to arrest an evil nIutions to ths raons
and character OF an my None have succ-rd-
The mt intention Of the act Of Congress last
DEATH and in obedience to the spirit Of which, all asst
offences OF the kind ky you directed be for
en-. has had no restraining, no salu'ary tf'ct. am
not an aivocae Tor the severity OF penalties Tho d.
oil reward, more frequently than the ear OF punhmen
ooerates b-nehcially up mankind. resort to both
might he serviceabe. While penalties corresponding
TO The nature OF the offence might be imposed upon de-
inqrsit. he faithful and good soldier should cheer
ed by The expectation Of r-wa"l. To this end N ai-
thority TO max, reasonable s.on to those
who obtain honorable d.charee should bs granted
In conior nifty to this opinion would take occasion TO
suggest that while some AIDE quate pc nalty he impos d
Tor so gross violation OF duty that OF alb .ndoning
hat th- solder who faithfully aud is hooorably
discharged, shi receive. at The torwn alton of HE en-
'I-tment, one hundred and twenty dollars. l. I him
receive, in'tsad &C hi present paw, four dollars pe
month retaining tie residue, payable the end OF ser
vice. The difference in expense thus created TO the
Government, Tor the hvr years OF enlistment would
but sixty dollars which Increase, il IL hoped anI
believed. will be than compe ed for by saving
in the eSpen'es which incurred uYdsr the pre semi
system OF restraining deseron The amount retained
should be i,rrited II. It any time, the soljr dcser
the service IL nigh, operate a, strong incentive to
good conduct, and would serve S at the close of
hi. engagement by winch TO estab ish him in ed
vanag"on' pursuit. BY tire pre-en; mrde, he retire
from 'hs Army, depe ndan, and pour az he entered; and
ofen, instead OF returning for TIM 10 his f,my en-.
ter the Army ''rary 10 HE 'Oclinaon only
by ~" povety and wdnts Dissatisfaction skee plsce
aod destrtion N ws.
'Psa:ed efforts ive been made 10 arrsst This
growing evil; and they shoull he inue,I 20 long
there Is hope oi dy The lIss 10 the service
10 n 40 material The great fear is. that, in peace The
practice may become frequent aud familiar a. ia
war to ess that oiium which sh9rl attach 10 so ag.
grAva'ed an tf nee.
Recently, ny IN order from the War D.p,r,nen,
tho Wink part OF 'h+ ratinn has been tax en- away
with view 20 ASCERTAIN how far theory frequently in
trod"ced might be pra't cay productive OF bene ct
Tine has not been sHJrd-d lest The experiments hut
lille oonhierce is repo,ed in the attempt. Ii the plan
snsgtsei II giving enlarged to tbs non
ohceIs-whch every toIhier may aspire
to be-shal Tail to produce nremsdy, know not " hat
other can he attempted with any reasonable prospe
'ucces' In peace, the soldier is stimulated by
mat huoyancy, which in war induces him TO aspire to
promotion through CALAMITY aud good conduct To be
ron-commis'ons officer, i, all that he hope for
Dr. expect. To place this class Of officers on mer.
vanageous and respectable footing Tor the purpose Of
exciting split OF emulation amongst the soldiers
might prove highly serviceable. The subject, being
'ne of importance, il al least worthy OF consider aoo
,ni experiment.
Connected with the Army is the Military Academy
At West Point The beneficial effects which have
been produced to the country already and the
arged ones which in prospect, from this valuable
institution, render matter OF importance that should
pc maintained upon its present liberal plan and praci
pes The educating of two hundred and fifty young
gentlemen selected from every State in the Union
cannot fail TO carry with general advantages and ben
ehts correspondent 10 the demands it produces on the
Treasury But apart from this, the education obtained
here being OF military character, the benefits difs-
81 h'0ugn every section oil our country cannlt but
prove highly salutary when it shall again be involved
n war. The information which Is acquired there is
carried TO the several States; these young men become
ocers oil militia; and in time through the thus
Afforded something approaching to uniformity the de-
ciplne OF our militia may be expected. Tho able re-
port oil the Board Of Examiners the last commence
nen which accompanies this report, will present in
detail the progress and advantage of the institution
BY the act of 1915 the President of the United States
IS authorised to confer upon the graduates this aca-
lemy the appointment OF brevet leutenants. Already
there are 81 supernumerary officers thus created who
cannot now be provided for in the line Of the Army
In June next there will probably be 33 more added
which will produce an excess of II the number
authorised. The law prohibits breve appointments of
greater number than 106-onc for each company; of
course, upon reasonable calculation, but few if any
Of the cadets, after June, 1881, will be entitled 10 bre-
vet commission. ! would respectfully suggest whether
some rule different from the present be not necessary
TO restrict for the future lieutenant appointments re-
tanning only many might supply the probable va
cancies which occur within the year. The number of
promotions TO the Army from this corps the last five
years has averaged about % annually; while the num-
Der OF graduates for the period has been at an a.
yerage OF 40. This excess which is annually iDcreas-
ing, has placed 81 in waiting until vacancies shall take
place, and shows that, in the next year probably and
In the succeeding cerdiny, there will be an ex-
beyond what the existing law authorses 10 be COM
nissoned. There will then be log supernurnerarv
Drevet second leutcnsns appurtenani to the Arny At
an annual expense TO the Government Of $50 900.
In the Engineer Department, important operations. as
regards tue internal Improvement Of the country have
been in successful progress. The advantages TO our
made in the navigation OF the Mississippi and Ohio RI
10 the community at large is be ANTICIPATED from fur
h.rn T,rfS Ilao ho.. 4