Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1863-11-25

68COUu uuJOI, WIN uSSu Hlm 40 ul6 piOPS1Sy
But we have no hope that this or any other evil
will be remedied. The government is in the hands
of privileged class, banded together, and quick to
sustain each other against all charges and investi
CATIONS There might be great and sslutary reform
in every branch Of the public SERVICE but Mr. Davis
is not the person to see such reform carried out
Many Titles make much. We do not hesitate to
express the opinion that not less than two hundred
millions Of our redundant currency might have been
kept from circulation and saved by proper economy
on the part Of those at the head of public afairs:-
"Reterence Was made in my last letter to the con-
dtion of the horses in this army, and to the neces
sity of exercising care and economy in the use of
them, especially in the view of the large numbers
that have been destroyed during the and of the
present limited supply This necessity grows stfon
ger every day, being in proportion to the loss of
animals in the service, the further contraction Of
available territory aud the rapid deterioration Of
our railways. Every possible effort should be made,
therefore, to preserve the horses we have aud to in
crease the stock; and to this end teamsters artil
lerists, cavalrymen, and all those persons having
horses in the service should be required to take as
good care of them possible while all brood mares
should be exempted frcm ,mpressment. If neces-
sary, orders to this effect should be issued from the
War Office. and all mounted officers instructed to
see that they are oheyed. In the meantime, every
facility should be extended to farmers and others
who may desire to engage in the business Of raising
horses and mules
An iwpressment for horses for this army was re.
Gently ordered in Georgia. The horses we're much
needed at the time, but could no. the demand have
been supplied from other sources, and that, too,
without increasing the number of horses 10 be fed
The custom prevails in this sr.ny of allowing oil
general officers above brigsdiers to have escorts.-
There is Mejor General who is reported to have
escort of forty mounted men, and another one An
escort ofone hundred aud twenty -6Ve A 1t. General
who was lately here is SAID to have had an escort
twice as numerous as the latter. Some have one
NUMBER and some another, according to their fancy
or vanity, as you please: In other words, We have
Bashaws with one tail and Bashaws with two tails
and Bashaws with three tails. These cavalcades
have their regular officers, and consequently We hear
of g" Majors Of Horse" and "Captains of Horse"
officers wholly unknown to the law. Indeed, so
universal has this practice become that one seldom
meets an officer riding alone. Nearly all Of them
have one or more orderles following after them, in
cluding captains aud majors of artillery, quarter
masters, commissaries, &c
The COmmander-in Chief is entitled to and re-
qures an escort especially in time Of battle when
it is necessary for him to communicate frequently
with all parts Of the field; but other officer not
exerciserng separate comtAnd does need an escort
Why then should not these kites be shorn of their
tails these gentry dsmounted, and trusty muskets
placed in their hands, and their horses turned over
to the artillery companies and the Quartermasters
Department. Such csudal appendsges are of no
sort of use either to the officers who fly them or to
the army. On the contrary, the horses have to be
fed, and their riders subsisted and paid, just if
they rendered the most valuable service; while
wagons aud teams which might otherwise be profit
ably employed required to transport their sup
plies and camp equipment Indeed, they are an
offence in the eyes of the brave men who for near
ly three years have carried their muskets, and our
cause itself, upon their heroic shoulders-a scauds
lous exhibition Of military vanity, which, though
pardonable under some circumstances, is wholly
out of place at q time like this.
Instead. therefore. Of ordering the late impress
ment Of horses, it would have been wiser to have
dismeunted these gentry. Such escorts are an
known in the army of Northern Virginia. General
Lee alone in the army has an escort-a small one
which never goes with him except in battle, when
the men are used as courers; all other General
officers are restricted the legal number of order
lies or couriers call them. If the reform were
carried still further, and officers were restricted to
one or two horses at most it would be all the bet.
ter; not merely because the number of horses is
rapidly diminishing, but on account of the LIMITED
supply of forage and means of transportation. It is
no longer matter of choice but necessity"
HIaHHANDED IMPREssn ENr.-We learn that the
Quartermaster at Weldon has ordered the farmers
Of Northampton to drive in one-tenth of their cat