The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-15


TEE bill which has passed one of the branches
of our National Legislature, and OF whose
sanction by the other, as well as the Execu-
tive, there is said to be little doubt will cause
a radical and needed reform in the present
system Of military grades. The new bill
provides for the appointment Of general Off.
GERS, with an advancement in their titles--in
fact, for the moving up one step, in name, of
each of the bearers Of military commissions.
The rank of General is created, whose duties
will be similar to those heretofore performed
by the Lieutenant General, while Major Gen
erals will be styled Lieutenants, and Brigadier,
Major-Generals. Dhe type after which this
now organization is moulded is that of
Prussia kingdom in which for three CEN
turies the whole talent of the people and
power OF the King have been directed to the
rfecting OF military science. Situated as
she has been, with Russia eager for her pro-
vinces on one side and France and Austria
on the other, she must either have Initiated
Poland and sank into the rank OF an inferior,
Or like Baden, become a siXth-rate power, or
else cultivate arms as national protessionand
retained by numerical force. That she to-day
ranks high among the powers OF the earth is
the best argument in favor OF the advantages
of her military system.
The present system of martial grades is an
amalgamation of the old continental, the
British, and the unique. Our Lieutenant
General title, not an Office, nominally CON-
oIIf flo Ol fho ht1t in
ality has led in person grand army, leav-
ing the others to be watched over by Major
Generals. A Major-General may command
corps d'Grmee, a department. or a division;
while Brigadier leads either division or a
brigade. The completely resulting rom the
want of definite rank, and the clashng be-
tween officers in regard to the date OF their
commissions, has led to serious national de-
feats, the first attack on Fort Fisher having
been, beyond all doubt, caused by theabsence
of special provision in regard to who was
in reality the leader Of the expedition.
Under the new bill, however, all such con-
fusion is remedied. Each officer will have
a title, and the precedent of commission will be
rendered unnecessary by the establish
reform was felt while the war progressed.
Nearly eighteen months ago we suggested
change similar to the one adopted; and a bill
was introduced into Congress by Mr.. ODELL,
of New York, to the same effect as the one
we urged. But it was found to be impossible to
reorganize our system in the face of an enemy,
and the question was postponed until the pre-
sent time. The following are the grades es-
tablished under the revised statute:-
General-The commander de fGcto Of all
the armies of the United States, the same as
the President ls eT O1fci0.
Lieutenant General-To command q corps
d'armee, or grand army.
Major General-To lead division.
Brigadier-General-r control brigade.
The grades here established are exactly
similar to those of the so-called Confederacy,
and were found in their case to work much
more systematically than our own. Let us take
all the good we can from the Southern Rebel
lion, as there is but little that can be sec 1red.
1t is, however, as we have said, from Prussia
that the organization was originally taken,
although almost all of the European powers
have to-day a system closely allied to that
which America has, or rather is about to
adopt.
In that country the ranks stand:-Field
Marshal, General, Lieutenant General, Major
General, corresponding to the same rank in
our own land, when the title of General is
substituted Tor that of Marshal.
Under the new system, we will have the
whole military force reduced to a state OF
almost mechanical perfection. Each wheel
will revolve within its superior, and no kink
jar the harmony of its operation. The bill
has received the bitter opposition of certain
journals, because they state that the creation
of the rank of General will raise military
man almost to level with the chief civil
Executive, and at some future time motives o.
economy may induce the people to combine
the two in one, and thus tend to endangel
popular liberty. We have no such fear. Oul
finances, thanks to the ability OF our Secreta
ries of the Treasury, will probably never be
reduced to such an exigencyo that to save
$4,000 per year, step so at variance with
eternal vigilance viii be taken. Again,
New York journal pronounces the bill de.
fective because it does not provide for tht
appointment of General GRANT as General
We can see no good cause for such an in
sertion in the body of the bill. The effect o
the movement is to provide a permanen
renovation of the martial system, and with al
due respect 10 the gallant captor Of Richmond