The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-21
Gen. Grant Urges the Passage OF an
ARMY Bit.

message to the House, inclosing tn
following letter from Gen. Grant
HEADQ'Rs, Armies OF THE u s.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., May I6. 1866.
10 q. M. Stanton, Secretary Of Var
IN view of the long delay in tn
lower House of Congress In agreein
upon a plan of reorganization of tn
arHayHuftabie to our present require
ments, and the urgent necessity 70
early action, | am induced to presen
the matter to you officially, and to ash
the attention ofCongress to it. believ
ing that they have the matter fairL
before them they will do what should
be done speedily.
At the present time settlements are
springing up with unusual rapidity II
the district OF country between the
Missouri river and the Pacific ocean
where heretofore the Indian was left
IN undisputed possession. Emigrants
are pushing to these. settlements and
10 the gold fields of the Rocky Noun
talns by every available highway.
The people focking to those regions,
are citizens of the United States, and
are entitled to the protection of the
Government They are developing
the resources of the country to its
great advantage, thus making it our
interest al well al duty to give them
military protection. This makes q
much greater force west Of the Mis-
eissippi than was ever heretofore re-
quired necessary .4c .0Fl
A small military force is required
m oil &h0 G&o%o-
rebellion, and it can't be foreseen that
this force will not be required for
some time to come. 1t is to be hoped
that this force will not be, necessary
to enforce the laws, either State or
National, but the difference of senti-
ment engendered by the great war
which has waged for four years, will
make the presence of military force
necessary to give a feeling of security
to thepeople.g All classes disposed to
obey the laws of the country win feel
thisIalike. To maintain order the Gov
eminent has been compelled to retain
volunteers All the white volunteers
have become dissatisfied, and claim
that the contract with them has been
violated by retaining them after the |
war was over. By reason Of this dis |
satisfaction, they are no longer of use,
and we might as well discharge al
once every one now remaining In SER
vice. The colored volunteer has equal
rights to claim his discharge, but as
yet he has not done So How long
will the existing laws authorize the
of this force, even if they
are content to remain? The Il. S.
Senate passed promptly a bill for the
the reorganization of the army, which.
IN my opinion, is as free from obiec-
don as any great measure could posi-
bly, be, and which would supply the
minimum requisite force It gives but
} few Thousand additional men over Il
,he present organization, but gives a
arge. number of additional battalions
md companies The public service. II
guarding routes of travel over the
plains and giving protection in the
Southern States, demands the eccupa-
ion Of great many posts. For many
II them a small company is just as
Efficient as one with more men in it /.
would be. aEk
The bill before Congress-or the one
hat has. the Senate-giYes increased
numbers of Companies by diminishing
he number of rank and file of each +
company. It is an exceedingly appro-
,riate measure in this particular, for /
provides for the increase when
he occasion requires more men,
The company il the smallest unit of
that can be used, without
materially injuring discipline and eff /,
The belief that Congress would act
i'm this matter, if their .atten-
ion was tailed to it, has induced me
o respectfully ask your attention to it. !
It you agree with me in this matter, / {
you'd also ask if you deem il proper :
hat this, with such Endorsement as
7ou may be pleased to make, be laid ,,
before Congress through the Speaker :
If the House. Very respectfully,
U. ). GRANT, Lieut. Gen.
now THE LETTER WAS RECEIVED. {
This letter was referred to the Mil !,
tary Committee. An effort was made
20 couple with it instructions that the
Committee at once report the pending
Senate bill recognizing and enlarging (
she army, but the endeavor was not
That Committee, as is
Well-known, are much opposed to the
Senate bill. 1t is understood that !
hey have informally agreed upon a !
form Of their own bill some II
lime ego defeated, but the temper of the
House has been 90 adverse to an army ]
bill, that they have not felt warranted / !
IN bringing it forward. This letter of J
The Lieutenant General will probably
give some gentlemen new IDEAS of the
wants of the country, and it is likely
that the House win be constrained to