Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-01-26
TIE QUARIERMASTER'S AND COM
MtSSSRY DEPARTMENTS.


=, is problem. and one of infinite ramiftca>
ticus I;involres great questions OF const'tu-
;;ansl construction it embraces many sta
,nt,s i; has labarynth Of facss. And yet,
notw:hstandii ali these circumstances, 1t l.
dirfy l,nsn that We are washing in the face OF
tie worll. The committee have "bolted to
the b. an" this proposition without finding "tLe
tx;o grains of uheat hid in two bushels OF
uhad .cr they have not discovered to the
,mutry whether 'she right man is in She right
a.. q" OF whether we have any Qaarttrmast' r
General.
Thn country does not care whether Colonel
Myers IS ia or out, nor whether Gen. Lawen
i.or is not Q,artermsstcr General; the great
yussti,a is. are the duties of that Departme''
di,chu, ged 10 the bss: interests OF the country
and To- tho sure n motion Of the cause? AZ
piece o: ratiociuaslon, Mr.. Spsrro|'s report
lows IN accurate acquaintance with the law
md pre- erts tie iac:s nj the case very strongly
against the Secretary of War. The repor'
a,.us. very strongly acains. the constitution
II ,,raprieiy Of General Lawtcn'sa appointment
end establishes a very strong case IN favor Of
Co.urel Myers and, il there Was nothing q
more iulor,ance before the Congress ano
oysrshaGowirs the country, wc should nave
read the report with moro pleasure, and beel
distressed 10 have insisted upon its conclusions
being recognized by the Executive. Ii the
,.rnm',tes will examine into the manag"mep'
of .the Qarrtermaster' Department, and d..
cover Il q. General LAYTON has not promoted
,as in crest Of the army. we snail insist upon
lis removal. and lin with the committee IL
ielnardug proper reformation.
C,l Myers organized the Q lavteTn,astsr's
De7a;te,cnt Under the greatest difficulties: h
vas 'aboriuus AID faithful 10 his duties, and
We consider that ne accomplished wonders IN
tha. depnr, ment; but. notwithstanding this.
there w,re great complaints and much dis
sa...f. elton. Fit were necessary, we could
extract from the files Of mcof our cOntem-
rnrariys. who arc now so very prone to COM
n'ain oC his renewal, columns of dlssatistac-
lion with the head OF that department, which
we7e AZ unjust q Col Myers as their preseht
tsDons4, of us cause has been inconsisteht.-
While ~ r+grer,ed lis removal, yet We &C
qriesccG IN it, because we thought it would
DC thc Initiation of reform throughout other
departments W. hoped it would be followed
~ bY the dismissal of Northrop from the
cJn.uaissaev Generals Departments dis
MS, al called Ion by The Test interest of the
c,u9try. dsman,led by the necessities of the
cause. G,nd urged by every consideration q
pa,ric;isn, aud duty. The controversy about
q Il Lawtnn and Col Myers sinks into insjg-
,;iic .nc, before ito magnificent Incubus Utieb
from he heai Of the Conr.issary Department,
ra-a!raea public energy, and casts sickcn-
iuc gloom ov'r ;ds pslhlic heart. But the re.
firm stalled before il started. We do rot
Enow u pat were the reasons thar caused Col.
I1yer.' removal and We "annot conceive any
THAT justly NOrti rop's retention. There II
less mris,n1 about the .Quartermaster's De-
ney.mert. III DIR Gen Lawtor, thaL there
Was DIR Col. Myers. because the organIza-
ton /: row beiTg fe)t end develop d. and the
clriDlairt; viii become less and less as the
war progresses; bat in the G mml7ssry De-
ss:irncnt neither time nor organ .tion brings
arv relief We shall not undertake to decide
wh,Jscr the defects Of the Commissdry
Department heiorg to its orGanIzati' q.
,.r rssr!t from the want IF capacity
on The part OF Col. Noithrop, or from the ex
hau,:ed rdition of the country. Such an
inpuiry would be useless the dissatisfaction
exists, and is doing immense injury to tie
cause. Whit is Cl. Ncrtlrop'- duty in euch
a case? Whom Gen. Bragg discovered tina
i,is usefulness was impaired be did not stop TO
inauire wbsrh-r hy error Of his own or the
ma.isnity Of others. but he resigned; thus
er;ncing an unselt h patriotism more noble
than the most successful military campaigr.
Issu h IN example lost upon Col. Northrop?
We believe he has done the best he could,
uerSars no other aan could have done better,
blu, his u ,efuincss is gone why persist in Re
tai ing pasi ion which is fast concentrating
nnoo his head the curses Of the whole coun
r9? Why wiil he not resign, and relieve
.ha P-4siden. fran the Mnpnpularity. an&ssm-
bar rs ments that cling'to the commissary de-
n,rtnent? If under his successor the com
p,aints continue, it will demonstrate that Col.
Nyrthr, p's management WIS not at fault;
and if under his successor the complaints
cease. and the army is better fed, the gratii
cation ui having aided his country, OF having
contributed to It's cause, will override oil sell
fish regrets from lost place. This controversy
about the qrarter master general is but the
mutssrrgs Of storm that will burst upon
tn, head Of the commissary general; and un-
less be resigns. or is dismissed, Congress will
repeal the law establishing commissary
generals department Sach action we should
regcet, and 70 prevent ii We urge him to re
sign.
We don't want any more dirty linen rims,
in The face of the world We desire to see
every man sustaining and supporting the |
President, increasing his popularity and !
s.rcns thening that great sympathy for him
which is one of the bonds that unite the PEG.
pls and enable them to meet the demands
male up N them BY their cause. We shall
l,se tie sym patty and admiration won fol our
cause by our gallant army if we exhibit our-
poop!e, whom not even the common dangers |
Of sne present war could unite in the har- |
,uony necessary to success. It may appear |
extremely independent, and one may win
notoriesy by assailing an exalted officer, |
q hose public responsibilities have elected the |
sympathies of ali hut the indictments and
3,,ap.artS hut n IL an indepcn1ence and