, 1860-10-20

nasty.
From ihe New York Courier and Erqa!1es,]
The Present Administration, as if determined
to prove i:lelf the most corrupt that has yet
disgraced tho cou-rry, mR73ges to Introduce
its practice 10 Inc 6eSrinent ot evely depart
met. Ike management Of the Wa Depart.
uent has been, md IL, disgrace 10 the age;
and the bold ana un.crupulous manner in which
nolitical favoTitlsua hxB seen allowed to i1la.
eoce the President and El3 Secretary, to the
detriment Of the SERVICE tad the If srlk Of every
member OF the profession, is almost past belle
Every day some pew ciscuns' ncs Is brought
to light in the catalogue Ut these ipeuits, which
under other ruIc would havs reused the indi1-
nation Of the most devoted political na=euver-
er; now THAR recital appears to have lost even
The power Of exciting eurio:ity in regard to
their detail
quarters at Washington, which will show the
nature of the operatons At that p!4ce. Lieut..
Ale1. E. Drake, of The Secood fnf1asry, WAS
| convicted bg Court Martial, On full and Auih-
| Giant evidence, aud after every facility fer de-
fence had been grated him, Of conduct unbe-
coming IN officer and gentleman, and sen.
| tanc d ito be dismissed Irom the service Of
| the United S,a.es," the sentence being accom-
panied with no Recommendation 10 the IenieEcJ
/ Of the President; bat, Oh the contrary, on
| chsrRes OF 10 aggravated n1tcre as - dis
| quatlIJ hin him fDreTer from intercourse with
gentlemen. The sentence, in tho face Of Ill
this, has been deliberately reversed BY the &C
tion Of the Prtsident, who, without the Assign
ment of single reason toE his determination,
thus cartiy and unceremonioutiy quashed the
proceedings: The sentence Of the Court Mar.
tiaI is dlsspproved. The officer ~lll be ordosed
| to duty, JAhxs DucuAsAS." 4 direct snd ua-
qualified insult 70 toe geGtlemen ~ho eomposed
me court, and to The whole army, and IN iEri'
tation to TEE commission OF anJ crime BY any
individual possessing the requi4ise political IL
fuenee.
The second case will further e1ueidate the
system upon which every operation st Wseh.
i12ton is now based. Upoo graduating 1t " ct
Point the young cthcera aio assigned TO the
different branches Ut tbs sersice in accordance
with THAR order Of merit as the osa OF the last
examin asion-the assignuentto the position il
the claas being made ny the Academic Boa1d
The rule IS imperative, II stil IN force, aud has
| neyer been departed from hitherto. Ia accord'
ance with this rule, tbs hi2heat on the list il
merit ara assigned TO TIE Engineers, the nex1
to the Ordnance. the text 10 the Artillery, aud
80 On through the different arms OF Tho service
At the cloae Of the last examination, member
Of tho class, who po&zeaset 1ntu.nce at WAh
| 1ngton, and who graduated IN his class y Z
moderate positen oaly, was, by the order O
tue SecretarT, placed II the Ordnance, whllt
lore him In tia order Of merit, ,wers attached t
the Artillery!
Tnose Who still, in their bind political zeal
uphold the purity Of the present Administrs
I ton, eud CHIN TO it AnJ remnant Of decenc1
| or selt1espec., will do well to ponder thea
specimens Of Its honesty. Political pauderi&u
has never, cersRinly, In the history Of any M
ton 10 dis graced and degraded ths 1ulezh Of
people.