The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-04

abuses and TO prevent their Inspectors have
oeen ~. 70 me froGter5 10 inquire into the manner
whch tns anairs OF these departments administered
ana tYtd scrutiny into accounts has been ordered
regret 70 cay that the department has fear
that ts spPrehensons this subject altogether
| wlthout foundation. Hs
From msatsmenls carefully prepared by the different bu-
reans o. hs department, appears that the increased
pend'tues IN the army resulting from newly ac-
aaiea 'errtory, including Texas amounted 10 $780,,
Congss at their last session. omitted TO provide for
dehecncy which was ascerained TO exist in the appropr
auons oi the Quartemastes department for the year
ending aptn June last Serious embarrassment would
have Ieeued to the from this OMISSION had there
not exsfd some unexpended balances of former appro-
PfalonS which, under the act OF August 26 lsi2, were
tIanserYd to the Quarernaster's department Congress
also redfced all the items Of appropriations but one, for
the same department for the current fiscal year ending
3Oth Juae next hity per cent below the estimates the
consequence OF which ls that the appropriations Tor that
deparlmblt entirely inadequate wants. and that
CongreS Will be called upon, at an early period to sup
EonsSas having clearly manifaassd q .dsauiaa.dk 10
reduce ~ far possible the expenditures OF the army
iet II my duty as far as was practicable to carry their
views into effect have accordingly labored 10 reform
abuses 10 enfore rgdy all regulations looking to econ
omy, AID 10 relrench every unnecessary expense |
VIII envmera'e some Of The measures adopted Tor THIS
purpose Iss ,nh., !, ..,.,.,
ment, Wor TO the late war, amounted to $50 men but
during he il increased TO 5s7 men. By an or
der OF pe department they reduced 10 their original
numbef
Prior,o the late war there only four light art.
lery companies Alter the broke out four OF
the artillery companies were converted into light ar.
tillery. making in all eight companies This descrip-
ton oftroops although extremely effective regular
war, utterly useless in the kind of service in which
the army now employed The department did not hes
ae therefore, TO direct that six Of these companies should
be dsmounted. OF this number four will continue dis.
moun, unless Congress should otherwise direct; but,
1t deemed important to preserves portion of this de
scripiono force. the two remaining companies will be
remounta soon the department provided with the
Of doing so. This will make in all four companies
each OF the regiments OF artillery, which
to have teen contemplated by the act of 1921.
number OF persons from civil life employed in the
service id various capacities, such as clerks &c. An
order issued whereby their number has been greatly
reduced and their duties required to be performed by Of
An oder issued last spring that at all the pema-
posts the frontier where il practicable farms
should be established p be cultivated by the troops.
Sufficient time has not yet elapsed TO ascertain the result
OF the experiment If it should prove successful, will
not ony effect considerable reduction of expense in
the quirtemaslers and commssarys departments, but
will gTtay promote h0ealth and comfort OF the troops.
Besides these measures, various others, which il is
needles TO enumerate have been adopted, with view 10
promott economy and 10 insure fidelity and attention on
! the pan OF discussing officers.
The TACT not 10 be disguised that great axity OF ex
pense. ind disregard of the regulations looking 10
omy had become somewhat prevalent in the army. The
department has exeed itself 10 remedy this evil, and Is
gratei 10 say that in all its Efforts Tor this purpose II
has recyed the aid and jealous operation OF the supe
Io ocers The effect OF the measures II has adopted
for this purpose is already discernlbe in considerable
reduction OF the expenditures and have the saiisac-
ton that the estimates of the department for
the esca year considerably below the expendl
lures of the present and preceding years.
The expenditures for the support OF the army for the
fiscal year ending 30th June last were So06O,26s 5s
The estimates for the next year 7,S9S,775 SO
Showing reduction Of I,l6l492 rs
There are some other measures oil economy which the
department would have carried out had the aid Of legis
lain Uct hepn Ia 4
number OF arsenas have, from time to timc been es
tabshed al points where they were then needed, but
where, consequence OF the extension OF frontier,
and the vastly facilities of transportation, they
entirely useless As II Is doubtful whether II be
competent for the Executive TO abolish these establish
ments, is desirable that this authority be vested IN II by
law.
In my last report recommended that the department
should be authorized 10 enlist specially teamsters,
and stated at length my for this recommendation
Further experience confirms me in the opinion that this
ode of obtaining the aid OF this indispensable class OF
persons (of whom five hundred or six hundred are con-
santly employed by the quartermasters departmenD IS
far preferable the plan resoried to- OF employing
them sometimes at enormous wages. II has been sug
gesed however, that instead OF enlistng men specially
as teamster il would be better TO increase the number OF
prvaes each company the frontier TO one hundred,
and 10 authorize the allowance oil higher rate OF pay TO
such Of them shond be detailed as ieamsers This
arrangement would enable the officer in command TO use
them either teamsters as soldiers, as circumstances
might require.
Red river and OF the Rio Gande would greatly reduce
the expense OF supplying many oil the posts IN Texas and
New Mexico, by diminishing the amount OF land trans
portaon have little doubt that the amount that the
government would by means OF this Improvement nj
in two or three years would defay the cost OF the work
But whatever efforts may be made, either by Congress
by the department TO cua the expenditures oil the
army they must continue 10 be enormous so long as II
is necessary that large portion OF IT should be sta
toned on The frontier The history OF the world affords
no instance OF army being permanently stationed al so
great distance from the main source OF its supplies IL
Is evident therefore that Congress should resort to every
means diminish the necessity OF regular troops Tor The
defence OF the frontiers Permit to offer few sug
ges,ions on this point though they do not Immediately
relate to the operations OF this department.
In the first place. would suggest that every facility
and should be afforded to the formation OF
local militia in which possessions, like all the
Mexican States very deficient As the rst step to-
wards the accomplishment OF this object would rec
arms among the inhabitants. | am fully persuaded That
the advantages that would result from the adoption oil
this measure in famlaZing the people with tbe use Of
arms, in inspiring them with confidence, and encour-
aging the formation OF militia companies, would more than
compensate for the lrinng expense that would attend II
The very fact that the inhabitants were known 20 pe
armed would tend nmidale the Indians The distrbu-
lion should Of course be made with such precautions "a
would prevent their being sold or converted 10 an I'm.
proper use
+ The quantity OF arms to which the new States and
Territories respectively entitled under the act OF
SOS is small to be OF practical advantage, and,
they have not participated in the issues heretofore
made would seem be bu, jus, that they should now
receive than their dstribuve share AT all events
they might be permitted TO receive their quota Tor seve.a'
years in advance As the arms are lying IDLE IN ,ne
depos, no oss TO the government would result rom ns
course, and they will probably be never more needed
than they are at present
Ia. thn ..I.,n nof,rv and