Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-04-24

This table includes all the European nations with
one exception, which have earned any military
reputation. 1t appears that the average number of
men commanded by one officer in the European SER.
vice is forty-seven. In our infantry service in time
of peace, have one officer for fourteen men, with
authority given to the President to increase the
number Of privates in each regiment serving the
frontiers as to make in establishment
one officer for every twenty-five men.
1t is obvious that We have got an army of officers
almost exclusively; hence, in some measure, the
great expense attending our army. We have got
officers enough and the true way of increasing the
army would have been by adding to the number Of
privates in each company.
remarked that there exception and re-
ferred 10 the army of Great Britain. l have not
been able to obtain information in reference to that
but l imagine our system is copied from England
In England they may have no more men to an off.
Ger than we have here. But why? Simply because
in England the only way of providing for the young
commissions in the army and hence there is always
pressure OF influence to increase the number of
officers. And we, in this republican democracy
from different motive, are following in the foot
steps of aristocratic England, in order to give to
public men and to public officers an opportunity of
providing for their friends.
Mr.. CURTIS. Will the gentleman allow me to cor
rect him?
Mr.. BRANCH. Not now, sir; the gentleman can
make note, and I will give him an opportunity
hereafter There is another reason for these large
expenditures to which desire to call attention.
No gentleman who has served in Congress, or has
been much about Washington city, can have failed
to discover that this government has degenerated
into government of bureaus and clerks. have
noticed that irresponsible bureau officers are allowed
to make estimates to Congress- and Congress is call
ed upon by the administration to provide for these
estimates. On that point wish to read some very
sensible remarks of the present very able Secretary
of War, in his last annual report In speaking Of
some Of the errors in our service, he says:
"One of the greatest errors of detail is the sepa-
rate Independent character of our staff CORPS This
removes them from their proper posisions as aids or
assistants to the commander, and constitutes them
his equals. 1t contracts the sphere of observation
and experience and thus units the officer for change
or Advancement and begets an accumulation of pre-
cedent and prerogative at with the vital princ
pie OF military organizaton-the inviolabe and un-
divided authority of the head He is bound as they
are, by the law, and his construction of it should
govern them, not theirs him." l
That is very sensible remark; and the only
matter OF surprise u.s. that that very Secretary about
the very same time that he wrote that able document
should have allowed the quartermaster general to
send estimates to Congress for three, four, or FIVE
million of dollars without his sanction; for such is the
fact. Gentlemen, by looking at the miscellaneous
documents will find that thefeare estimates proyid-
Cd for in this bill for three four million Of dollars
for which We have not the Recommendation Of any
other officer than the quartermaster general Of the
army. We have not the means Of holding respon.
sb,e any officer Of the government for the quarter
master general is responsible to his military COM
mander, and not to Congress 81 AZ,
As ! remarked before, some Of the causes Of this
| enormous Increase in the expenditures Of the War
Department are remediable By Congress. Some are
abuse. that hays grown up from year to year until
lit q dil4cllt 70 remove them. / have conHdence
that the present administrafion will remove
neu 90 tar - it = practicable To- do %. feel Eat