Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1854-05-23

p M had of our highest civil 6fce 90 @
opriety of first creating an once iUl f
Pr ana then transferring the officer RON nLs
u y, duties and giving him charge oyer DOuy tie
those feelings views or SSishes, ne - q" send a
s,rsnUer to- How can it he OthetMtSs.e' .o5a,,1,
coun9 man. mere youth to the SillItty 9r
- e 1,etfers now how thorough ms liii ~ -
scientific education may be, the haSLtS .arv yrav
1nires the associations he there loFuls tSicSS
111ft him for the immediate charge o! me-. I;r
They too have their habits their
thoughts their desires, their notions, - those
rsrv much at variance for the most par III JToI-p
of military men, especially nll'l! listed soI-
fonp been in the habit of commanding e;s
5iers Between such and intelLlgeht
there cannot be that mutual respecL tl'It I,i Of
which is so essential to the successlut @ t i,,Sen-
INV mechanical pursuits, especially Wie!S t -
80: oIver. Dfthe mind as we'll as the actlVe use u %
hands are or should be brought into reqnislN99n t
not been military officers nor inecnanieS On
that has raised our mechanical skill to the p!iS
E-L;cb II now stands but the ingenuity OF tue uI
trammeled mechanics themselves, encourage III
hans bv men who not only felt au interest IN tne5l
welfare bht ifplaced over them qua nor ieel ach
has been the course which has led to the
improvements now visible on every hanu, anu NJ e
though mechanic do not hesitate 10 sSsei n. Ma
onr mechanical works had been placed, as our va
tionaI Au6ries now are under Military super
we would even at this day, have been g!o!eliLm Of
the dark or have continued TO be mere llni'"'0'' "
those who had gone before u.s. ,.,.-. - ~
Military men, and so long as it is necessary 10 sus
| tain Il military force, would go as lar as any
| man. not only to enable military men TO ac
quire thorough knowledge Of their art but would
most rheerfully lend my aid in sustaining them ~ ~
their legitimate Duties but cannot see the orce "
Your reasoning when you say in effect that they
would have to be paid whether they were employees
| as Superfntendents over Civil Works or not, lOF i
there Is surplus of officers more than is needed IN
the posts for which they commissioned why no
dismiss them and not ask the Secretary ofWar has
done for an increase oftheir numbers Or are thoS'
officers privileged class, made OF better or pure
| materials than the mechanics whom they lord \
over, order about or unceremoniously dismiss 5,
And if not, why exempt them from the tate oil al
| others whose services are no longer requlredE
1t my intention to have commented on m M y
if not ALL of the positions that you have seen M !,
take but find by looking over The columns OF the
Sentinel" of this morning, an article in reply T.
yours, so much better written than am capable OF
that shall for the present. content myself with call
ing your and the publcs attention to it, SnGerel!
hoping that the vigorous pen that wrote IT. will no
cease its motion until it has brought home to I'll
heart of every American Mechanic the startling TAG
that they are in danger of being made mere newer
of wood and drawers of water" for some indolen
inco,rnetent or useless officer Your friend,
John II. STEELE