The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-18


to laws of Congress; others spring necessarily
| from alterations in our territorial boundary
with which no member of the existing Execu-
tive is in any manner identified. All these
circumstances are, however, sedulously with
held from sight whenever it is deemed desirable
to Impress the public with a sense of the enor-
nifty of Wing misrule. Political honesty
weighs little in the balance against political
effect
| Let US now see how far Mr.. HUNTER's
charges against Mr.. CONRAD are borne out by
facts. The latter entered upon his office in
August, 1850, in the midst Of season of great
| political strife and Of more than ordinary peril.
We find that in four months from the com
mencement of his duties he had familarized him
self with errors and abuses that had grown up
under Democratic rule, and had taken vigorous
steps to bring about remedy. In his report
to the Senate in 1850 he adverted to some of
the evils alluded to, and indicated reforms
which he has since carried into practice. In
the following January he issued regulations
| designed to reduce the cost and to increase the
efficiency Of the military stations. The system
of cultivatiug grain and forage at these distant
posts was introduced by Mr.. CONRAD, with a
precision in regard TO details that shows how
thoroughly he had mastered the whole subject.
That Mr.. CALHOUN long ago sanctioned the
system ls circumstance that does not de-
tract from Mr.. CoNRAp's merit in this par
ticular. The intermediate Democratic Secre-
tarles wanted time or inclination to attend to
it. Again, in February, 1851, Mr.. CONRAD
issued an order in relation to "enormous
expenditures" and RECKLESS extravaganza" of
the army, particularly in the Quartermaster's
department, and instituting regulations that
have produced material reductions. Under the.
operation Of this and a subsequent order, a very
large number Of civil employees in the Quar-
termaster's department have been discharged
When the present Secretary entered Office the
number of these employees was nearly ZOO;
it is now little more than 600; and the reduc-
ton of expenditures in consequence of these
dismissals viii exceed 100000 per annum.
This is single item in the reforms effected by
Mr. CONRAD, from his own watchfulness and of
| his own will.
| The Senator from Virginia was eloquent on
the changes that might be advantageously in
troduced into the management of military posts
| in New Mexico such as the removal of troops
from towns to frontier stations, the reduction of
charges for rations forage, and so forth. 1t
turns out that these Improvements, gravely
suggested by Mr.. HUNTER in 1852, were anti
cipated by Mr.. CONRAD in April of last year,
and orders were then issued carrying them into
execution In July, too, order emanated
from the Department prohibiting the employ
ment of civilians at frontier stations, for duties
that may be discharged by soldiers without de-
triment to the service.
| Another of Mr.. HUNTER's suggestions is in
! favor of military colonization, and especially
the military employment Of the Pueblo Indians.
Of course the suggestion inferentially blamed
the Secretary Of War for neglecting the plan
But Mr.. HUNTER is once more too late; for in
December, 1850, Mr.. CONRAD made this very
plan part Of his report to Congress, and the
same idea was renewed in his report of last
December, with a further recommendation as
to the reorganization of local militia. The
Wing Secretary has therefore shown himself
to be the more active reformer of the two.
Anomalous as this may appear to those who
cannot comprehend how good things can pro-
coed from Wing Department, it is strength
ened by the fact that many Of the charges Of
extravaganza which the opponents of the Adj
ministration have taken pleasure in presenting,
are based solely upon information acquired by
the Administration Tor its own guidance in the
path Of further reform. The Secretary Of War
has employed efficient officers to ferret out
abuses in remote districts, in order that other
reductions may be effected; and yet his vigil
lance in bringing abuses to light is converted
into the basis of sweeping denunciatons against
him. He brings to view NAL practices that
have had their growth under the fostering gen
Jus Of the Democratic party, and is forthwith
made to answer for the whole of them
Without enunerating in detail all the other
features Of oil. PEARcE's vindication Of the Sec
retary'of War, we may say that he has sub
mitted TO committees Of Congress draughis Of
bills intended to increase The efficiency of the
army, by creating a retired list. and completely
TO reorganise the Quartermaster's department.;
and that he has also sought legislative aid to
enable him to pot an end TO abuses growing
out of the practice Of officers in entering into
contracts for supplies.
The practice of transferring balances Of one
appropriation to supply deficiencies in others is
admitted to prevail it is admitted by Mr..
PrARcE and the Secretary Of War to be in the
highest degree improper; but the difficulty lies
in graphing with what has received the direct
sanction of successive Democratic governments.
The Wings long ago endeavored to correct the
abuse and Mr.. BERRrEN, in 1881, gave an
opinion confrmatory Of their view. The pre-
vailing construction was, however. formally
sanctioned by Mr.. VAN BUREN's government,
and Legislative action is necessary before a
more correct system can be established In
tho mean time, the country should remember
that the evil originated under Democratic adj
ministrations, and that the remedy is altogether
in the hands Of Democratic Congress.