Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-05-04
THE GOVERNMENT AND ARNY
OFFEOERH.


EDITORS APrEAL: desire to cali attention to pro.
ceedIng on the part Of the Government officials At
Richmond affecting very large number Of officers In
the Confederate States services No fact Is ApPs
rent to the observing than that the authorities at Rich
mond have Arraysd themselves against the commits
stoned officers Of the army. They to take It for
granted that majority Of the officers In the army
have in rome unsceountable manner elevated them
selves to the positions which they hold; while the
truth Of the matter i the authorities have, fer
more than three years. either authorized Informal and
what they pleased 10 term Illegal elections pro-
motions have knowingly allowed others to suthoEizs
them without any attempt to correct the informali'y
Aud now when they forth at this late day to set
matters zrGht according their understanding Of
military propsty they proceed in such mannsr as 70
affect most seriously large class Of cficers who have
been appointed promoted In a manner now deemed
irregular and for which rrsgulEny save the hssds
OF departments and the Richmond authorities are re-
sponsibie. A blunder has been made somewhere, and
soebody must suffer forit These authorities psrcsivng
now th2t there Is large Of officers above the
number actually Necessary for the prosecution OF the
war hSve no doubt, secretly dstermnsd to get rid OF
the supss It is believed by all that they fully intend
to take advantage Of the infornziifies which they
themselves have least facility not actually, allowed,
prac;eed and authorized to put ont OF the way that
vast surplus Of officers which ike very body of DEATH
Is chained to the army, encuUberEg with iE weight
the movomsnts of the whole military organization.
No ons eoald object to tbs accomplishment Of ihs
end but there many who have jaSt cause
to protest against the Of the means employed UE-
der late orders froc the War Department, complete
roster Of every oganizSton required 10 be made out
AHlegd elections appointments promotions to
be marked In ink-sl Illegal, in pencil. All promotions
except iy seniorlty nlegSl- The names Of eonPs.
ny officers thus holding positions Illegally are be re
corded in pencil and liable, by mstaOds than
one to be ob Grated" What is meant, what Is inHinu
ssed by ths covered thruatf There are In the army
hundreds OF ofeesz who upon the Recommendation Of
satherzsd examining boards have bsen promoted over
their seniors Having been mora studious and mOrs
attentive to their duties they were able to pass
more critical examination than the ccers whom
hsy were recommended to be promoted Nevertheless
heir names mus. b9 marked In pencil and are liable
by more methods than one be sblsrstsd' Ths senior
ossr merely because he is senior, obtains his promo
ton simply ss matter of course, and without any
question as to his Eapsr.or quasstoa Waat, thsB u,
Is the of an exAmlng boardf IT, By any means, fair
or foul an officer his election, Why sen
orty" rcd tape" regular channel" and the regular
| military mill" viii do tho rest for-him.
| Agau: Promotions Of field officers by commanders
are Illegal and void and viii only bs Indicated in PEN
en- Many Of the very best field officers In the army
Tsero promoted by commandsIz and promoted because
Of their efficiency and competency. To declare there
promotions Illegal and void s to throw out Of position
that olsss Of officers who must presume rose sl0n'
upon their merit 1t Is Lot denied that the right
to promote ofisarz over their seniors would occasion
ally be abused that It would not unfrequsntly happen
that favoriie relation without merit would b
promoted over q really deserving officer But to mak'
promotion by seniority alone the Law In the army would
be to sfe the energies OF those who would otherWiss
endoz7or TO nj ''amsslvea worthy Of promotion.
msn might grso A1e in Yale eollgs, As matter O.
course and be none the respectable respected
for it, hut diploma from the University Of virgins
be regarded the very best evidence Of scholar
ship, The reason is plain. He dles not graduate g
the University Of Virginia "as 8 matter Of course.
private with pOcketful Of money and liberal dig
position as genera thing might very easily be elect
ed captain OF his company. Seniority" might verJ
sooD make him colonel, etc, and all because he hap
psned to have poexstful Of money and liberal, O
ever a designing disposition. Those who have beer
IN tie army and have the workings and sohsmis
Of uaprileplsd and incompetent msn know how to ap
preeiste the force OF this suggestion. An examining
board Of compstent officers of high rank who coul'
have for Partially, should carefully exam
inc all candidates for promotion to Company OceTs anS
these candidates should take rank according TO th
scale Of merit alone. TIE fact that a man held ofie
wo1Id tAsn be taken positive evidence that be de
| served to hold it.
/ II the Government really desires to get rid Of tn
Hundreds and thousands Of supemumersTy officers VII
| cumber the army why does 1t not at determin
the number Of officers needed, aad establish exsmnin
boards in every brigade to select the number required
OF those most competent giving every officer, how
ever, the liberty 10 choose between going before th
PICARD aud going into the ranks and the right to sesc
the command with which be will Eorvs as private 1
| the rs9ks
There are very many company officers in the army
who than willing to try their fortunes In th
ranks under some one OF our many entsrprising CAY
airy leGderr and there srs a very few who would nC
Iafaiely rather d. 20 than be reduced, rattle
than to run the risk Of becoming "lisbls By ms
DDS than one" to have their names "OblIterAted' 70
ever from the roll of officers. They wiling
serve thsi7 countTy in any capacity, II the Govern
men; will only give them opportunity to DO 80 hol
orabIy; but they are not willing TO be uneeremon
| ously wiped ou because, foFsooth, the War Depar
ueat sees proper to correct which 1t eonnYed
for more than three years. Every thing considered,
woud certainly be little could be expected fro
the GoyerDmsnt to allow oesrs who have been SO u
fortaz2ts as to be promoted their seniors, a.
whose nEres b. oblitsratsd 10 reEis with II
privilege Of choosing tho command with which the
VIII serve Nothing more would be asked eapsote
bv one ,yhose name is 'Hsble, by methods tbs
( one, tob be OBLITER ATED."