New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1865-01-23
UNEMPLOYED GENERALS.

W. are satisfied, from complaints that reach
"a. that a grea, wrong Is being done the gallant
officers who are and have been fighting our bat
ties: and tina, m equal wronc is being done the
service and the people, by retaining in commits
sion general officers who from some cause, can
not De employed In the field. Recognizing the
tact that our service Nigh; be embarrassed in
this way, Congress two years since authorized
The President to muster such incumbcnts out Of
Office The present condition OF affairs, in this
respect, can be better stated by brief quotation
from the debate in the Senate Jan. Z, on the
bill introduced b. the Committee on Military
Affairs In the House. Senator Trumbull says:
"Now. SIR via: say this Committee unanimously
The Committee On Military Aiiirs cay that many
neral ocers 10 ile icguhr gid 'onA'eei iVI'o, o.
lNeArry oi tie United states haye been snd now are
.ns pioyei o. not 90 crty sp0nd!ng with their
RAMA Tho Committee on Military Affairs unanimously
sy that these ocors bold conn ssiols a.d draw pay
and allowances wAVutauy c.ulyNclt service rendered
10 tie Governments AMI tho Committee on Military
AGiiIs unanimously say that at the same time thcse
gaiccT stand in the way o. the promotion nsd coasc'
autLt Increase II compensation Of ~ OCer OF infer ~
grade who afe performing the duties pfoper 20 sufA
general ulio,Is' Tie Committee on Military Anii,
further say that this j. burlcn,omo 70 the Treasury
speedily remodci' yet they proposc 10 DO nothing Ia
I5mcoy H. The Committee Military Affairs ;lfl her
say that's
"Economy Justice ,rd ~, cheney sui r,n,ra in,sre,.a
'f to- i aIy rcr siks demand that ERE g~nrir oi.
iu tE sutr volunteer fofcr OF the United States
rre o.rd 90 b. uaht sd, and who consequent.
rs ty should be mu.t red ~ the service au tha,
vcar-i~ Aa' crested shoald be Tiled by promotions and
arr lnis in order t,ht he officers u Inferior gnie
nav he proroo cd 70 he Ips ,a l~ey, th. nav allow
aud elnoiuuneuts Of such srnerAl oiieers'
After stating that after recnpitulatlng The evil
saying thu, economy aud justice aud the efficiency and
general interests Il ths military service require that
This evil should be rcmeded, what is the conclusion
Therefore we, the Committee Military ffuirs rec.
omnend the indefinite postpouomolt OF the bill which
proposes 10 remedy II That Is the logic That Ia ex
aciiy what the COMMITTEES recommend. We acknowI.
edge the evil. ard therefore propose ind fnitey to
cause the President II the United States has the power
10 remedy III Wen. sir but he doe, not exercise his
power. You say in your report that he does not that
these men are holding Offices you remit it to tho Pres
dent You have been remtting il 10 him. and IL has
not been done. Ihe evil exists Tho efficiency OF the
military service requires IL TO be remedied. Apu have
the power 10 remedy IT. but somebody else has the
power and, because somebody else viii not exercise
H. therefore, viii not exercise It, but VIII let tie
military service suffer. md lc unemployed officers
ccyc pay let injustice bc doue to Inferior officers WHO
performing the duties which belong to those supe
riors we will not remedy It, though We have the pow.
err because iorsooth the President OF tire United States
has the power, and ye he will not remedy IL j. no,
dat tie positioni Can we 90 before tho country can
wo 90 before officers OF tue Army can we do justice TO
ourselves, while We occupy such positionP
TIE able and honest Senator may well ques.
ton the logic that, on such statement of facts
as this, yet demands an indefinite pos,ponement
Of the bill that would have furnished a remedy.
The President has been clothed with a doubtful
and exceedingly delicate power and has failed,
or refused, or neglected TO use it. 1.-THE Presi-
dent does not do his duty; therefore," say the
Committee, 1--WE will not do ours" This is what
the action means. if the honorable Chairman of
the Committee on Military Affairs in tho Senate
Of the United States can be understood
1t is to DO regretted that tho Senators en-.
gagged in urging the passage Of the bill were not
better acquainted with the facts in which the
bill originated. We were losing through resg-
nations our most valuable officers in the field;
when the Generals in command of our armies,
and the Wor Department, alarmed at their num-
Der, refused to approve or accept any more.
Tho officers were moved to this by the fact, that
owing to the expansion of our currency, the
pay of an officer has ceased TO be sufficient to
support his family. Promotion is rendered i'm
possible by the large number of Brigadier and
Major Generals now in commission being kept
ont Of the field They FIJI the places, limited
BIZ act Of Congress. and yet are removed from