Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-05-02

I
The order of the Secretary of War pub
lished on the 18th of April, stated that
the War Department, after mature consid-
Grafton and consultation with the Lieuten-
ant General upon the results of the
recent campaigns, had come to the
conclusion to enter upon a course of Wig.
orous retrenohment, and that orders would
be Immediately issued to carry their deter.
mina,ion= into o=effeot.-elhe first CLAUSE Of
the order alluded to, stopped. "all drafting
and recruiting inthe loyal States" which
was the most palpable sign yet made that
the war was regarded near its close.
The death of the President has for fort
night prevented the earlier issue of orders
in regard to the economy proposed, but
we now have them in full They are most
satisfactory to the country, and no bulle-
tin yet signed by the Secretary of War is
of greater Importance than this. The
chiefs of the bureaus are directed to pro-
ceed Immediately to reduce expenses, sin
view of an immediate reduction of the
forces on the field and in garrison, and the
speedy termination of hostilities."
Purchases of every description are
stopped; the manufacture of arms is dis
continued; work on the forts, except that
specially ordered by Congress, is suspend.
ed; soldiers in hospitals, furloughed pris-
oners, invalid soldiers, and recruits at de-
pots, except those for the regular army are
houorably discharged; the clerical force of
several bureaus is to be cut down to limit
necessary only to bring the business 10 II
ha nraa FIN Hrrnuidao that
rolls will be made of all prisoners of war
who will take the oath of allegiance to the
United States, to the end that such as are
disposed to become good and loyal citizens
of the United States, and who are proper
objects of executive clemency may be re.
leased upon the terms that the President
shall deem 6t and consistent with public
safety.
II this order is carried into effect, the
result upon the country will be most graf
flying. The public expenses can be easi-
ly reduced one. half; thousands of employ
ees of the Government will be discharged
to fill the ranks of useful labor; the auom-
ally of Provost Marshal system will be
brought to conclusions; hundreds of un.
employed and uumeployable officers will
be restored to private life and the bosom
of society; the public seourieties will sd-
vance in value, and with the enhanced
popular confidence, gold willrecede iu price.
The Secretary of War by this act, gives
bis pledge to the nation and the world that
four long and weary years of war are en-
ded, and that in their end, the triumph of
the national arms. assuring our national
destiny, is compile and glorious. The
cause of the Union has succeeded; the
great principles of the Constitution are es.
tablished; the blessings of liberty have
been given to millions who have hitherto
only heard of their name; the blood shed
and treasure wasted have not been utterly
in vain, and the power and majesty of this
people have been vindicated by an exhibi.
ton of patient sacrifice and enduring pat
riotism which will not be lost upon the ma
tionsl character. If it but lead us to cul-
tivate the arts of peace, to restore the de-
vastatious of war, to feel satisfied with our
material and moral power, and not make
boastful parade of it, then will the
United States be indeed the exemplar of
the nations, who will look with amaze.
meut aud respect upon the sublime spec
tacle Of a people, digni6ed in their hour Of
triumph, inercifnl to a subjugated insur.
rection, and strong enough to ignore and
despise the Indifferent and unfriendly aots
of Governments, from whom they expected
sympathy, and whose hope or wish for
their downfall has been utterly confoun-
ded.