The daily union., 1854-12-28
For the Union.
THE ARMY BILL-REPLY TO "BR0WN."

1
The ntegeneer of the 2lst instant contained in its
columns the structures of an officer the proposed reor
ganzahon and increase of the army under the signature
of Brown" propose further reply to the article
was about TO say its arguments but careful reread
ing, found respond to- The author first an
his doubts touching he of the title
and says 10 notion it would be better called bill
for the increase of the army for its organization for
the destruction Of approved and tried systems and for the
creation of confusion and for the creation of executive
patronage"
This, in connexion with the other admission that the
bill originated in the War Department is certainly un-
seemly language from the mouth pen of officer My
earliest military teachings respect for all military au-
thores appointed me and especially the very high
funconares this language is intended to disparage and
deride Rdicule and derision however are shifts often
resored 10 where reason argument and sober Judgment
to be assaed | cannot be mistaken when assert
with positveness that the almost universal sentiment OF
the army strong in its approval of the reforms and re-
organizations proposed in this bi and treated by Brown
with FipPam hghtaess, to say the least
Without however replying large the irreevancies
of Brown he has taken up the sections of the bill in
their order will touch briefly its great merits and say
that has fewer defects is simpler and palmer in its terms
than any military bill of its magnitude our military
satute-book
1t settles clearly the vexed question of breyet rank and
command-an old bone of contention that has for
years made mischief and confusion in all the army corps
1t embraces retired st-a of reform that the
and efficiency of the army have long needed and that
has had the almost unanimous approval Of officers of what
ever rank and 1t proposes four new regments-an
increase demanded by every motive of humanity and pol
ICY for the protection of almost miess frontiers and
the safety of the thousands of citizens who subdue the
forests that have been unbroken since time began, and
carry civilization into mountains and plains where so
ude has eigned since creation dawned 1t proposes to
increase the pay of officers who go with these pioneers of
freedom and Christianity brushing away the peris and
dangers from untaught passing away with the
of civilization it rolls its mighty tide up thousand
rivers and mighty mountains towards the setting So
far Brown" has admitted that the bill has "some policy
But he that sit destroys existing systems will Gre
great confusion and adopts systems heretofore tried
and abandoned because of defects proved by expert
ence"
We admit in part what Brown here asserts. 1t does
destroy existing sysems but because they have not work
ed WELL and because mischief and evil have
grown of their abuse They have at last assumed
magnitude formidable TO be reduced by thing short
of radical reorganization and reform When the present
staff systems adopted they OF equivocal expedi-
ency in the minds of their advocates and the sober mind
of the army then condemned the organizations of special
legislation tending special corps Of favor and pre-
texess offices of eemnacy and But the system that
had then many evils wholly inappcabe to the present
state of the service Our staff system changes with the
changes in the transportation and means Of supplies The
staff departments controlling in great degree all army
supplies adopted when frontiers were limited by
the great rivers that but the beginning of the vas
thoroughfres that extend from to The sys
tenn that then bad enough is utterly wanting IL
the energy and sngeness of authority that necessary
give efficiency tc these administrative departments There
can be effectiveness in army lie ours scattered ove
limess frontiers thousands of miles from the sources
supplies unless the immediate military commanders contro
the of transportation and the conlmssarat Sepa
ratio of aft the REGIMENTS and
serve and dividing the authority and responsibility of he
CONTROL have been productive of jeaousies and confusion
greatly subversive of the good of the service But the
cbieest evil has grown out of regulations OF dvuptI w
horty maie by the chiefs of the staff corps vastly enlarg
ing their legal powers and subordpang 70 staff authority
the great energies of the rank and file of the line Corps
created as anxares and aids to the main army having
headquarters here at the capital have by special legsl
ton cabal and combination, become potential and para
mount of proper military control
These the evils section proposes to remedy, and
they have long been crushing the vitality and esprit
corps Of The main arms of the service 1t cannot be doubt
ed that the many offices OF Ae Subaistence and Quarter
masters departments and the Adutant Generals filled by
selections from the regiments by the immediate command
ers and under their direct military control will reinvgo
rate all these corps and greatly mend the mschie of the
5 existing systems
Again we deny that this bill creates confusion
serted by Brown" It, the contrary, makes plain and
many Ah}httNNP " opthith tpu,hilB "f'
command in the different corps 1t defines STAFF commits
sons il fixes brevet rank and commald it silences the
questions command in the medical and pay departments
it fixes regimenal organization, and makes the two main
arms-the infantry and cavary-the great basis, Arle
ry ordnance and engineers properly constructed
corps Commissions smplfed and Defined and consist
only of regiaeta staff, and brecd The latter
take effect except by assignment and then only when DIFF
ferent corps joio and do dy togaheP The commissions
the pay and medical departments confer military com
apand All other commissions take effect according tc
seniority These old Of contentious and ealousie
are here settled In mind the clearing up by egis
ton that cannot be mistaken, these mazes that had
been for years and confused by constructions
orders and counterorder will be greatly approved by th
entire army
We deny that he plan s adapted to encourage syco
phancy and intrigue in the army and to destroy the ee
vned manly and patriotic feeling by which il has hereto
fore been distinguished Indeed, had understood th
the old system It viii surprise the officers of the line
the army whose fare is the hard and pcriious frontier
hear that they ere obnoxious the charge of sycohan
and intrigue" These sayQry tlqes e the military
man and we would not have introduced them here ; ye
claim say that their application will not At th
officers of the of service where aror scorned
when unsolicited The frontiers the tolls of the
service and the hard fare of the camp schools
where hs sycophaut learns his art where intrigue
military mumnieres Taught The military mountebanl
goes other schools for favor and finds his professors