The New York herald., 1851-10-02

WAR AND BRUTALITY.-That war is a brutal
business, for nations assuming to be civilized, to
engage in, no one can deny; but has redeem
ing points and humanties, that relieve it of some of
its worst features. Thus, according to the laws Of
civilized arare, the lives of prisoners cannot be
taken, and when enemy surrenders, he Is entitled
to all the courtesies that the circumstances of the
case will allow. But why should barbarities be
committed on soldiers in time of peace! Desertion
in time Of war, and in the face of the enemy, is
the greatest crime which a soldier can commit, and
is punishable with death. The infiction of such
punishment is justfable; but to shoot deserer in
time of peace, would be an atrocity. There are but
few men, however, We apprehend, who would not
rather be shot than be dishgured and mutilated by
being branded. Such is the punishment resorted
to in the British army for deserion in time of peace
1t appears that the branding has not been perform
ed as efiectually in that service as was thought ad
visable, and that new order on the subject was
deemed necessary. Here it is:-
>" HoKsE GrARps, August lo.-In consequence Of the
diversty If practice and nencency Of the existing
thods of maj king the deseter with the letter ID, and 1t
being found in many nstance that the mark has become
oblierstsd in short time and been removed by
artificial 1t has been decided that from the Let
Of October next this part Of the sentence Of the
martial ha be inflicted In all cases where pract ab!.
in the military prisons by the medical attached 20
each of those establishments and under special truc-
tons from the Secretary at War. Under this improved
system expected that this important part OF tie
ttnces of courts martial viii. be duly and enectuay
carried out Offenders sentenced to Imprisonment and
who also 70 be marked with the letter d. will there
fore in oil he committed to military prison in
order TO this part OF their sentence may be inflicted This
rule apples equally TO all deserers sentenced whether
tie individual s ultimately to be discharged the service
or not although tuch prisoners not be liable TO be
tanned In the military prisons ong period than may
be deemed sufficient TO render the mark ipielibs Sol
eiers Who ART to be marked With the letter D. and sem
teroed 70 tramp rtaor withou. previous imprisonment
CT belonging to corps stationed in districts where
may not be military prison, TO be go marked at
their regin ensas heretofore In order 20 scertan how
far permsne Impression has been obtained. record
is to be kept at the pron showing the date which
the offender .aIked and the state of the ark when
he quite the pron and reports thereon be mide
periodically, TO the War Office fro the several military
prisons An annual return il also transmit ed on
The Let Of January in each year to the War 0e by
sments ard depots, showing the of all soldiers
who have been 90 marked In the military prisons and
the state Of the ark at the date The being
dertd As the new arrangement will on the
etmber 1851 is TO be rendered TO toe War oiace by
command, g. BaoWS, AdJutsnt General.
Werejoice that we have no su ii brutal resula.
tion In the American service. We rejoice that our
people are too enlightened to tolerate it. If the
permsnence Of our government and institutions de-
pended upon soldiers liability to be branded in
this manner, We would not put much value upon
them.