The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-02
Army Expenditures aud Fronticr Defence

During the last few months we have commented freely
n the inadequate manner in which the frontier has been
defended, and the disregard with which our treaty s'pu
alton with Mexico has been executed We do not pre-
end TO any military knowledge experience; but we
claim as much right to entertain and express opinions
touching military affairs Mr.. Crawford or Mr.. Con-
rad We saw from the first that the idea OF curling
The Cumanches with mounted infantry absurd We
saw from the first that mounting the infantry in Texas
was than chid's play, and ridiculous that
wise pursuit we have heard of when cannon, drawn
by oxen was relied on to pursue, oyerake and punish
band Of mountain Indians Foreseeing that grave ques
lions must arise from the of frontier defence
We have taken rome pains 10 gain information We
have omitted suitable opportunity to converse with
officers of the army and especially with those who
had served on the Rio Grande frontier We desired
to know who was responsible for the sickenng ouages
perpetrated our own citizens in Texas and we
wished to know who responsible for the recamatons
which we knew would be made by Mexico. When we
first announced that heavy recamations would Be made
the organ OF the administration met us with sneer
Since then the case has assumed different aspect
The Inquiries we have made in this behalf brought to
our knowledge many abuses which we have never
toned specifically. Busthe in which the organ
Of the administration has assaed u.s. and especially the
singular fact that the Repabe three days ago. attacked
the democratic party in Congress for reducing the est
mates for the Quartemasters department, while it
tanned, in another column, official order from the Sec
rotary of War charging that instances OF reckless
agaace had occurred in that department, induce
"take our gloves OIL"
The tenor of the order from the War Department
which have just alluded to, indicates hope. that
the Secretary is coming 10 his senses, and that he will aid
us in our attempts 10 save the army from the
quences that abuses may engender in the public mind 1t
seems that MIR Conrad is at length that the ex-
penses OF department and that there have
been instances of reckless extravaganza" in the expend
lures OF the army and particularly in the Quar,ermas-
ers department by which the appropriations for that
branch OF the army have been rendered inadequate Ii
was this very reckessness OF expenditure Dust detected
apparently, by the War DEPARTMENT. which caused the
Committee OF Ways and Means OF the last Congress to
express the opinion tina, the appropriations asked for
unnecessarily large and induced the chairman OF
that committee to open correspondence with the War
Office, in the hope that bya careful revision OF the es,-
mates, the Of this extravaganza would be detect
ed, so that smaller sum than the one originally asked
for would be sufficient for the legitimate purposes of the
OF the Secretary Of War; that the opinion entertained and
expressed by the Committee Of Ways and Means was
well founded and correct 1t surely was not TO be ex.
pscled that the committee would recommend appropra-
tons IN accordance with what it believed TO be extraya-
giant estimates. II that, owing to the remote
ness Of the frontier line occupied BY troops since the
war with Mexico, the necessary expenditures of the
Quarermasiers department were necessarily greatly aug
menled, particularly in the item for bu, the
committee, while willing 10 recommend all needful sup
phes did no, think il necessary provide for the trans
portahon OF enormous quantities OF commssary stores
IN order that officers, stationed in California, Oregon,
New Mexico and at Other distant posts nigh, draw their
rahons IN kind, at New York and Baltimore prices and
sell Them at The market prices in those distant Terrific
nes instead OF receiving from the paymaser las is evi
IDENTIFY the intention OF the law The commuation OF twenty
cents Tor each ration to which they entitled Although
The committee was ready recommend appropriations to
deay the expense OF transporting officers and their bag
gage at the of ten cents a mile a. provided for by
oe army regulations, it was not prepared recommend
would enable quarsmas,er, agent Of tina, depart
ment, TO expend several thousands of dollars for the
transportation OF few officers to this city, which ougk,
some Of the many instances of enormous expenditures
and RECKLESS extravagance with which rumor is rife
and to which. IL is to be presumed the Secretary refer.
IN the orders which have elected these particular re-
marks
We trust that the officers and soldiers OF the army will
not attribute anything which we have said to DISPOSE.
on 10 njure that branch OF the public service Our pur
pose 10 support and sustain the army and assist in re-
tanning for that gratitude which il. gaIlan, bearing and
high achievements have But we see tha, a veal
administration may permit its in public estimation
and therefore cannot the army better than by
using feeble exertiops to prevent
and check those practices which impose unnecessary bur
dens on the people. But to proceed.
II the Secretary Of War has really determined to re-
duce the present enormous expenditures Of the army,
ii would be WELL perhaps, not to conhne his attention to
the amv~n Of disbursements made by the quarermasers,
bul look to the cause Of those achievements II would
be unfair, and direct oppression, to make ministerial
officer responsible for the OF the duties imposed
on him by higher authority. 1t il than futile TO
attempt to make the Quaermasefs bureau responsible
Tor estimates based expenditures which II csnno,
control
From all we hear it would be well to ascertain how
many officers stationed posts really live in the case
mates and other quarters which the government has con