Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1860-1868, 1865-01-19
ipgRAarxsxT on wAR.

/ legislative action With Eiew 60 add 81
J tho numhsrs aad eE3eieasy uF iha army
, AL of which will rsceiye yaar cpasiner
j alions there ara some prasRisent topic
!. Iwhirh merit special notice.
ii The exempsien fFbn milisary duty nov
accorded By Las 30 all per sons eagage.
In certain speciHsd psrsalis or profea
! Sieas is shown bs szpeEieacs 10 be an
wise, nor 10 ID beliSsel 10 ho defsnsibl,
in theory. The defense ut hoBaa, faSaiIs
and country Is universally recognized ~
The paramount pola1ieal dusy OF every
EmeRher .af society ! and in form d
Gogernsneat like ottFs, whers each Citizen
eaiHys aa equality sf rights and pv4sil.
: ages, aotbing caa ha more inviaioas than
an aneqRal distribution 0f duties and
obligations. No paEsais nor position
sh9nld relieve any bne Nbo IL able 70 do
asasws dzsy saoEa esF9aA@eaa in cha sSwfy,
uRless bis functions OF Services are gapre
usefal to the defense OF bis country in
another sphere. But IL Is manifest that
this cannot be the case with entire classes.
All telegraph opsraEDFs, woEkmen 10
minss, professors, teachers, engineers,
editors aud employees OF newspapers,
toul neynleB printers hoemnk eFss tanners,
blaeksnIths, lnillers, Fhysieians and the
Buaaerous other CLASSES mentioned ia the
laws, cannot, in the nature Of things,
be esshar equally necessary in their sey-
erai professions, nor distributed through
onG the country in ansh proportions that
only the exact numbers required are
found in each locality, nor can il be ev-
| arv-sr hnrA tnaxaaafhIa IA pnnlanA skgxSa
within the eonscrips age by men of older
/ Rnh less rHpahie OF aa:aal 6ald services.
4 discretion should be rested in the mill.
tary authorities, Cd that q sufficient NUN
Der Of those essentials 10 the public ser
vice might be detailed TO continue the
/ exercise of their PURSUITS or professions,
| bus the exemption from service Of the en-
tira classes should be wholly abandoned.
1t affords great facility for abuses, offers
the temptation as veil rs The ready means
| Of escaping service by fraudulent devil
ces, and is one Of shs principal obstruc-
items ID the ef5eisns operation Of the
eonscTipt iaKs.
A general militid iaE is neeffal In the
interest of public defense. The Consti-
tuition, by yestiug the poser in Congress,
| imposes on it the duty of. pFoyi ling 'Efor
organizing, arming aud disespliling the
militia, and for g4verning such part OF
them as may be employed in the service
Of the Confederate States" The great
diversity in the legislation Of the several
Sfates on this subject, and the absence
Of any provision establishing an exact
method for calling the militia into Con-
federate service, are sources Of embar-
Fassment which ought no longer TO be
suffered to impede defensive measures.
The legislation ia relation to the cav
airy demands change. The policy of re-
quiring the men lo farRish their Own
horses has proven pernicious in many
respects. Il intaTferes 18th discipline,
impaiFs efficiency, aud is tha cause oil
frequent and prolonged absence from ap-
proprIatc duty. The subject is fully
treated ia the S$ereGaEy's report. wIih
suggeetlons as to the proper measures
for reforming that branch Of the ser
yice.
The recommendation hitherto often
made is again renewed, that seme meas
ure be adopted for the reorganization
and consolidation of companies aRd reg
| iineats when 50 far reduced in nalBbeFS
as seriously to impair their efficiency.
| 1t is the m ,re necessary that this should
be done, as the absence of legislation %
the subject hss forced generals in the
Odd 10 resort to various expedfents for
appraximating the desired result. Ii is
| surely an evil that commanding officer
should be placed in position which
1 g.. Eek. II nE all
the efficiency Of his command i6 be seFi.
eusly impaired, pf Of attempting to sup
ply by the exerease of doubtful authority
| the want of proper legal provision. The
regard far the seusihility of oGieer~wbo
baye heretofore served with credit, an
Hhieh is believed TO be the controlling
motive that has hitherto obxtraeted legis.
Iation on this subject, however hoaora-
bio and proper, may be carried to point
which seriously Injuries the pullis good !;
and If this be tne case II can scarcely be
questioned which Of the two eonsidera-
taons should be deemed paramount.
Tho SeGretaFy's recommendation on
the subject OF facilitating the acquisi-
tian of the iron required for maintaining
the efficiency OF railroad communication
on the important military lines is com.
mended 10 yohr favor. The necessity
for the operation in full yigor Of sach
lines Is too apparent 10 need comment.
The question ia dispute between the
two Governments relative to th3 ex-
change of prisoners Of war has been fire.
quantiy preseRted In former messages
and reports, and Is fully treated By shs
Secretary. TSe s5lioitads sf tbs Gov
ernment for the relief Of oar captive fell
lowe citizens h4s kuown no abatement,
but has, on tbb contrary, been still more
deeply evoked by the additional snffurings
10 which they have been wantonly sub
iected, By deprivation OF adequate food,
ciothing and fuel, which they were not
even permitted to purchase from the pris-
4 on sutlers. Finding that the enemy At
| tempted 20 extuso their barbarous treat
ment by the snfeundcd allegation that il
was retaliatorB for like eoadues on our
part, an of rwas made by ns with q
view Of enaiag all pretrxt for saeh re
examinations, or pretended retaliation.
The effcr has been accepted, and each
Government -, hereafter, to be allowed
/ TO provide neeaasary Comforts 20 Its own
citizens held saptirs BY the other. Ac.
tive efforta are in progress Tor the imme-
iiass execusson Of thia agrsemeats and
lii i hoped that bat few days will has e
elapsed hefor,s xe shall b. relisved from
the distressing Thoughts shat paIafa. phys
ical sufferingIis iadased hy so many sf
eur fell0w-aatizsas xhose forllsade In
captivity illustrates the astional eharac-
tes as fully Nc did their palsF in actual
lconaica.
ExFEoYagxT or SLAVES.
/ The employment 81 slaves for service
\ wish the army SO teamsEers or cooke, or
/ Id the way of work npcL Notifications, or
in the Government xorkshops, OF In hos.
i pitals, and ether similar duties, vas au-
Il Ii Aaas4.A !. n Aasai "a nE - k..a =.