Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-04-08

SOMETHING GooD.-The Senate and House of Re-
representatives. OF Missouri, upon the motion of Gen.
E. l.. Edwards, of the House, have adopted a set of
JOINT resolutions TO instruct the Senators and request
the Representatives of Missouri in Congress- to pro-
cure such alterations of the Federal laws for the
government of the army, shall increase the pay of
the soldiers, diminish that of the officers provide for
the widows and orphans of soldiers killed or other
wise dying In the service, and otherwise reduce the
present distinctions between officers and soldiers as
much as shall be consistent with discipline in time of
war. These resolutions were sent, by the Legisla-
ture OF Missouri TO those of the different States and
IN that of New York, they have been referred to tie
military committee.
We rote for that. With all our Democracy of
institutions, we have practical aristocracy in
our military service land water than any other
nation In the world, England excepted England is
rampant arstocracy, IN which commissions in the
army navy and church, are regarded the property
OF the nobility and gentry" to be used as provi-
sion for their younger sons; the oldest keeping the
personal property for the purpose of maintaining the
arisocracy. Hence In England, officers are highly
honored and literally paid while sailors and soldiers
are not honored at ALL scanty paid, and treated like
beasts of burden, fit only TO fetch and carry fight
and win laures for officers to wear But we who
profess tie most unlimited democracy in laws and
manners, closely copy the English in the government
OF our army and navy. Officers are gentlemen Of
course. Soldiers and sailors have no right TO such
estimation. They dogs, to be addressed with a
" get out ~ or come in " or :" lie close - and
occasionally kicked cuffcd. Officers in principle
spirit and feeling, treat their with courtesy.
But some officers who are gentlemen " by commits
sion, but not gentlemen bv breeding, the privilege
of rank, according to our military constitution,
treat with indgniy. Is this wide social differ
ence necessary to discipline Not at all. No
armies better disciplined than the French. and in
none is found SO little social distinction between
officers and soldiers Hence while officers aro non
tlemen, soldiers gentlemen also. The French
military laws are exceedingly severe, while French
military manners exceedingly gentlemanlike.
Quakerlike, Chrstianke the cooperation proving
that discipline results from law and pride of charac-
ter, and not from vulgar and brutal tyranny in the
officer and reckless degradation in the soldier. Do
our independent companies exhibit any want of dis
cipline in peace or war No. Yet they are social
equals and companions, the officers commanding and
the men obeying, under sense of duty and self
respect. But the advocates of the present system
will ask, /" how will you govern our killers and
other rowdies 2" We answer, by fine, Imprisonment.
hardlabor, degrading from rank, hanging, shooting
when they do wrong. and by gentleness, courtesy.
praise. when they do right. Among sailors and
soldiers. the most degraded are always the least
amenabe to discipline, and the most harshly treated
always the most degraded.
But how remove these degrading inequai-
ties, when we pay soldier seren dollars monthly
and captain hundred, The captain is more i'm
portant than the soldier, because he must think a.
well fight while the soldier is exempt from think
ing by blind obedience. But what can the captain d,
without the soldier! Nothing. Hence the dfferenc,
in importance is not wide that in pay. II
Mexico, officers fare sumptuously, while soldier
starve and hence Mexico has an army of rapaciou
officers and mere Fabble of worthless soldier
Our whole military system is wrong, and ought to b
reformed.-PhiLadelphia Ledger.