Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1862-05-13
The Military Arm and the Civil Power G
the Government

The Military Arm and the Civil Power Of
the Government
If the war shoud by any antoward and
wholly unlocked Tor event, be prolonged an
other year, it woUld be, we appreheud, pro-
ductive of much mischief ia Introducing the
dangerous element Of large military power
into our government, to be excited, Prejudiced,
and used ii possible, 10 serve hee ends of design
ing men, quite irrespective Of its rsghtiul en-
ployment. We near much sad on ,ll sides, and
from all kinds Of men, of the necessity of re-
turning to the good old ways of the Gathers, and,
as we understand these ways from our readings
of history, we agree most heartly with the gen
eral proposition And it nay not be untimely
to consider now what are the rightlul proviacc
and functions of the military arn of the Ropub-
lie, and of the civil power, which is the head d.
rector, and supreme authority in the common-
wealth, ia tte COED eMce2s tituh.onal text Of the
fathers
The American GoVersneu Is strictly 0 oiuH
power The military arm, is ali agent to be
used whom needed, but it no psrt Of the Govern
ment. &o have u President the head Of the
eReca tpe power Of tie Government, and, by
yrtue Of his office, Cosauan5ar-in Chief We
have the Legislative and the Judicial depart
neuts, coordinate branches a the General Gov
ernment These cOmEclse the WhOie at orr Gov
ernmeat, snd are cbarg u VIE all its powers -
The relations Of Congc ,ss to the army are briehy
these lt has power ~ to raise and support ar
mics -'fO mdhe SsI5S 3or ehe goperHme'r OF
tkc lan1 goaceS;' to pcoVide - for ceiling forth
the militia to execute the laws of the Union
suppress instructions, Be- to provide Z" for
organizing, aiming, and dlsci4 lining the militia,
and fer gccornSng ouch part @f them as maj be
employed tx The ssrr,ce.,f The United iStafes =
Congress has also the pswer Z" to dec are wnr "
1t will thus be seen that the military arm Of Ehe
Government is to be provided for By Congress,
and to be .eevevis6 by ,saoh rules and reguia-
tions az 1t may prescribe t--thEt it is mot nGoy
Sense independent Sf Congress, or a0-ordinete
with it. but the creature of Congress and called
into beaag by 1T. ia other words, tho army is
but the servant 'Ct Congress-Mhich represents
the psopes-called into being for specific per.
poses and Tor limited time, ind subject, in It's
army, to the control and supervision uf the leg
islatiye power OF the nation. And thu Exeor l.
tive, for the time being, II the hesd OF e.! armI
and lite mil tary eoplllandar il he choe'es SO t.
act.
L. is obvlees, from these c0nstsl, tionai limitl-
tons OF the powers o. the amry, that it mus
5e always etictIy subordinate to Ahe civil powe,
in the Repsbha, or it transcends its rtgper Of
fee and functions 1t slso il obaiaus this it il
the constitutional right Of Congress and OF tn,
people through Congress, to droa how and io
what purposes the army shall be used IL i
further obvious tina, il the undevSlcd right o
the people to Iraslg give expression Il theirapin
ions and wishes, in respect 10 the conduct an,
leadership OF tbs Armies, the maRag al
campaign, or the oitiwato object !es which tn
army ia to be USED. Whether suck crltlcs IN
or opinions are wise or not. or valuable or not
is quite another matter. a<.d muet b. iudeai
like criticisms upon the proceedings Of Congress
or oil the administrators, or Of any otLeS depart
ment of he Goyerumeut. by the arguiaonts an
facts tJn which they ure based
We have been led to tLese SuggeStiaas be
eaaee. just nov, there seems 20 be purpasc q
the pact of some PORTIONS of ;Ge press to set til
Iaiitssy above the civil power al the Govern
,nen,. aud above The criticism ot the people
Ever since the President assumed the direction
10 some extent, OF tie Army Of the Republic. /
his capacity us heao ot the civil power Of ia
Government there has been u constant attack
partly covert. partly opee. upon him, and upo
the condnci Of The war under his direction.
has been iterateJ. and reiterated IN every var
ETY. of form. that civilians should not meddl
with the conduct OF the war; with the manage
ment of campaigns, with the objects for whic
the war was to lie prosecuted with the succe,
VI failure OF any General in the field And
has been nude, within the last few weeks, a
especial cause OF complaint that the presideu
rs interieted with the plans of Gen. McCle
Ian In conducting the campaign, and is rcspor
rible for the escape of the rebels at Yorktown
To be sure. this attack upon the President SOM
times takes the form OF the fiction of the En-
lish press in charging the faults of the Kin