The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-20
THE NEW REGIMENTS APPOINTMENTS con-
PLETED


we had before surmised the majority Of the commission.
are given 10 civilians
In the Union OF the sh aud 18th Of March brief was
taken Of the military fame aud services Of The Geld officers
and also o. the motives which actuse the Executive those
selections 1t easy that general expectation has
been gratded in those appointments and believe the
completed list win be equally welcomed and approved
Yet we ask indulgence remark generally the
policy and wisaO that directed the President in the task
Of selecting from many hundreds Of responsible candidates
the few who have been commissioned
The increase Of the army Of necessity for
the protection Of the frontiers threatened with general
Indian war The President asked Of Congress greater
Of military force than that giyen Of necessity to
existing emergencies But Congress has decaredby
It's the conviction that four regiments sufficient We
are not disposed at this time inquire whether the legs
atye department erred in not placing il in the power Of
the President to call the field the larger force although
il seemed that the emergency extraordinary and Of
pressing urgency On the contrary disposed toa-
plaud the unmiskahe and sentiment from all parties
in Congress TO stand by the Executive in every
and recommendation that looks TO the defence of
ern frontier In some quarters indeed different spirits
manifested and this spirit displays itself in the ntimaton
thar Congress would not have increased the army had
they been assured the
missions would have been given To the army,
1t is but Just to Congress rpel in strong terms
the ntmaton of aspersou palpabiy unfoundea aud
ridiculous The interest felt in the army bills directed
our attention especially its sentiment this subject
and we saw nothing directly indirectly in any quarter
that looked 10 desire to suggest to the presiden,
particular way of executing the army measures. The
responsibility Of faithfully executing military laws Is alone
in the President His oath Of Office imposes upon him
this highest executive trust The theory and practice
OF government have, yet left the nnembarrassed
freedom Of the appointing power in the Executive, With
it. the singeness of that responsibility would be d
ded and the independence aud integrity of the system de-
stroyed The reasons that prompted the Executive In
these appointments impressive and nnanswerabe
Property and life be insured the frontiers and
along those thoroughfres leading the Pacific The full
extern, OF such military undertaking win this
end was doubtless comprehended in its details by all Of
the members Of the last Congress i critically u
derstood by all of citizens Few in fact reflect sun
GENTLY upon the extended wastes of set unbroken for
and plains the difficulties OF sustaining troops at such
distances from of subsistence and supplies
and the character of the fierce nntanght, ansubdnoa %
that claim the domain theirs and cannot be tanned on
civilized by the invaders Of their ancient soitudes and
primeval homes On the War Department the burden OF
these responsibilities rests because the immediate know
edge of the exgeney in its hands and hence upon the
President the chief duty Of making proper selections for
the efficient and useful organization Of the army in Us in
creased state, is devolved.
II Is confessed that we have thousand miles Of
frontier the entire length OF which is threatened with In
dian hosttes. With the small and insufficient military
force now scattered along this remote line and the four
additional regiments, the country expects the War Depart
give protection and security TO the several thor
oughares the Of the Mississippi to the Column
bia and Colorado rivers of the Pacific Here erpec
tons immense interest 10 be realized disappointed
They 90 the lives and security Of the thousand emil
grants who reclaim unbroken forests and carry civil
zaton to our borders II must be presumed that
the purpose OF the Executive is TO discharge this trust
solely with view to the public safety In this view the
selection OF the field officers OF the regiments from the
experienced aud approved of the army emncnhy
wise and proper His purpose is TO send into the Geld
the earliest day military force Differed and organized
insure protection emigration and TO quiet the pro-
alarm, we-ounded by the orays and hos,ilies ofu
friendly Indians and the startling and wc-attesed fact
that they uniting with view 10 general war u
evident that be has been convinced that regular troops
necessary TO his endsthat organization, discipline
and the experience of frontier officers, are de-
manded TO meet present emergencies. Volunteers w1e
refused by Congress To have Differed regiments
from the citizen soldiery entirely would have broush'
them into the field volunteers in iactregaLars only ID
name This would have been evasion Of The law,
unworthy honest Chief Magistrate Il would have
been weak and rretrcvahy miscbievous the country
The War Department the difficulties Of the crisis
and caressly resored to the only expedent left 10 avod
imminent peril The gallant Secretary General jefferson
Davis has organized the regiments that they As
the field under the highest prestige Of discipline Led
officers who know their trade who experienced 10 To-
dian habits and who know the frontier these Regiments
viii show their usefulness in great deeis How az
erent these noble batalions from the neglected and f.
bly, directed regiments sent by Great Britain perish an
der the ERE Of the Russians and the fatal Of The s
mentsi Here we have the people IN our army accom-
plished soldiers 70 lead them and much bestowed
upon the safety Of the troops there is vigilance d
played against the public foe
Bravery does not make the a soldier Il Is the dr.
cipline d this essential quality, Ia snbordinaon 20 ~
thority It's endurance Of toll that make the reliable perez"
net Of war The President and bis Secretary Of War ar
alike experienced 10 the trade Of They have con-
mandcd and organized volunteers and they have srod
with and commanded in ths regular armies. We mus
presume the rule Of their appointments has been the result
Of their experience II Is certain that they have not o