The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-04-29
Reduction Of the Army and Navy
--RetFen sIlMent, Reform.

Reduction Of the Army and Navy
-HetFen shiNent, Reform.
The destruction Of Lees army has been
promptly followed Oy the announcement
taat q sadoc,ion Of our military and naval
establishments would be at once inaa,1r-
aled. The first movement is The stop,age
nt the dra.:. This has already taken place.
One Of the severest Of wars s,arms to the
people at home is thus forever quiesed.-
The wheel Of fa.e revolves no more. ARK.
ious patriots who have fled from it's destiny
viii now assume local hanits.ion '.;pd =
name. Tho brave exilestO Canada viii re.
turn. The day of Provost Ma-shaIs, ,boun-
ty brokers and bounty Jumpers is oyer
Let the odor Of them be disslps.eG IS soon
as possible. ~
The miod hardly takes in all that a COM
pretended in the redu tion o. our military
and naval establishments In It's case il
means relief 10 the people from ii, cow
pulsory military service. IL nlea0s tie
reduction Of, war ea penditure to Gu. war
Income. the speedy end Of the AacG.nula-
ton of debt, and the redemption Of our fl
nances. It means the restoration of the
conditions Of peace. the return If labor to
productive pursuits, and the reve1sion of
trade and industry from the ariiicih con-
ditions created by the enormous coDaump-
ton and expenditure Of var, to their nat
ural channels.
We do not advocate any headlong reduc-
ton, and this need not be feared from the
Secretary Of War, whose announcement Of
q systematic cutting down, upon the first
opportunity that the military situation has
offered, shows that he had before delibera-
ted the matter. But an estimate Of what
may safely be done ct once will give some
idea Of the relief It will bring t. the ma
ttonal finances and tothe operations ofrsg-
slar industry. We suppose that our army
may be reduced to 1000 men - rapidly
- enlistments expire. and that regular re-
extravagant b0unties that have prevailed.
will furnish sufficient recruits.
The col0red troops in the South are en-.
listed in the regular service. We presume
that hereafter they will be part OF our
permanent army: Enterpris. finds such
in America that but few white men will en-
ter the regular army in ordinary times
The blacks are differently situated. The
military service may be . mitigation ofthe
disturbance of the labor SYSTEM in the
South. And surely they have shown
themselves worthy TO be made part of
our permanent force. This reduction will
termaster, commissary, pay master and
other force connected with staff and de-
partment duty, and likewise in their con-
tracts and purchases. ,6i5
The time has come also when reduction
Of the Generals without commands. may
be seriously entared upon. While TIE war
continued in its great dimensions AID with
varying fortunes, it seemed hotL ia.judici-
GUS and unjust to dismiss from the
service, officers, many Of wAols, were
fmeritorious and capable, and vert cut OF
command only through that bane of the
profession, military jealousy, or injustice.
But when u general reduction OF the army
M DooN l4nr3 hot - . -
ficers, which all looked for 81; ne, ,close Of
tho war. may begin. IT.. OF course, was
expected that the United States would not
always maintain such an army, ARD that
with the return Of peace the lnost If the
officers would retire to private life. When
retiremen: is the general system, it will
not be lnvldiOus to any.
In the navy . much greater reduction
may be made Immediately. The whole
feet of merchant vessels purchased tor the
navy, and which make up two-thirds of
its numbers, may DO sold. II is IT 10 use
except to chase unarmed blockade rum
ners, and their occupation is now gcne.-
It is made up Of these purchased private
vessels. which could not contend with any
vessel Of war. The purchase OF these with
an unlimited purse and rich corn,nlssions,
was called the wonderful growth Of our
navy; and our Navy Department hiss emu
uSesIuVeu su0AA ~ pfOOl ~. uDEAtdHe1eO 0ne
|eFgy Of administration. Raf their day is
over. or ought to be, and saHstst energy
may be shown and commissions made In
selling them out. Our navy, reduced to
it's real dimensions, will show different in
departmental reports, but will be as effect
i've for contest. And It vii, be found
that the real increase of the navy Las been
chiefly in monitors of which, ftcm their
habit Of seeking the bottom On tbs slightest
proyoHation, there will probably be few
left on our hands when the war is over.
q With the reduction OF the army Gnd M.
Wy will como the redemption Hom csmor-
allzation and corruption that follow the
vast ex penditures of war, We need not
part;cularize. Everybody knows Low the
moral standard has been, lowered, cficial
Integrity become q by-wopd, = and how
widely the corruption has extended. From
all this evil, which has becOlnoo more dan.
ger0us to the national life than, rebellion,
the hour Of redemption 10 anoouLoed BY
this reduction Of our war ie1penses.-Gs.
G0SEde.. II ~ ttl"ilIihAi{g tfse.sY
-'1f5i - :. - -..
InE PLAouE.-Ane effort 10 being made
by some Of the Eastern pspers"tO start .
scare about the plague which hes made ito
appearance at st. Petersburg and seems
70 he making ito way westward The Par.
10 correspondent Of the New York Tribune
gives this explanation oft: .aaA
FAN unusually large nuu,hef Of work
mon came into st. Petersburg with tho