Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-12-13

hJISs a:Il pior-3. 80 me ground that these were
tbsiF prlvasr property aud have placed them be-
y0ad the TeAe., 40 The gnvernmeat. Conduct OF
Sel4ricta;, oriaLh m several instances To the
p7asssi Secretary ni Ihs treasury, materially n
NsIss3g! Els SuSprl1n, and resulted IN TIE Dig
etJs ere tAas at iuur piris, eamely. OsweGoS To-
isl1, SlnI IsAy and MdwauSie, the treasury had,
by false eAlrieS hecn deusW4Cd, within the our
Years neXi preceding March 1888. at the sum OF
ons hundred and g,uc,y eight thousand dollars.
The great d,I6,ul,y with which the detecuon
Of thsss frauds mas been aitrnded, IN consequence
", Iae obs,rscuon Of books and papers by The re-
lir,gI Otf.sTs. and the facility with winch similar
traYIs m ihe public service msy be perpetrated,
Tendcr The necessity of new legal enactments, In
me respects 40 We referred Ia, quite obvious. For
other insteral notifications of the revenue laws
Wi N sse2l lu me desirable refer you To the re-
rlr OF the Secretary OF the Treasury. That re-
p,rs. aad tile tables which accompany 1t, furnish
:: .oir pr1os Of the eoiid foundation on which Inc
lnancial security of the country rests, and oil the
slla;ary influence Of the independent treasury sys
zen uDin commerce and all Inonstary operations.
The experience of tue last year furnishes addl-
iioaal reasons regret 10 say, Ot painful charac-
Ier. Tor the, recommendation heretofore made, to
provide for increasing the military force employed
M Tie territory inhabited by the Indians. The
s-s.lers onthe frontier have suffered much from
ths incu.sioas al predatory binds, and large par
lies Of e;nigranis 10 eur Pacific possessions have
been mastered with impuDity. The recurrence
II such scenes can only be prevented by teaching
1hsss wild tribes The power OF, and their respon-
sl5ihiy 10, the United States.
From the garrison of our frontier posts, 1t is on
~ possible to deIach troops in small bodles; and
though tsese.haye on all occasions displayed a
gliiIntry and a stern devotion to duty, which on
a lryer field wunld have commanded universal
ada,ira,isn, they have usually suffered severely IN
1hsse Conflicts, with superior numbers, anu nave
sometimes been entirely sacrificed.
All In. disp1saSle force ut the army Is a'reauy
emsoved on this service, and IS known 10 Or
whhly inadequate to the protection which SHOULD
b. atlIrded Tue public mind otlhe country has
been recently STACKED by savage Atrocities com,
united up,n dcsarceless enigrauts and border set
,,eu .nts and hardly less by the unnecessary de-
s,rue,ion Jf valuable lives where Inadequate de-
tacameats of irups have undertaken to furnish
the HeededSsd.
Withols inc.easo of the military force, these
scenes will os repeated, it is to heie feared, on
I.rrar scs!e, ani with more disastrous conse-
Nu.nees. Congress, am sure, will parcalye thai
liza ala,nest duties and Responsibilities OF govern
msat are involved in This question, and doubt
nat chat prJaa, action may he confidently an'ic
pl.aA when a>iay must be attended by such tear
i'll hazards.
The oil Of the last session, providing FOR an in
cre1se Of the ply of The rank aud file OF the army
t,s had beaah,ml results, not only in facilitating
elli..rnsats, bnt in obvious improvement IN tht
enas Of men WIN enter the service. regret tia
e,rresDJndinr consideration was not bcst0wed up
on iba others, who, in view OF their chaTac'e
All services and the expense To which they aT'
ns,asslriy subject: receive at present what Is, II
NV in lsncni, inadequate compensation
lhs valuable services constantly rendered oy
the Amy, AMI lis inestiaIlbie Importance, rs th'
nucleas arOunl which the volunteer forces oil tht
milton can promptly gather In the aonr OF danger
sufficiently attest tho wisdom OF maintaining
mliiarf p,ace establishment; but mo Theory q
our system aad tho w,ss practice under ss,requir
that aay pcJp saI augmentation, IN t'ne Oh peace
hs only cJH,ae1SIfate vita our eN'eAdsd liza,
al fan;a, rrll,ioaa. While scrupulJuSly al
hs,jnI 10 ,his principle, find. in existing clrcum
r,,nres. 4 DecesitT Tor increase OF our in't'ar.
t,c.s AL !; is believed tha: four new regiments
t.y,of ,n.',g;ry and two OF mounted men, VII D
Al Il len. Il aleet the present Cxigency. Ii
we're necessary carefully 10 weigh the cts IN sue!
ae:s, og ur-eucy. il would be shown that the ad
,i,tna Al expense would BE- comparatively light
\V.,h Nh, ia:gaasa Of the numerical farce OF III
army should. TtIia,i, be combined certain meas
nrasof rssor,n in Us organic arrangement and ad
,n;ns.ranoa The present organization Is the re
.,lt of Dlral ir,slatioa uElen directed to specla
,1ie.ts AMI interests; and the laws reguIatin
rank AMI cam nlad, having been adopted man
ve,rs n,r1 Srln lhe British ende, are not AWAY
a,,lica5e To our service. IL is not surprising
,6rrs,ors. TINT tho syscm should be deficient |
,bs ,y,nna,ry aal simplicity essential TO the hal
m,nious woring Of its seToral parts. and reqair
ca e,ui revision.
'IAe present Organization, oy maintaining larg
s,alf co;Ds Or Departments, separates many Officer
fam that clvsa cJnuexion with troops, and thos
.c,,vo du,ies in tho field, which ara deemed re
cn;s;ts 10 qualify Thorn for the varied responsloll
los ehirh con nand. Were the duties OF tn
arny staff mliuiy discharged by officers dsiache'
f-,,a their regiments It is believed shat the sPe
cal service wouid be equally we'll performed, an
,he disc;p!iao and instruction OF tile army be lii
proved.
Wh:Ia due regard to The security Of the right
ofofIisor,. and to the nice sense OF honor whlc
nhlu,d be cultivated anoag them, would seem
ey.c, compliance with the established rule OF pro
~ tim IN ordinary cases. stall 1t can hardly
dlao.ed that lae range Of promotion oy selection
which ia ANY practically confined to the grade
general Officers. might DC somewhat extende
,5th benefit to the public service. observance g.,
ina rule of Seniority sometimes leaGs, esPec'ai.
IN nm, al ueace 10 the promotion OF officers who
aao. n.r,,oriDus and even distinguished service
nv have bsea rendered BY age or InhrmIty inca
r,bIe of pert0rnng active duty, and whose ad
ro,,amoot. thereiorc, would lend to impair IN
eli ,isncy Of the army Suitable provision ior IN
ri,ss of officers. BY tho CREATION OF re'lred Ns'
w,nll ,epedy>tlie evil, without wcnndInS IN
ms, pride Of nea Who, by past services, nave eS
iabIished = claim to high consideration
In aysin cu;nmondiag this measure 10 ine IA
vo-,hls consideration OF Congress. would sa9
s,est I'M. the power of placing officers on the 10
H,ol list he liliited to ons year. Inc prac'ica
,,n-r,ri., of the measure would thh' be tested
mall il. after the lapse Of years, there shouio o.
os,as!aa - renew the provision, 1t can D. rtP'o
dl,al. with any Improvements which exPe' .enc
nav In gjclts. The present organization OF I"
artillery iltJ regiments is liable 10 oovnns oojec
g., s',e ssTgice of the artillery is that OF bat
tsr,es and an organization Of batteries into corps
ofar,iile;g ,g IuI 5e ;nore consistent win the ma
fare Of heir dates. "A large part oil tho troops
n,,y called artillery age. and have been, on duty
a. infantry. the distinction between the tao arms
Is;n, merely nominal This nominal artillery II
nnr service is entirely disproporiionate to TIT
While for.e. aai greater than the wants oil IN
c,nn,ry ds;naud. therefore commend the DIS
c,ntina,n.a of a distinction. which has no iounda
,an in either the arms used OF the character oil TIT
So yloo expected to De performed.
In connection with tha proposition tor The IN
e,s,ss Of the army, hive presented these sugges
ti.,s with regard to certain measures OF reform
a, the complement of 4 system, which would pro
dnce the happiest results from given ekpe"d.