The weekly sun. (New York [N.Y.]) 1851-1869, 1861-12-14

ne ,nat no combination Of events can arise III tn
which this country will not DO able not onIv thviI
protect ITSELF but, contrary 10 1. noiicv Sp sbe
Is peace with all the world 10 enter upon A.,
IessIVe operations against any power that mivH O,
lntermeeele with our domestic affairs. com,
mittee should be appointed by Conrress In,
authority to sit during the recess 10 devise an
reTort plan for the general organization o,. now
the Militia of the United States. TO
IT'S OF great Importance that immediate at
tenion should he given TO the condition ~ on aus
fJrtihcations upon the seaboud and tho Lake. ~, s
and upon our exposed frontiers. They should ny
once he placed in perfect condition ior H.
iul defense. Aegressions are seldom male upoiton
nation ever ready TO defend its honor, AND t. b,
rerel insults and we should ihow to thpicioL
world that while engaged in quelling distur
Dances at home we are abls TO protect ourseyees m
, AGAINST attacks from abroad had
th oe made for increasing tn corps Of ca lets West1
the great est capacity Of the Military Nc i' tel
ih,ie are now only i92 cadets al that pursuit !,
lh,,t ,hi, n 400 am assured BY ng the Conf
ut ~ lhat 4OO can at present be aClSAy, VII
anu tha,i with very triGlng adA-
Icnsc, THIS number nay be increa-.,s
hundred. II Il not necessary, at this Al
70 sneak Of the value of educ, tel -.
! Mhhe, IN time Of war or rebellion, we
ueP,hl manly upon our militia and vol u
te,rr, We shall always need thoroughly trl,.
9ihGeIs' Two cl's'es having been etai..
duilng Tho prcscn' year, in order that IN,
! vice might have the benefit Of their p,ii;,.s
educaticn had hoped that Congress al N. MI
ira session, would authorize an increase of siIe,,
4 number. Having failed to do 50, trust that,
at the approaching session increase will Lt I'M
authorized, and that the selection Of cadets vind ~
be limited exclusively to those states which CO.. nj
, operating cordially with the government, hay, 81
brought their ioiccs INTO the field TO aid in thea Al
maintenance of its authority ~
recommend that the system Of promo,ionN.srl
which prevails in the regular service be applero y
TO the volunteer forces in the respective sta,esnrJ
Inc advancement OF merit should DO the leadd ri
| inc nTincifle In all a,I L..
teer soldier should he given TO understand thar AZ II
prtterment will be the reward Of intel scc,A
senCe' huellty, ana distinguished service. n,tan
The course above recommended has been pur,icn
sued ny this department. and 1t is my intonton.hc
80 Tar as in my power, to continue a systeumedl
which cannot fail to have most beneficial clf,c, III
| upon the entire service. oh
BY existing laws and regulations an officer of II
the regular army ranks an officer Of volunteers
Of the samo grade, notwithstanding he COM loo
mis- ion OF the latter may be Of antocedent date No
In my judgment, this practice has a tendency nd
TO repress he aror and to limit the opportuni sz1
yior distinction OF volunteer officers, ard a 81
char 80 should be male by which seniority of
commission should coaier the right Of command. erti
submit for reflection tho question, whether tpsI
the distinction between regulars and volunteers ind
| which now exists should be permitted to con- 4
tinue. The efficiency OF the army, Il appears r pI
to me, might be greatly increased by CONSOLE herI
| dation Of the two during the continuance &C the
| war, which, combining both forces would con- TnI
| stitute them one grand army of the Union. ue{
Recruiting for the regular army has no; been
attended with that which was anticipa-r u1I
| ted although large number Of men have en- inf|
| tered this branch Of the service. While II ss ~
admitted that soldiers in the regular army, bu
der the control OF officers OF military educatonfos/I
and experience, are generally better cared forsei
than those in the volunteer service IL is certain u
that the popular preference Is largely given to-. III
the latter. Young men evidently prefer to en- LnlI
ter corps Of officers with their friends aud ac-II
quain,Unces, and besides the bounty granted o.
volunteers in most Of the states, inducomcnts ~
arc often directly offered TO them by those,T|
success in obtaining recruits. In al ~
dition,, the volunteer is allowed to draw M
| his full pay Of $13 per month, while by law, nj
81 Per month are deducted from the pay oF&I
the regular, TO he returned e. him at the end o
| his term of service. In my judgment, this law
| should be repealed, and the regular soldier al n|
| lowed to receive his full pay when due. HeUI
should also receive either a reasonable bounty,
upon enisting, or an advance of :20 ofthe slOiU|
which law Of the last session Of Con ;resa III
grants 10 regulars and volunteers on the exInU
piration of their periods of service. This woul,
| doubtless stimulate enlistment, as it would CO..
able the soldier 10 make some provision TO- Hn
those dependent upon him for support utts,t sf4
receives his pay. N
Additional railroad facilities arc suggest, -
between Baltimore and Washington, at AnnlpcIH1
| lis, and in the City Of Washington. Al
UDoer an appro Jriaion granted for that pur4 III
pose at the last session Of Congress- a TeleI
rraphic Bureau was establisl al and has ia, III
iound of The Greatest service In o,,r ';,j,a
eratons sb7 rniles ~ toIera,J ill., h, y, La
already built and nut In o,se,,i -0 "A'' O'''
On Tho H. 81 tIo n 49, ,''',L
General Win6eIJ Sol voI"ninriI
his high command as GoncraIIin Cb;oT oS ,S.
American Army lilo had ci,,bCiI,, al ,IhM
| lantly served his country for UPWARDS of half
century and the glory of his achieypmcnts ba =. ii
given additional lustro TO the brightest pages e :.
our ma onal annals. The all. ctiSns of f,ratc
fnl people followed him into his retirpm, MIR,
| Tho Pre- sident Immediately conferred the CONF
mand of the arlnv upon the officer next in ,apkpM
Fortunately for the country Major CIeneratlU
| Mcclellan had proved himself eouSl to eye. Vii
situation in which his great talen 5 had be. sM
called into exercise Ills brilliant acbieve5
ments in Western Virginia. the untirinr en,n,
| Nv and consummate ability he has displayed
| the organization and discipline of an entircl. M
new army, have Justly won for him he CONT UI
dence and applause of the troops and of tn
nation.
Extroordinar, IaLor orarcy and t,l.r, b.vs