The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-02
INCREASElIN THE ARMY.

Public attention has nj length been aWakeheu 10 the
imperative necessity of increase in our regular army
The crimes crueies and butcheres committed our de-
fenceess frontiers by prowng bands Of savages have at
length touched responsive chord and the press of the
East North and South cordially reecho the demands of
their contemporaries west of the Mississippi for govern
mental aid and protection The army at present const-
tuted with its skeleton companies does not exceed eight
thousand rank and ile and with this mere handful OF
men the Secretary of War expected to look after the de-
fences of an and gulf exceeding that of the
whole of Europe protect interior frontiers of greater
extent than those of the colossal empire of Russia The
Secretary admits that now in state of peace with all
foreign powers and with immediate necessity to keep
large force the Atlantic coast or the lake frontiers he is
unable punish to hold in proper check the nu-
merous bands of hostile Indians who nt ard ravage
southwestern frontiers and who have marked the long
lines of travel from Territory to Territory with rapne fire.
and blood
The Indian robberies and massacres which have be-
come OF almost daily occurrence cannot with any color OF
fairness be attributed of foresight proper man.
agemen on the part of the War Department. to want
of efficiency on the part of the army Secretary Davis
known to the country merely distinguished civil
an but as successful soldier; and having received
military education and passed of the best years of
his life as subatern officer at posts extreme from
tiers his enlarged experience has enabled him to become
familiar with the defenceess state of the country and the
wants of the service the personnel of the army, it
NAV be Justly said of its officers that they have shown to
the world the example of conquest and victories nnre-
preached by any cruetes immoralities. On every
fidelity approved The perils of battle, the hard
toU Of ,bo tho MIC he
tropical SUM- the pestilence tue bard ration and the
scanty fare were their daily experience Orr peace
adjustment is commanded by officers who encountered
all these hardshps They little heed now as then such
perlous fare They have not been rusng in naction,
are they ders Of fashion, the places of ndo
lence and ease The frontiers their homes The long
lines of the prares, and the plains and the mountains
stretching from ocean, their places of recea
ton and pleasure Their vcnage neighboress for hum
dreds of miles, and the wilderness and the Indians divide
them for years from their families and friends Can the
personnel of such army deeriorate decay? We
swer that the disease that wastes the efficiency of the
is not inherent but consequential For years has the in
efficiency of the army from the want of numbers been
demonstrated by robbcres unpublished, captVes nnre-
claimed and unavenged
The Secretary of War has discharged his duty, not
merely to his country and the branch the public
vice over which he ably prede but to the commonest
dictates of humanity by recommending an increase of the
army We presume that the same measure of necessity
will be again pressed Congress by the same officer
and we sincerely trust that not many weeks will enpse
before measure so mperatvcy demanded for the protec
ton of life and property of those who at The po
of civilization aud freedom will receive the sanction
and approval of both houses of Congress.