Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-10-10
A REASON WHY

BY this time the country clearly appreciates
the great difference between the promptness of
the Rebel armies in their mo yements in the field
end the lack of such proRptness on the part of
our armies in similar eases. II also duly ap-
prPcia:es the disastrous results of this differ
enee, as seen IN repeated Union disappointments
and defeats; for all which the Union Generals
IN command are held responsible by those who
dc not look below the surface of public affairs.
Now, the truth is, in most such cases the trouble
lies far deeper than the superficial observer
sGpposes. Ii is attributable to the so-caIled
"philanthropc" legislation, last winter, of the
radical majority of Congress, who formally
essayed system of managing our military af.
fairs founded on the idea that military offeEses
should no longer be punished under the flag of
the United States. .- f-.-. .,...
The experience of military men since civili-
cation began, has resi- lted in bringing every
Government in the world to the point of en-.
trusting ITS commanders in the field with the
right OF ordering the death punishment to be
inflicted upon any man. or officer below the
rank OF General. who prrpetrates heinous
military crime. That is: on the spot. Our
radical Congress, however last winter passed
law forbidding any Union commander TO in
flict the death punishment hereafter, and also
making il uniaw full for them to order the infiic.
ton of the lash as punishment for desertion ::
the mitgat, punishment for that ofense long
since adopted by this Government in lieu of the
death punishment lin time of wary yet adhered
to by every other Government under the sun.
The consequence is, while our armies are
admirably drilled, they woefully lack discip-
line. Every offense committed must be referred
to Il court-martial. under tle direction of the
radicals Of COngress,l though ii is notorious
that eourtS-martIal composed of volunteer
officers, rs they must necessarily be almost
exclusively in our service, fail TO do their duty
rieldly in forty-fye OUT of every fifty cases
II is further we'll known that three fourths Of
tie military offenses committed cannot be pun
ished with advantage 10 the public interes.
unless punished son the spot" That is with
lar greater promptness than is possible if the
intervention of coGrt-martal be resorted to.
Ills state of things amounts TO a high pre-
MUM upon desertion. struggling, marauding,
ihieving. disobedience of orders, and indeed in
favor of the preparation OF hundreds of mill
t3ry crimes, great and small eliminating nat
urally enough in the total lack of that terrible
discipline prevailing in the rebel armies, which
has so far so effectually deprived us of the
advantages OF Our greater abundance of every
other element OF success. Thus their advantage
over US IN this particular has clearly over
balanced our advantages over them in every
other particular. -.
10 much for the interference of the radical
politicians in the management OF the war, i'm
this important particular.
Three dave ago. by the by, ut a single swoop
roless than three thousand deserierS, stragglers,
C. who had been collected in the con yaescent
camp near Alexandria, were sent to their
respective regiments. Throwing out of the
calculation the enormous pecuniary loss in
voived in sueh wholesale deserton, struggling,
&c, the public will not fail to realize how it
serves TO weaken the hands of our commanders
III carrying out the measures of their respective
Campaigns. The remedy. and the only one, is
In rescuing the legislative management of our
military affairs from the hands of the incom.
petents, who have 50 grevously damaged them.
a explained above.