New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-06

NDuk ~ tnc CaSc Vcioir snO S"N.y
| the Army 1t now consists Of 1900 men. The
Administration ask that FIVE moro regiments shan
be added to the permsrent force. The Senate
Committee have reported bill granting 2o,Ooo
men in all. For what The Administration aud
the Senate Committee, headed BY Mr. JEFF Davis,
gay because the military necessities Of the country
require it. But what military necessities Is 1t
| the Mormon rebellion ooh, No. the Ad-
mini.tration, and so says Mr.. JEFF. Davis. What
| them "The Army is not large enough to protect
"our extended frontiers, and to put down the In
"dians" But let our readers see what Gen. Hous-
ton and Mr. Toombs Of Georgia have to say on this
lead, for neither will be accused of beiag governed
By mere partisan views in discussing the question.
Their remarks will be found elsewhere in to-day
paper.
Let it be observed that no increase of the Army
| is called for BY the Administration or the Army
Committee Of the Senate on the ground Of the Nor
| mon difficulties. The increase is asked purely on
the general ground of the necessity Of permanently
| enlarging the Army. Against such an increase
many of the most distinguished men in Congress
have vehemently protested, and we think with en-
tire propriety and justice. Among them are
Messrs. Hale and Fessenden, Republicans, and
| Toombs and Houston among the Democrats. The
| general considerations on this side are presented
| By Nr. Toombs with mastery breyity and force,
while the specific objections to the use of detach
ments of the regular army fer frontier service are
depicted by Gen. Houston with distinctness and
point which could only arise from thorough
knowledge of the subject.
We thrk the position of Mr.. Fessenden on this
question wholly iDexpugnable, and that is briefly
this " If the Administration wants an increase OF
the standing army, let it say for what purpose,
and LET Congress judge of the necessity. If the
state of affairs in Utah demands the increase, let
Z" the Administration say so. If the troops are not
needed to quell the Mormons, but are needed for
something else, let that something be specified.
1" But if there is no specific necessity, but only
general sentiment or wish for the increase or
some hidden purpose concealed in the demand,
then let the increase be peremptorily denied"
Such is the substance Of Senator Fessendens views
and they are sound. We do not want an increase
Of the Army on any general grounds. 1t is too
large now. The Army is as dangerous to public
liberty here as il is elsewhere, and as it has always
been in all ages 1t is absurd to pretend that the
people of this country hold, or can hold, any ex-
emption from the uniform experience of mankind.
The Army is the great engine Of oppression welded
BY all governments. And, as has been well OBJ
served by Mr. Hale in the Senate debate, in these
days of steam and railroads, an army of 25 900 men
is more effective weapon for the subjugation Of
the people than 100000 were fifty years ago.
In view of the alarming aspect of public affairs
in view of the conspiracies against Freedom which
the repeal of the Missouri Compromise has hatched
in view Of the determined purpose of the Federal
Administration to plant Slavery in Kansas, and
then subject the people there to as gross military
despotism as anywhere bears sway in Europe or
Asia-these general considerations have startling
force. The demand for an increase Of the Army,
at such juncture as this, is indeed to be looked
upsn with alarm. We have no faith in the discern
ment of those who would sing lullabes to the public
suspicion amid such events as are now transpiring
around US. The mercenaries of the Federal Gov
errment are kept in Kansas to support fraud and
put down the right. There is no fraternity Offeeling
between the free people Of Kansas and our rulers
and masters at Washington. They are dcspised
and treated with contumely both in the Senate and
| at the White House. They are described as insur-
gents and rebels, fit only for the halter and the
knife. The President so regards them; Senator'S so
regard them. Should Kansas be admitted under
| the Lecompton Constitution the Army will be let
| loose upon them without hesitation, and in that
spirit of remorseless cruelty that marks every foot
| step of Slavery.
Is this time, then, to favor the increase of the
Army and gment Federal power We protest
against the assertion that the Kansas question is so
near conclusion that we can treat this subject
without any reference to the difficulties in that long
harrassed Territory. On the contrary. it is al-im-
portsnt that the question should be at least post
poned till the Lecompton swindle is disposed of,
and the slave interest develops its policy after it shall
have succeeded in enslaying Kansas. Mr. Buchanan
intimates that if that State is now admitted he shall
withdraw the troops. We do not know whether
| Mr.. Buchanan is truthful here or not. But one
| thing We do know; his masters and our masters
will permit no such thing as Withdrawing the
troops. Are they ready to see their darling
scheme of establishing Slavery in Kansas which
they have toiled for, lied for, swindled for
robbed and murdered for so long, blown
to the wind in dayi BY no means. If
they succeed, they will have established despot-
ism in Kansas by means of the Army, and they
mean TO perpetuate it by means of the Army.
| These men have not played their stupenduous game
| of fraud and infamy for nothing. Jefferson Davis,
as Secretary of War under Pierce, and now as
| Chairman of the Military Committee, has manipu-