The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-06-16
..Ths Expense Of the Army

Congressional ana Otner hIgh oiiclais assuming
or admitting gross evils in the existing systems
of administration, as well as extravaganza and
administration on the part ofarmy oihcers'
have been and are now occupied in deylslng
radically new organization with additional
checks and guards on the disbursement OF the
public funds OF some Of these proposed
changes the public are already informed by
bill which was recently submitted by the Chair
man of the Military Committee of the Senate,
the several features of which we may hereafter
examine; first with reference to the actual ex-
istence of the alleged vices in the present sys
TEN, and secondly as to the efficacy Of the pro-
posed remedies. Just now, however, our pur-
pose is to attract the attention of the national
legislature to the following extract from an ar
ticle which appeared in the New York Herald,
touching this very question, "the expenses OF
the army"
The facts and statements presented by this
writer, claim the attention and examination of
all who desire and aim to legislate understand
ingly and efficiently upon question of such
Bisob PupiiS i'hpoiehhco "hu HtS4NS"
Here is the extract
But 526,O78 square miles had been added to
our national territory, as a slight memorial OF
the blood shed and lives lost in this way this,
and 666,983 more, Oregon and Texas) all
with infant settlements, were, at the close OF
the war; to be occupied and protected; and we
bound ourselves by the treaty of peace to pro-
tect the LOO miles of Mexican frontier from the
b,L; ofp Of ba p,pl
BILE tribes of savages on the continent, whose
usual dwelling place had been annexed to our
territory Under these circumstances, that
President actually induced Congress to reduce
the army slightly below its strength prior to the
war, before the annexation, or occupation OF
these incipient em prcs aud when the number OF
posts was about to be increased from 55 to 81.
We next hear the cry against the enormous
expense ofthe army Now, in the name OF COM
mon sense, did Congress---did certain editors
expect to add occupy, defend 1,l9306l square
miles of new territory, with savage Inhabitants,
without a. comparatively enormous addition OF
expense! A territory greater than the 80 old.
est States, by 10000 square miles
Did they expect to raise up settlements and
States, as they are doing, all over this new en-
pire without paying for il Without its cost
| ing enormously" for some few years; at least
| until agricultural labor is there established
Have not troops been sent voyage OF $4,000
miles, TO occupy part OF this territory! DO
they consider that in this golden land added by
the war; all prices have been, and will continue
for a time to be enormous" 1t is folly to
call it the expense of the army it is the ex-
pense of annexing and settling new empire,
nearly six times as large as France, with her
half million of soldiers"
Do they indeed expect now to protect this half
a continent, whose chief population is depredat-
ing Indians without an increase of that army,
which before was only equal to the protection
of the frontier of Arkansas, Missouri, and Wis
consin, without adding to it's mounted force, to
ehastise and keep in awe these new hordes of
mounted enemies?
Does the army thank them for this increased
expenditure? y they ask to be exiled thous-
ands 81 miles, TO be sent into deserts, where,
with every exposure and privation, they must
pay treble prices for necessaries of lfei They
are over-tasked, and harrassed by incessant war
fare against superior numbers of savages, while
it is called peace! Without chance Of honors,
they are exposed to censnre and derision, for i'll
success against these Parthians, where from their
numerical weakness, success is impossible. Do
they ask to be isolated at these expensive posts
in the desert, reduced--by the loss of discipline
aUu IHlliltTy bpiIit--LO IneTe equauS Ol ~ ueT
4or that is about the average of all the posts of
the army)
That there has been Encouragement and ex
travagrance, and some cases of corruption, is
undoubted. For the first, / will show that Con-
gress must share the blame; IS for the rest, il
was for time an inevitable result of the close
of the war, and appointments from civil life,
through political influence, and of the most ex.
traordinary temptations Gin California and Ore
gon,) and the irresronsibility necessarily atten
dant upon the very great distance Of some off.
GERS from the centres of control.
The rifle regiment for nearly four years has
been undergoing organizations, or been in
useless, inefficient and most expensive motion,
across and halfround continent. Who are to
bleme2 Did not Congress. at the close of the
war, in an approximation bill, direct the discharge
of its efficient and valuable rank and file, then
the best, perhaps, in the army? Did not Con-
gress, in the law for creating the regiment fore.
stall the discretion of the executive, and require
them 10 occupy permanently those expensive
posts in the great wilderness between Missouri
and Oregon? Posts, where grass will scarcely
grow, and where all supplies were TO be carried
from 300 to 100 miles in wagons, and at great
risk from Indians and of the starvation and free
zing to death of teams Did not the political
influence of delegate from Oregon cause their
new disarmament in Oregon, and their return
to the States, where they have just been third
time recruited?
If Congress expect waste and extravaganza,
would it not be better to empower committee
TO investigate tito send for persons and pa
pers-- instead of blindy striking out, in the
double confusion of the last hour of session,
the half, or any portion, of the sum total of es-
timstes, without indicating where the retrench-
ment Fright or wrongl should fall
oh no; the patriotic Congress, assiduous
in it's duties, ever ready to boast of our mag
nificence of boundary, of our ocean bounded
dominion, appear to think it should cost nothing;
attribute every collateral expense to army ex.
trava gance = and for all reward for its achieve
ments; for it's loss of blood, limbgs health,
threaten it with reductions of pay, impose on it
dut es increased beyond possibility of perform
ance, bestow on 1t indiscriminate abuse for the
expense of its exile to deserts, where, unnoticed,
it wages winter and summer incessant war;
expect infantry in wagons to overiake and chas-
| i n II, -.