The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-27

1870 a. detachments, as such consideration
s,yh. rather an absurdliy.
~ srl now say few words upon the term
W,rsn,n The army of occupation in Texas
= our Judgment, be considered detach-
~ H. consists of more than half Of the effect
" -, forces; and, il il be detach ment, il can
sTsvI, hecause il does not consist of the whole
w. %s ,rcc. and as the whole never has been
~ =, one place, and probably never will be,
"d,r such view, our army is always in
" uGGon of detachment; and brevets or COM
k', If A prior date will always take effect. II
p'p'D S.so that such view of the matter totally
,he restrictive language Of the law in refer
pny d,tachments, rendering II superfuous and
p W. To our Judgment of these matters, q
sp"snt II part of the command of some post,
p siu' army in the field, sent off temporarily
~, most or army for some special purpose.
" w, If occupation may, therefore, make de.
pn%,y, but how il can itself be considered de-
sl@' Il IN Ms rather singular-unless we are dis
a hm abandon entirely the restrictive phrascolo-
~ 90 eJ article il intended 10 provide for the
p.0j an the junction of different corps, and to
sr .n ,be prciensoD, which II is well known en-
Sp',b,, day, of the rank of corps, independent
~ line. Il therefore directs that, when diff
avn 1.,rns of the army shall happen TO join and
~" ,ocsther, the officer highest in rank Of the
WIN, army shall command the whole, whether
T u guard or in quarters, That is, sup
n I,soons, artillery, and infantry are together
Sch: the officer highest in rank Of either arm
uni, the whole. Suppose details from all Of
ann, constitute the guard: the officer highest
d At either arm of the guard commands the
!, sard Suppose that troops of these three
.,s Al the same garrison: the officer highest in
| \ i either commands the whole, unless other
S~,cialIy directed by the President Of the Uni
|,S,,s All of this is, to US, very plain and pal
| Y. and so very plain, that the provisions of the
~. difficult to account for, but on the SUPPOSE
,ryously stated, Of the pretension to rank of
~ y, iadepen1ent of grade or date Of commission.
T,m is, however, another part Of this article to
| IN We desire to draw attention. 1t gives the
~n,nd TO "lhe officer highest in rank Of the line
| n, ,my, marine corps, or militia, by commits
y h,rr,o modified afterwards, in article SO of the
law. in reference To militia. These emphatic
'J,~oortan, words of the law are certainly not
..soat meaning. They distinctly give the COM
'a 10 ''the officer highest in rank of the line, y,
|, The words GOT the line Of the army" were
n nat in the law for nothing. They have clear
IN aneouyoca meaning, and can have but one
I..ulne--DaInCV, III lTutl
! N, 2saGn These last are excluded by the law
an bs command under the circumstances stated
|sS,l,w, sunless otherwise directed by the Pres-
sdlhc United States" Therefore, to our judg-
oflhe law, officers Of the adjutant generals
n Inspector generals department, of the quarter
|rsefs department, Of the ordnance department,
lshu engineer corps, being officers of the "siafi
/ excluded from the command, as they are not
| sars of the line" and this exclusion can lie
rn,del only by special direction of the Presi-
Hi
ISOur Judgment then, there is, under our laws,
.M,t ground for the chickering's which we under
|ud to exist in our army upon matters Of rank and
|rmmard. Our laws are clear on these subjects; or,
|Ihac be obscurity, it is owing more 10 the mass
|dEamed commentaries, than TO the laws them
shs A simple, clear, common-sense, practical
|4iaaou by the Executive, of the meaning of the
|ud detachment" 10 all that this matter requires.
STEUBEN.