Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1859-05-12
The Army OF the United States.

The contrast, in another respect, is more Won
derful still. In the matter of the cost Of maintain
ing troops in this country. as compared with the
cost in Europe, We discover something far more
wonderful than the mere disparity of numbers.
In France, for instance, where there is an i'm
mense Army. and where military affairs occupy
the chief attention Of the Government. they main-
tain a large standing Army ut an average price
of one hundred and seventy five dollars per
annum TO the man. In some Of the other ma
tons of Europe, tho cost per man is still less than
that. A few years ago-just before tho Crimenn
war was commenced we saw q statement some
where, to tho effect that Russia maintained her i'm
mense Army nt IN average cost per annum Of not
more than seventy five dollars per man.
At this cheap rate We Gun understand how it is
TIM: the great Powers Of Europe manage to keep
such IN immense military force in the field. Ger
tain it is, if their troops cost them ~ much, per
man. ms ours cost us,they would soon DO in n hope
less condition Of bankruptcy.
The annual expenditures of this country, for
military purposes. now exceed twenty millions OF
dollars. The number Of our troops, as above sta
ted, is about sixteen thousand. BY n simple cal
culation it will be seen that our troops average
about fifteen hundred dollars apiece, every year.
Thus, our Army costs us in The proportion of Eight
times rs much rs TINT If France does. ind twenty
times as much rs that of Russia. On the money
which nc tako TO maintain one soldier, Russia
would maintain trcafy.
But, the question naturally arises, how is i
that our military establishment, small us il il,
costs us SO much money? How IS it that our sol,
diers average fifteen hundred dollars for n man.
when no where else do they cost one ffil tina,
sum?
1t is not paid to the soldiers. We believe TINT.
besides their clothing aud rations. the rank and
file get only eight dollars u month upicce-ninety
six dollars n year. The question then rccurs.
how is it thut they cost fifteen hundred dollars IL
year?
The answer is, it is done hy other means of ex-
penditure-by contracts, jobs, unnecessary forts
and arscnals, useless arms. aud by plumber and
pillage Of every desrription. That's "the why
tho money goes" 1t is not rnil to the soldier
II is paid TO an army of ontacfors--men who live
and grow rich by furnishing the Government with
military supplies, aud charging enormous and rx-
trayngant prices for ll,cip -mcn who contract for
every service of the Goverumcut i'll the military
line, Imaginary or real and charge for it what
ever they choosc. The rtah expedition cost the
Government millions Of money in that way. Tn.
er tho prctrncc Of fighting ladians niso, we inl
the War Department annually swindlcd ont Of
immense sums oi money.
All Of these expenditures Jumped together,
show the rise "i twenty millions of dollars II wear
for maintaining the mere handful Of mon that con
stitute the regular Army of the United Slntcs.-
Col. Benton, we believe. years ago, proposed to
abolish the Army altogcthcr-as being useless and
unnecessary in n country like this, where nc
can always rely confidently unon volunteers to
repcl an invader, or to pursue nm enemy. Ger
tain it is, if our Amy expenses go ON increasing
for n few wears longer in thc same proportion they
have been doing for n lew years past. there willie
n great many converts to Col. l}cnton's doctrine e.
1t costs about double Us much to maintain the Ar
my alone, Mt this time, us it did 10 maintain the
whoie Government during the Presidency ofMr.
Jefferson and Mr.. Madison!
D. T. Bisbio Esq of Norfolk.
A correspondent If the Richmond Wing writes
from Norfolk ms follows:
ID. l. Bishie. Esq, has Just received the unani-
nous nomination for the House of Dclcentes.
This gentleman has won golden opinions, and en-
deared himself to the poo lie of orr section iy his
%untiring energy and iniomitablc perseverance, in
the great cause of internal improvements. His
popularity has been steadily growing. and he will
be elected 10y IL handsome minority over the East
ern Shore party.
Mr.. Bisbie's valuable services in the cause Of
Internal improvements are not known aud appre-
ciated in Norfolk alone. Throughout Central
aud Southwestern Virginia, his name ia familiar
to the people "a one of the most able, unfinching,
and disinterestcd trienls of internal development
in the State. Particularly is he known for the
for the force and ability with which he has advo-
Gated the completion of the Central Water Line
Of Virginia. work or vast prospective benefit
not only to Norfolk but to the whole Common
wealth. His u~nanswerablc Appeal in behalf
of that great improvement has given him n repu-
tation of which any man may well he proud.
The city Of Norfolk, with an eve to her future
prosperity, can do no better thing than to send
Mr.. Bisbie to the Legislature. An industry that
never flags, and an energy that is weakened by
no obstacle however formidable, are tho qualities
that make n useful and efficient lesi.lator-und
these qualities Mr.. Bisbie possesses in an eminent
degree. We shall anticipate his election by a de-
%cisive majority.
Col. ROBERT HATroN has been nominated ms
Opposition candidate for Congress in the Fifth
District Of Tennessee, against Mr.. Ready. Ready
though protesting to be an American is sustained
by the Democrats.
GAMING.-Tho Ioicdo o. bi' de- TT the It'll, un-
der the head of Court. has the + Il wing item:
The case Of James b. Steaimnn, indicted for