Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-01-16

EFtL House Ni hrllSec 4l--tifN2f A't'- 49,
4 discussion for several DAYS the subject OF eN-
emy,ious, with view 10 diminishing the HHN''si@ -
exemgts, and prCpoytonaJeiy increasing the sIeHs'u
.oG the army. la lis message al The openings l 'ne
session. the President recommended she repeal OF
all exemptions and the substitution Of 'he system 81.
details This policy was also advocated al length
BY the Secretary Of War IN his Report. ltFishf-
fnly ends bu; little, it any, favor in Congress II
is Objectionable TO the extent Of bsins'Nfoii mad
Missile. OIL several accounts. We need Only Dsh
tiou Two or three OF tie leading objections
First the power 70 raise armies is PreToGati'e Of
the Legislative Department, and eau be tSn0le eS-
ercised only by that Department. Congress alone
have the right to say who shall 20 into the army
and "a, o necessary consequence, who stall not be
REQUIRED 20 ~, The duty imposed by the Con>t'tu
ton is obligatory upon them, can be exercised
solely by them, and cannot be deputed OF trans
terred 10 any other Department of the Government
without a confusion Of the functions OF tue Del ana
lneuts' disturbaHSS Of ther spheres, aud suover
sion oil the structure and system OF the Goyern-
1ueut. To the extent that the peculiar powers anu
duties OF one Department are abdica1ed by 1t and
assumed By another, there is violation OF tine Con-
stitUtj5u and revolution in the Government. he
pGIl;csufsm, as we have heretofore maintsined,
OILERS from monarchy, net in the amount OF power
held and exercised under either form, but m the
fct that the power ia the one ease j. lodged IN one
head while In the other it is Distributed among sew
. cral. Ia the latter case, 10 preserve Ihc proper
equilibrium, IL is Necessary that the PARTITION
lines shall be very distinctly drawn and very scru-
pulcu,lv oIservej otherwise, the distribution
ceases and ReprbI;caujsm runs into Monarchy
Congress woui lie guilty of high breach Of trust
il i; should inyes; tic Executive with powers In
tended 20 be exercised by itself only.
\ second ground - objection to the powers asked
for the President is, that /, Is extremely doubt
fu ahcther CougressiJsclf possesses power TO sub
fec, 10 military authority persons not intended 10 be
employed for military purposes, and II il does not
possess he power, eaGuoJ dcpute IL. The clanse
OF the constitution relating 70 the raising Of armies
means armie, tor the field and such agents, attaches
aud others Is necessary t. the support OF useful
L. the efficiency Of those who make campaigns and
ftht battles, IL cannot De contcndcd that it Is law
f TO couscribe INTO the service and subject 70 mil
tary Ia,g, men who are not designed 10 be kept in
,ly army or ia any wise connected with but who
are designed 20 be detailed for the various calngs
tho, deal with civic administration and domestic
ec,u.my-such. ior example as judges, doctors.
parsans, &c And set this Is what We understand Jo
De- asked tor Jy the President.
Another consideration and the last TO which We
Aua. advert, tLat attracts delayor DO the PROPOSE
uou OF the Executive, i, that ,be system OF details,
a. aIreiig undertaken he pr1ctsyd by the secre-
tary OF War, i, believed 10 be the fruitful source
from which most OF The evils that press upon
t4e service have come. Widespread abuse is al
legged, aud d5,lSuteut, generalization and desertcu
90 an gLraug degree are charged as a consequence
OF policy that cannot estope the npu;ation ct la
yorusm ouI the suspicion ot corruption. The liz
ure. upan this subject, some OF which were brought
ont Uy Mr.. Marshall. OF ReutUcky,-i in his remarks
in the House ON Saturday. are exceedingly SUCCESS
tive and would seem rather to invite committee 0i
investigation than to encourages an enlargement OF
the privilege Of detail.
The main difficulty is in adjusting the matter oG ex
empuons to meet the dilemma of having men enough
IN the field 10 confront the enemy, and men
enough at home to provide subsistence for those
IN the field and 10 answer the inevitable wants OF So
cie,v ALREADY there is trouble about subsisting
the army. To diminish the number Of producer
andiucrease the number ofcon-umers, by drawngSti
ore largely ON The agricultural classes To recruit the
army. would be 20 duplicate the difficulty That eHerl
man should contribute equally Of lH means aud:h'
services TO tue country, and that all should 60 mt
the field Tuo cannot better serve the cause N some
other war is proposition which all viii admit The
la7 a, il now stands wISh the eScsiou Of " tue ht-
teen nero clause,S which seems 20 be demanded 10y
pnbli, opinion. comes near TO this requirement,
We are convinced, as Congress can attain. We are,
therefore. pleased at what seems the probability,
,bat with the change mentioned, the law will he re-
tanned as it is.
To increase the army IS matter Of high imPor-
tsUce bur. prune the list OF exemPts as we may,
o.Iv tbe most neagre results will he gained In
deed we do not see what remains for Congress to do
il, this way. They have already placed the whole
available war-making power Of the Confederacy in
,t. hands of the Executive II is 10 the EXecu'f~e
therefore that The country must mainly look for re
Inducements to the army: Il Is Of the Executive
tSey must inquire why so many escape consumption
,ybv 80 many III for service il the held still occu
uv shady places IN non sOmbatant lines oil duty
why so few negroes have been employed as team
st.rs. ambulance drivers, tOOks Gc.-whS one nun
dreiNsud ffy thousand men are absent IRON the ar
my without leave-why sixty thousand troops are
perui;ttei 10 lie idle the other side OF the hssi
sippi-,.hy ormies are iutrustel 10 inexperienced
generals. 10 be wasted in bloody and bootle5S cam
rei5nsl such questions these viii direct atter-
tion TO the true causes that have rendered the re-
cruitiae Of the army necessary and viii thereby show
tia; reform is more needed than new enaetments.-
The Urea, want now Is mange'nen,-more system
more energy, capacity for organizing and for adj
mini>,ration not vet displayed We want General
Lee in supreme command Of the armies and some
man cf large capacity, Of controlling will and OF
great aptness for practical affairs, at the head OF the
War Once The Executive may bring about all
these reforms and-must do SO if We are to be saved
in the coming campaign from trials compared with