Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-01-01

:t,,a zrd L. End condemned ~ the Lieutenant Govern.
or Message, and t. whle' Will hereafter call your
attention. like important change VIII b. effected
among the brgaders general under the act Il -, I'm
less The demoIlshing OF reckless ignorance should
arrest lis operations by repeal Of the law.
The Lent Governor Questions whether The present
mode Of eicri"e cGcers has not been productive OF
more injury than utility. He should not; general
reasoning have entertained doubt upon the SUBJECT
whatever, If any isolated examples Of its good effects
NIGH; have existed 10 the contrary There are, in all
departments al public service. certain fundamental
rules, indispensable 10 the sanary administration Of
i'll power-nay, without due observance OF winch, the
delinquent department is either wholly useless, or
practice, initiates against the very interests 1t was de-
signed 10 subserrc enforce. In the case Of mill
tary force organized for the defence OF State, the
principle Of despotisn supreme will, regulated by
law, and tempered hy justice and humanity in It's APP
pca;ion ~ individuals mGst prevail, Il an army IS
TO be effective. Gut, although il must exist, it IS
not nevertheless, free from responsibility 10 the CT
wi and military tribunals Of the country Striking
al is such posiulale in land Of nnbounded liber
" like tins, the fact is nevertheless So, and IS neces
sarily so, from the nature of the duties o! martial
force, and those which emergencies require 10 give
effect. Ii is the necessity is under, of whatever
grade, Of yielding up his lite AT the mouth 81 cannon
or being torn 10 shreds BY exploding magazine, or OF
meeting death III other forms when his commanding
officer shall require II, that give the life Of the solder
according TO hs place, the vrrtabe character u despot
or slave and which stamps the physosnomy Of dcs
potism upon the service from which it can be relieved
when it is desired 10 make smooth the path OF nh nya
der, by opposing 10 him rabbie army inferior 10 the
azzaroni OF modern Italy, and hardly equal to the fish
women Of Paris III the days ci Revolutionary France.
These sentiments expressed III l-2G, in letter 10
the then Secretary of Var, and subsequently, 10 mem
Der Of the Virginia Convention when he informed me
Of hs purpose 10 introduce the elective principle into
military lite.
| told tie latter gentleman that lie success oi his
afr Irptl ~
TEN: that il must strike down the only power which
made army more 10 be dreaded than herd Of BIZ
sons-ihc predomnance of one will, the implicit sub
ordination ot all to the head and Of the privaes to the
several gradations Of command down 10 the lowest
pora The Convention authorized change in the
mode OF appointment, and the Legislature exercised
the power and, accordingly, whenever there - Off.
GER to elect, have the low devices employed, winch
such occasion is apt 10 beget. The officer who -
ambitious 10 change his title, accommodates his con-
duct his desires, without reference 10 the dignity Of
the station which he holds seeks to fill. The ground
work of the efficiency OF military force IS thus re-
moved by the efforts OF superior TO propate the IA
Of his interiors. Thus the natural order Of things
is rcversed-thc officer becomes subordnaicd u ms
passion or higher rank, through the accessible Of
regmentaI popularity and favor. The field for promo
ton is alike opened 10 all, rank and file, and accord
lngy all are engaged IN race Of popularity, giving
birth the lntrgues, strife, caousies, and ambitious
riyaries which such contest must beget. Instances
loo, oil contests VIII 10 commissioned
corp0ras, and priyates, often TO the
number Of oneiourth Vi regiment will be actively
employed in canvass, dividing the troops into parties,
which 1iil be eventually well designated bv party
and objects, upon political theatre but with
thrice the personal Ill viii that find in po!itica!
tiers.
Tie evils of this disastrous principle this wicked ap
pcaton Of the elective representative character OF
our civil polity to The defensive means of tie State,
may be demonstrated ~ instances without number,
but | will content myself by few more references
We shall have the different corps OF regiment
gagged IN opposition 70 each other, We sia see officers
Of the line, such attempting 10 conine promotions
to themselves shall see tie non.commssloned oii
GERS preertng their c!aims, and we shall see the PR
Yates the electors, placing themselves III the opposing
lists, prc.erring hci. claims, and uniformly ir"m their
numbers successful in advancing them. The Lieuten-
ant Colonel opposed rs private; the election IS to
be made hy the commissioned officers: the prvates who
Ina sc banded together 10 support their casio, beng The
electors q. those who 10 elect the Colonel,
nounce to them tha; hcy Will never promote any
who does not vote for the private. Is there doubt
that the private will be elected commandant OF the
gimenE And suppose the officers, feeling the force OF
the competition III this quarter, should reject the soc'-
tal;ons and defy tie Of the prvatcs BY elect
lng the officer best qualified Tor command: VIII It not
produce Of mind troug hou the regiment totally
adverse 10 pine aad nminently unirlend!y to tie
harmony and iocc Of lis operations: The arguments
derived from numbers sill however Ec applied 10 settle
the difficulty: the regiment Instead oil yielding I'M
pc obedience to the orders Of its commandant, viii
debate their propriety, resist them al pleasure, and
there will he corrective, even IN the repeal OF
your laws for the habit Of bestowng, under the
stimulating influence q. vicious, legislation, COM
missions upon men Of their choice and Of debating
by variety of TO Their officers, vii! establish
IN them snch frame of mind cannot be overcome
by parchment while they have bayonets IN their hands,
or arc free 10 utter their voices at the hustings. Be-
scrs these evident Ills Of military elective Delnocra-
cy is it not certain that human nature undcrgoes no
change by being translated from the walks OF private
life to the duties of the camp The same love OF rank,
the same spliishness, the suppeness oil profess
SONS, the sympathies which dictate our conduct
in the relation of citizen will control il in that OF
the soldier. What then is there IN military lite, when
there IL dependence the file Of army for rank,
honor, and pay, 10 prevent or dssnade officer who
wants them, from employing the means TO attain
them that We see daily resoted obtain places less
desirable in civil life There is nothing But, the
contrary, commission Of promotion Will be more
eagerly sought than seat in the Senate House o:
Delegates, because one comfort more deeply al
stake. We then 10 have the officers, commissioned
and commissioned, enforcing rule OF pine,
for fear Of dspcaslng the military eeclor easing HIM
in, ofihs daty-lndus;ns him in that favor wnklng
his neglect Of du;y-and finally, ''pigging with ham
in the same ,rucke bed in order To obtain his vote.
The officer must also, being man, and n honor,
he termed, feel grateful 10 such Of his constituents
elected hi:n, and remember, with no very pleasant
feeling, those who opposed his ecvaton-ihe consc-
qiencc We know, when favor may be granted or ie-
fused. For these, portion OF the reasons that may
be adduced, consider that nothing can be more blne
iu in IFS effects upon the moral Of an army, than the
introduction Of elections, whether Of commissioned or
cn-comnssioned officers, III war peace
NORFOLK
BY LAST NIGHTS MAIL.