Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-12-15

We hnd IN yesterdays National lntelligenccr,
the annual report Of 1t. Gen. Winfield Scott
1t is brief document. He thus reiterates, in
part, Vows and recommendations contained in
his former reports:
!. II has boon gratifying to observe. within the
pnst year. TINT the recent legislation for the ben
eft of enlisted men, increase of pay, with the of
for OF conditional promotion to sergeants, &o.-
has been attended with the good effects antici.
pAted nm Improvement in tho character of the
rank and file DO A further benefit of the same
kind would, it is believed, result from change
to thu system of recruiting heretofore proposed
by me-cach regiment TO keep two of its compa-
MES (nssgned, alternately on depot services, for
filling its own ranks.
,. That the efficiency Of tho army would be
greatly promoted by provision for the retire
mcnt of superannuated and other disabled officers
is II proposition alrendy repeatedly urged by
the War Department., and by military commit
tees of Congress, as we'll as by the General in.
Chief, that it need not be here further dwet up
on.
g. Tho want Indispensable to the well being Of
the nrmy, and now the most pressing of all
pressing when frat presented,and yearly become
more so--is mn increased compensation to com
missioned officers, such has already been
corded to the rank and file. proportional to the
altered condition of our country aud times, or
the great depreciation of money since tho present
tariff of pay and subsistence was established
Originally this deemed quite moderate, and
had fot many years been undergoing slow di
intuition; but our recent Successes in arms add
iu!, immensely to the territory aud wealth of the
Union, have suddenly diminished the necessaries
and comforts of officers thirty per cent. more,
making in all forty fifty per centum, by cor
responding dimnutlon in the value of their sta
tonary receipts while in every other depart
mcnt OF life, public aud private, the rewards Of
labor, talen, and science have, by an equitable
advancing scale. remained as before. 1t certain
" seems peculiar hardship upon officers,
who contributed much labor, talent, science,
and blood towards those successes. that they
should thereby have reduced themselves to state
of comparative poverty. But hope. though long
deferred, still confdes in the justice of Congress.
In my last report presented plan of mode
rate relief for the future. Its features were an
addition To the monthly pay, an increase of the
communication price Of intions, aud service ration
for every three tinstead of. as now, every hve)
| years on duty. Except In the last point, this
| scheme sapproximated by the plan of the House
| bill No 55l, 2d section, which before the
present Congress at its first session, and which,
| if it passes, would no doubt afford very materi-
| al reliei to all in commission.
In considering the policy and equity of snch
relief, it is but Just to remember that the militia
ry profession absolutely separates the officer from
every pursuit of private interest; that it claims
| despotc control over his time and movements
and energies. As he belongs to the service en-
tire, upon it alone he must depend. and hence it
should secure him a reasonable support. Moth.
| ing more than this has been aimed at in any quar-
ter, as no augmentation that has been suggested
| approy'naes to that -four sevenths of the former
pay recently accorded to all under the rank of
| lieutenant.
4. In this connexon again suggest an amend
ment of the pension laws,so as to place the army
| On the same footing with the navy, the existing
! discrimination of law being greatly against the
army. 70 eff ct such equalization would involve
scarcely any change in detail of the present code
| beyond some such provision as the following:
The cases of officers, non commissioned officers
| and enlisted men Of the army, who have died. or
may dir, by reason of injury received. casualty
! incurred, or of disease contracted while in the
limo of taeir duty. to be pidcedon the same foot
| ing rih those of the several ranks of the nary,
! in like cases as by lao nor estdbishedn respect
| - penSions,assimilating the various ranks equit
ably for the purpose