The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-12-06

latter would certainly elevate bis moral cons'loh--
an object TO which the national legislature has 30 lar
benevolenty and efeetuslly attended, az TO give 10
tho rank-and file of the army elevation OF eharac-
ter not to be found 10 the military service OF other
| countries.
of the horse, or light field artillery, we have now
four companies well drilled and expert in their
| cses and yet defective in thsir organization. To
make these companies fully efficient, and TO enable
them to receive all the instruction which so salus-
bic an arm Of the military service demands, and to
afford the full and proper example TO other portions
| of the army, 1t IS necessary that legal authority
should be given for the enlistment OF lew addition
| al men TO each of these companies. The Increne
would be valuable, and the expense inconsiderabe
Ii would obylate too, the necessity OF Tesorng 10
al pedient adopted IN general orders OF the Ih OF
| October last, by the commanding general OF The
army, from his very proper and earnest desire TO
extend the peculiar instruction now impaired 10
those light companies of ARTILLERY by periodical
changes in their regiments. and to have the mum
Der OF men necessary at each school of exercise 10
man9uvIe with full instead OF partial battery
The horse artillery Is generally ioJudciousy sta
toned when in forts, for 1t Is empha,icaiy an arm
for open field service. Superiority IN horse artillery
in the French revolutionary wars generally Sc
cured the victory. 1t is therefore arm which can
not with impunity be neglected. IL should b sta
toned in time OF peace in the interior, or IN the west
ern States, where forage and horses are cheap, ana
where it would probably also serve to more adsan-
lage, as a model for formir spirited uniform volun.
teer companies, that portion Of the militia the most
efficient and the more to be encouraged
| visited the military academy at West Point
during the examination, and must unite my com
mendations of this valuable institution TO the many
which have been so repeatedly bestowed upon il by
all my predecessors. Its great prototype, The cee
breted Polyechnque the creation OF that great and
bold convention, which, with all its faults, showed
that liberty in its very excuses still paid homage
to mind aud science--this school, identified with
| the of France and instrumental In the diff
! fusion of modern science, has been twice dsbandeJ
on account of its republican tendency while ardent
| but jealous lovers of heedem IN our own country
attack the strongest if not the only democratic element
of our military system with, apprehend, mistaken
and groundless charge of aristocratc Tendency
The register of appointments of cadets affords ample
testimony of the impartiaiy which follows the pTac
,ce adopted by the department, in the nominations
to The academy, and that great portion OF The slec
tons are made from those conditions in our society
the least likely to mbibe principles in the course OF
a valuable education at variance with the free repub
lican institutions of the country Neither should ii
be overlooked that the knowledge and science acqu
ed at the academy are equally and fairly diiused
and in very many and highly important Instances, the
graduates whether they continue IN the army, or are
restored to private life, are engaged in the execution
of civil and commercial works throughout the
try.
Whilst in my opinion, neither good
| sound policy can sustain a proposition TO cut of The
menr, yet it must be admitted that the average sup
ply of new members to an army must be made to
depend upon its size and 1t certainly should not be
allowed much to exceed the annual number of
aties, causing vacancies in the service otherwise
the lower grade, if LEFT open to it, would at times
become encountered with numbers, 10 close
the avenue for future accesscns and promotions
The tables OF the ad lutant generals office show that
the average number of vacancies from all casualties
IN the army, about thirty which, therefore, should
be the limit of annual promotions from the academy
or OF new appointments IN the army. The vacancies
usually anticipated by attaching the graduates of
the academy TO the army breve second leutenanls
1t is objected that the many graduates thus carried
into the army by brevet commissions, have been
great as 10 swell that class OF young officers, not
~ Justly designated as supernume rary - to num-
Der unnecessary and Cumbersome upon the govern
ment. This would be true if all the officers belong
ing to regiments and companies were actually pre-
sent and performing regmenal duty but the records
of the adrtant generals Office show that one officer
is necessarily absent from each company TO perform
duty IN the general staff, at the military academy, in
the general recruiting service, &C., including also
those on leave OF absence, and very few occasional
ly engaged on some special duty, When regard is
paid 10 the officers thus drawn of, it will be found
there IS no redundancy and the technical military
term supernumerary' is unjustly applied in our
service, where all attached, and actually Engaged
upon public duy
The number of this class of officers depends upon
casualties, and Of vbrates as al times 10
have required appointments directly from civil life
So long, therefore, those brevet second lieulen
ants ale actually necessary, and engaged in public
service, and whilst II may be deemed the policy Of
the country to secure and preserve an amount Of
military skill and knowledge which might be dif-
fused and employed with advantage and efficiency
through larger army, if our safety demanded the
increase, trust that public erpedency may be so
brought TO bear upon this subject as TO save and
continue those young officers IN profession for
which they have been well and laboriously educated
and encouraged to enter by the institutions Of their
country.
| What may be the effect of the reduction Of the
number Of cadets appointed agrseaby to the proyis-
ions Of the recent Of Congress of Let March
ls43, is yet TO be discovered If the consequences
OF that act when fairly brought out, .ha dlmin-
lsh the classes of graduates that they will not be-
equal TO the casual annual vacancies IN the army
would II not be proper TO pause, and suspend tie
adoption OF any contemplated measure 10 relation 10
the breve second heuenants until il shall be ascer-
tanned by experience whether that class Of Young
othcers viii not be gradually reduced, and finally
absorbed, by the operation OF the present law ]
think such will be the ultimate effect notwithstand-
ing u may safely be admitted good rule 10 be
established, not 10 permit he anticipation Of more
Than the probable vacancies IN the army in promot.
ing graduating class. This result may the more
safely be relied upon unless the present admirable
system should be departed from, and graduation be.
come mere form incidental to, and necessarily fol-.
loving, an appointment as cadet 1t is only while
high proficiency shall be rgidly enacted from each
cadet, that this school will retain its reputation H.
however a mistaken lenenoy shall ever be allowed
to impair this, II will then no longer be merit 10
graduate at this institution. Its reputation departing
true friends of science and learning would demand
\ IL, disbaDdment.
I In closing my remarks upon the academy can
not avoid the expression Of my earnest desire that
JOINT committee Of, Congress may be appointed end
enabled ts visit and make close and rigid inspection
oil the institution to report its condition and such
amendments as they might deem to be expedient II
legislative engagements render the selection OF such
a committee imprscticable think il would then be
proper to restore TO this department the authority to