The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-01-31
Iron tho kyhiceco Tin,

TUG Ml ioI tue OIH0nlcatl0nM the pf7uT.
reported By the s6nate niliex.y comm 20. -. !
ct Washington shs4 few OBJECTIONABLE IA .
lures. Asst rsceiysa tie almost unssi.
NOUS endorsement of tho COMMITTEES Ahd
~ i is conservative, 81, rather, IS 1t avoids
extremes IN respect toi ssixe, thera Il g
strong probability that II my bssous &
law. It provides for five regiments q ar.
Itillery, 5000 men twelve regiments 81
cavalry, 10000 men: and fiffy.fYe rsgi.
1mpnts ofinfantry, 81, 900 men. e
The proposed composition Of the intan-
try force is somewhatsing Ihefe ID,
now nineteen regiments Of "regulars' in
the service. Il provides that ten Of these
shall retain their present form, and shall
hereafter, as they do now, consist Of Ten
regiments each. The remaining nine regi-
IAents hte 70 be enlarged into twentyseysa,
regiments by adding two regiments to each
battalion, 0f the eighteen regiments lack.
ing to make the iifty11Iiyes ten shall consist,
|of negroes aud eight Of disabled msn. o.
men discharged for disability.
One Of The. main things desired BIZ the
country in the reorganization Of ths army
|is,that the number Shall not be excessive.
Tllisis 80 desired because the country ia
unwilling to. bear the expenses ola large
standing army, and furthermore because il
is not wished to place too large q force I'M
lder'the cpptrol Of the government, The
senate bill seems to have regard for this
paramount wish Of the people; and the ex-
tent Of the proposed army has been fixed
very nearly to the minimum suggestions Of
those who best understand the necessities
|of the government and the rights Of tho
people. The paramount desire C TIE ma
|tion having been attended to, ne can afford
to overlook some minor faults in the bin,
|If we examine it too critically, ne may Do
lied to- fluid fault with several features,
among which is the organization Of eight
regiments Of disabled men.
This feature abounds IN charitr; but
lcharity and war have no atinities VS.
know OF nonset which eight regiments II
tdisabed men can be put. If the object is
Ito afford 5000 disabled soldiers 4 support,
There are other means 81 reaching the ssms
Iend. Disability is lnotsthe proper stua Of
|whicllto make soldiers.
There may be some objection to having
Ione-iiith ofour standing force composed Of
negroes. It's. however, entirely uselessto
urge any objection to kefeaturelof the bill.
There are great many people who believe
the negro capable Of being made into 8 val
liable soldier and no amount Of tessiuaoay9
will shake their faith. It Is wiser, there.
fore,to accept these negro regiments and
leave their efficacy or otherwise to DO do
| nonstrated By tinle.
The bill provides that ten regiments shall
consist Of the usual number Of men; but
that the twentyssyen regiments, into which
the other nine regular regiments ere tosba
made, shall consist of companies hayiug
each only forty-eight privates, Why Tiers
should be ten regiments having l, 900 men
each, and then twentyseven having only
4e0 men each, we fail to SEQ. This feature
lof the proposed organization affords n,uci,
more show than substance. The colonsl
lwho Commands one Of the full regiments
will receive no more pay than the one who :
Commands one Of the smaller regiments.
lTherels thus produced an inequality Of
service in the same grade ofthe same arm.
That such inequality cannot but lead to
|many difficulties among officers is beyond
taoubt. g y s.iss
( The grade Of general Is omitted. Il
would, perhaps, have been better to- hare.
Icrcated this, and then left it vacant, ae q 70.
ward of future service. + 81 + 80
| Regarding, as we have said, email force.
as the paramount requircmentin the organ
lzation If the army, the senate bill will, in
lthis respect, afford general, satisfaction.
The objections above given would be sc,
lrious were it not that they do not interfere
with the plan Of small army 50 wiselyiand
universally insisted upon BY the people,
| If we can obtain the object principally de-
sired, we can afford to overlook the fault OF
minor details. !,
il -. 4