The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-10
The Report Of the Secretary of War.

Secretary stanton = report 70 liil''I-
tant in tao points Of yiew- first, as Il re-
lates the history Of the final events Of the
war. and presents some remarkable facts in
relation to that history; and, second, as il
shows the wonderful capabilities OF the
country for war, and indicates what we can
do ID suddenly called upon 10 defend our
rights or assert the national dignity. 10
the latter view il Claucrs quite directly at
the Mexican question, and will reassure all
those who regret that our army has been 50
f.r disbunded while that question has not
vet been brought to q definite issue.
The military history Of the great cam
paigns that gave as the victory b. left Ia
zen. Grant the Secretary is satisfied to
state results in that respect; but he bears
with natural emphasis on the rapid change
brought about through his department from
var 10 peace-On the noiseless, effective, al
most immediate oblitera'ion Of vast stray
which the theorists Of the Old World had
declared would in the hour Of victory prove
more dangerous 10 our liberties tha1 the re-
bellion t had been qnired % put down.
'sThe national military force, says the re
port on the first Of May, 1868, numbered
one million i've hundred and sixteen men.
IL il prop scd 20 reduce the military
establishment % fifty thousand troops, and
over eight hundred thousand have already
been mustered ouI Of service" The mill
tary appropriations Of the last session Of
Congress were over FIVE hundred millions OF
dollars. The military estimates for theneNt
wear are less than thirty four millions. This
Il a result of victories that the taxpayer can
appreciate. Some Of the figures giNen enH-
bic as 90 realize the enormous expenditure
incident to am army of "a million men. Thus
a large slice Of the uatIuuul debt ~ well ac-
counted for when We learn that iaore than
a thousand million dollars have been paid
n the soldiers. Two hundred aud seventy
million were taken homo by the eight
hundred thousand men lately mustered out.
some uf the drait figures have asa consid-
prabie interest. The number ct men asked
lor bv government 60 put down the re-
bcllion was, on all calls together, 3,'Js.04s,
aud the member Of men actually brought
cut was only I02 .sg6 short Of this This de
fcieney was not from failure, but occurred
because the recruiting was stopped by the
war.
What the Secretary saws rs 20 our ability
10 organize another army, ii circumstances
should require 70, has a national interest al
the pre- emit time. lie state that the est
mate Tor the army, as given above,
sis believed 10 be adequate tor any ma
tional eNiFency, II the country should be
blessed w.lh peace. The reduction Of the
national force, In its rapidly aud numbers,
is without example, and 10 there be any
alarm ia the public mind because this 70
duction IS made while grave questions al
home and abruad are unsettled, brief con
Alteration of the subject will show that
there is go cause tor apprehension" The
Secretary then runs over the facts that
the troops dishauded were volunteer, who
came out originally 10 support the govern
meut: that their struggles pa its cause have
not lrsseued their love for IL, aud that -
| foreign warwuuld intensity the rational feet
| ing, aud thousands, once misled, would De-
| ioiee 60 atone their error by raliyiug o. the
national flag The only question relating
| 10 troops Is one with respect 90 how soon We
| could raise them. sour experience on shis
| point" SAYS thc report sis significant
| When Lees army surrendered thousands vt
recruits we're pouring iu, and men were dis
| CHARGED from stations Iu every State ou
| suya-al OCCASIONS, Whcn troops were prompt
l ly needed 60 avert impending disaster.
/ yiE rous exertiou brought them toto the
/ field from remote etstcs with iucr, 4 BILE
/ speed official report, show that ater the
| disasters on the fcuusuiu, M ls62, over
| eighty thousand troops were eulisted, or
| gau.-ed, armed, Cqu ppcd and sent into the
/ heid iu less than o month. Sixty thou
I taud troops have repeatedly gone b. the
| Geld within four weeks. Ninety Thousand
| infantry were sent - the armiea from the
/ eve States OF Ohio, Indiana. Illinois, Iowa
| aud Wtscou-in Within twenty DAYS" And
| il S. shosu that la ull other respects We are
as ready for war a. we were before our vast
] army wedt home.
1 rhfse facts will make the repor, very in
tercsiiur l. MaNmilfian and O. his tlicuds
ia France in 81 respects Us an import
ant document, aHi viii especially be re-
cogui1ei iu tie groupings OF facts a. yalu-
able contribution towards The history OF the