Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-01-26
wAsz1x0rox NEWS AM GOSSIP.

---WA6HIH0ToM NEWS AND GOSSIP
The Army.-There appears to be a very
general disposition among the members Of
Congress to revise and re-arrange the system
on which the officers of the United States army
are now paid, including the establishment OF /
the much needed "retired li.t." 1t is known
to all, We presume, that propositions to these |
ends are now pending in the Senate Thu,
rates Of pay now accorded to the different |
grades Of army officers were fixed many gears
ago, when one dollar was worth in the purchase
Of necessaries of life as much as perhaps two
at this time; ana when scarcely more than
half az much active duty and risk of life and
health, were demanded, son an average, from
each officer IN the service. The governments
demands upon them have increased wonder
fully of late years These are the .resnlt Of
the extension Of cur frontiers and the absolute
necessity of assigning them to the discharge OF
scientific and financial duties in connection
with improvements, explorations, inves,iga-
tions, &c, made necessary to be prosecuted by
| the United States, in the course Of the extra
| ordinarily rapid developement of our coun-
| trys resources which has been going on of late.
The effect of all this has been to make then
life in service in time of peace. one of great
hazard, indeed The proof of this fact lies i'll
the number Of deaths which have taken place
among them in the past year from disease &C.
casioned by their exposures, from casualties,
&c. 1t is notorious, that deaths among this
class of public employees have been far more
numerous in proportion to the number of officers
attached to the service, than ever before oc-
CURED among body Of military mon in time
! of peace, employed in country 30 healthy as
ours is generally. The officers of our army
must preserve the bearing and habits of gen
| tlemcn. Were they to abandon such associa-
tions, an army of ten times the size Of ours
would hardly serve to discharge the valuable
services of all sorts performed by ours They
cannot, from the nature Of their employment
gave money from their compensation, even if
that were considerably increased. They DO
moro for tho advancement of our industrial In
terests in their scientific labors, than any other
class Of the employees of the United States Co.
vernment. We state the facts mentioned above
that all may understand that the public inter
est requires that they shall DO literally dealt
with in the Governments future transactions
with them. .....- r..
With reference to the proposition for an
''Army retired list" we have to gay that lis
establishment involves an actual saving Of
money to the treasury. There is no good reason
| for, giving full pay to either the superannuatcd
OF the confirmed invalids whe may be in the pub
lie service; while it is unjust to require gentle
men, who, being in all respects competent, d.
discharge duties appertaining to the rank and
position Of such cf those above them as are in
competent. from the causes mentioned jus.
aboye,) to reIder such service without being
paid in rank. as was originally intended in the
regulations Of tho army of the United States
We foel very sure that 10 other government in
the world has, in proportion to their humber,
so accomplished and so serviceabic corps Of
army officers While in almost every other
military service the great body of the officers
arc mere soldiers, and are merely 80 employed,
| in ours the great body of them arc scientific
men, and are, mere or less, employed in scien-
tifc pursuits. We throw out these few remarks
on this subject, to remind tho members Of Con-
| gross (wh0 have little time to devote to its in
vestigation,) Of facts most important TO their
constituents, in legislating upon the army bills
| of this character soon to come up. From Maine
to Oregon, all are interested In this matter.
That is, if all are interested in the substantial
industrial progress Of our country.
Senator Pearce.-More soIioitude is evil
IDENTIFY felt in this city with reference to the
reelection of this gentleman, than We ever
before saw manifested concerning a similar
matter. This feeling is without distinction of
party, and peryades. Congress, as we'll as cur
fellow eitizeps. We trust that as il is very sure
that some gentleman Of Wing principles 1nu 81
! 30 chosen in the present condition of parties
| in the Maryland Legislature) TO fill the seua-
torial seat Mr.. ?. now occupies, the Democrats
| of that body will do their share in assuring to
the public service the benefit of Ills councils
His experience. learning and talents render
him one of the most valuable men to the coun-
try now in public life and it will be worse than
unfortunate will be shameful indeed if the
| country shall lose him, because some new man
| stands ready to dicker traffic and out bid him
! for the position, with demagogues State Legis-
atures Of late years disposed to set up seats
| in the United States Senate TO the highest bid
der as it were. There is no telling how long it
| will be, unless this propensity is checked, ere
| this disposition on their part will so infuse
unqualified and improper elements into the
body, as previously to damage the public in
terest. :--.sr.
Salvage On United States Property Wreck
ed.-According to decisions at the Treasury
Department, if vessel is wrecked by the
perlis Of the sea, and the cargo belonging to
the United States is saved by the master, he
may properly claim remuneration for any ex-
traordinary expenses necessarily incurred in
saving the public property intrusted to his
care. f
The Alleged Pierce Letter to the Free
Soilers.-It is understood in Democratic circles
here, that the President is Of opinion that he
did not write even a declension Of the invita-
ton to endorse Free soiism in 1913, as alleged
by Judge Waterbury in the letter published
in another cOIumn in fhis ,lav:s S,or w,