Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-06-03
MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DAVIS,
~ lie tit 10 O.Yami.c General ;HaH, for
i,.mj,. o., 1le EyciJ

MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT DAVIS,
D.. lie tit 10 O.yani-e General ;%eH,}o
-A1mits IN tte FvsH
fnasra.N&s Of tn" House of Espresenta :
,i"cs iai tv.oyc thes hody, on Monday last, tile
i1liowipg message Grum the President. giving
his 7c,s":s f'r :,c: Improving tho hill % pro
vi e nn! "lgu;iih- I, General Staff for
Armies IL it., Field. 20 Serve duriug thu war,
p,sseu IL the last Cougtess
- Ire Senate ead House of Representatives. ct
lie CcNveds' ate States Of Amsr,ca:
A bill! to provide ard orgauia. general
s.a.i ilr armies IN tbe ti,ld, to servs during
the wsr," was Us: sed Is your predecessors.
and submitted for any approval at tho close Of
the l!s; 81, sou. l WAS unable 90 approve it,
aud now s!esiro to state my objections t, it, So
we'll 81 Ey viAns On this important subject,
il The hopc Tint, NV i comparison Of opiuior ,
s1Iac mt;.euia rWV 10 framed cquaiiy eccepta-
hl, {. tic Legislative aid Executive Depart
" Dts OF ihc Government.
triie.c it t, DO Established hy the eXpe-
risnrr :, Europe, as we'll as cur Own, that II
is III; ;pIacticsho 10 organi2, aud administ6
srulies with efficiency without the aid of u
general staff, permanent in its character,
trained in its duties. aspiring to promotion in
i!s own cops, a.d responsible to the heal OF
tJa departments Such Is staH should bu ajm-
posed OF sina body IF OH aers, whose educa-
zion, experience, actiTity and special udepta'
:ion to their Gu les render thenl peculiarly
r1mpetert to perform functions on whith an
army ieurn,:s Ter its capacity 10 act with VI
sor. i. Europe, yta:s OF varied education in
.hc schools, tho .nto: lh mt, aid the tie d. III
the s;a II iiiIar fer his l0sil!uh and long ey-
,.e,i, ice ;h The lower s,ra1es is required be.
fure he Is ieau.ed a.mrs!ent 10 duty in L more
important sphere. We are forced to make
experimental appointments Of officers UMPIRE
pared hY any previu triieIng and who eail
only acquire in actual service that experience
which must serve in pl.ce oi well grounded
Instructions. K is scarcely possible 10 make
this experience supply the defect CT previous
military education otherwise than by the Or
garinasiOu # the tii!cers into one c4rps, re-
sjn...a;!ie I" one lread, wlln can assign them
10 ,rI-i,i"nF Independent oi ,ha movements ol
general tif ers, and who. By ,iud'cicus'y va
r,iny the fisld vr character ot their duties,
IN give them larger opportunities for instruc-
tiun aui prevent their views being narrowed
10 tie routine and uSaacs Of u single CT N
,nander himself. perh.rs, without military
education.
Hope If promotion, founded on their own
lner, a. rd .eagth of good service, il as neces-
sarY 10 the officers o. the General Staff as to
thcs1 c; The l.na furnishing the best stimulus
kGuni. 20 honorable exer,ipn and z,alJus dis
caG7se IF duty. This stimulus cannot x st
unless the SAT- be organized into one c)rps,
res pcnsihle to ono chief. who, thus becoming
intimately acquaihtel with tho capacity and
merits Of oach. is .ble properly to distribute
the duties, 80 as to feeure the services Of the
ri shs man in the right place, and afford t.
each IN %: oriuuity tcs distinction. Il Other
wiss, saci All 1fficer becomes dependent
! urou the particular commander with whom lie
:g serving and no 10 eG,s # comparison exist be.
w cen tns rt!atisG ,aurits oi tbs officers. Each
, loaka lar promotion 10 The favor of hiH gcne-
Iai .snd risea ia grade, I"t by his Cwn relative
merit tu: hy the patronage ct his ccmrnandcr
! A saiantand able commander. 81 hnse own pro-
m3tiou Is exceptionally rapid by reason of his
Special merits, is thus enabled 10 lift to higher
grades the fleets oi biz staff ~ whom he har
| become attached 10y compsnionsh;p in the
! field, although these ottccrs may be far info
rier in ,aet:. aud l,ng.h Of service TO Others
| II hose Gutieg bare connected them with gene
; r:ls !ssa l:syins uished. Promotion thus b.
becomes with thu siaa mater cG hazard, de-
pecden. or the merit, rot Of the officer linn.
| self, hut .! the gsreral with whom he serves
,, and hear: brruluas, snlOusies and di:cjntgni
age tie nafrira! rrsul:5 OF So fa'Es Rystem.
A:aia: Ii The Geueral Staff is not formed
into crrs, thc,e will nos DO the esprit" nj,
s,ary ,p ali milia:y o. ganis::i5Ha, aud th.fi
! cannot Re tie g. intelligence among the ofii-
GERS thereof which secures the certain and
! r,r;d communication Of all information
through tee diii"rent paris of an army. There
will aiso be embarrassment in their tenure 81
cHics and assignment 10 duty. as when q
| rsueral ctEicer dies, or is relieved from his
con,1n.n.,, there remain 60 duties to DO per.
formed By Tie s;aiT which had been authorizes
! r,r hin especially. However valuable o,
r,er;;.rious the officers may be, they are dis
l.cei by the staff chosen ty the successor O
heir commander No,hing remains but Il
deprive ,ncm Of their commissions, without
! t,ult o! tLeir own, W to keep them in service
~ surcrnum erares. and thus to add to ths
number af o,,ers already in. excess Of tht
( sarts Of the army.
A,ain: An organization OF General Stat
should passess hax:bilitY, so that tho proper
| numhcr and class of staff officers can be seu
| where needed. If en- inasxible rule Of assigt
ment be fixed BY legislation, some commands
will bo -cumbered with unnecessary officers
while Others will be deficient in the number
indispensable to perform the necessary duties
| LEGISLATION would scarcely be considered ur
wise, if it allotted by il a.1ible rule tho mum
her CT trccys u be used in each military de
| uartmenr: yet it would he scardely more oh
! .cllouatla than tho assignment OF the SAM
.,eci6ed number Of staff cflosfs to each com
maodsr, according to his grade, thus applyin!
q general 1uls to series Gf cases, each re
qn!rirg special treatment. .
The ,nspectiug duties in an army ought not
| 10 nv judgment, to be separated frSm thos
of tho a6jutants. The erroneous impressNl
prevails that an Inspecting Depar intent, inde
psnde:,t Ut the General Staff, is establishe
in u,opt Of the armies Of Europe. 'Ehe reverb
ia the feet, and the duties Of .insp psotion are 8
intimately connected with the. other duties O
| the General Staff TINT they dan be properl
nellormtd BY it alone The jesiions to. tn
sen ,ratiau n.e uanitoid In the first place
chirers h.giug no other than inspecting dn
| ties must frequently lie unemployed, even il
war, while in peace their duties will oocup
but very littls time. Next is 10 be observe
tsat whers the adjutsuts and inspectors forf
orc co-rs, tee d..:ies Of the adjutaut max
I bin familiar with the details Of the s@Tyic
whore reio,rn and discipline are most needot
ar.. !hus rsrder h:m more competent 10 ettscl
,ys inspection, wien assigned to- that duty
then he c@u,d be if exclusively employed as il
spsctor. Lastly, the duties Of an inspectc
srs so oh as not to render the officer who pei
farms tiem aocepiab o to lis brother ofirer
| If his du be properly performed. 1t is NJ
to 10 wondered ut that an Ctfcor whose dItie
may not hs iaaPpropriateiy described IS tbos
Of u dci, c:!ve. sh"u!d. if his duty DO rieidl
performed, ircur somewhat Of Tie odium {
an infur:nrr aui Wl:en thcao duties .csnstj
tptc the sole Service oi All officer permanent
attached Ia an army, he must either bsoom
w las IN their performance as to render hi,
uscl. So, or his professional pride and sclf-r
o,ect ar, Eouoded, and his rotations with hi