The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-05-23
General Grants Letter.

Tho President on Thursday sent o
brief message to tina House, incloslng
the folIoSIn. letter from Gen. Gr'nt,
urging the passage Of au nrmy Till
IlpzRs. ARMIES or THE USirEpSrATEs,
wA.,IrSGrus, D. c.. May ii, 1866. j
To Hon. +. ". Stanton, Secretary 81 War
In view Of the long dclny in tho lower
flcuse Of Congress 10 agreeing upon u
plan Of reorganization Of the army suit
able to our present requirements, and
the urgent necessity for early action, !
am induced to present the matter to you
officially, and to ark the attention Of
Congress to it, believing that when they
have the matter fair!y before them, they
will do what should be done speedily.
At the present time settlements are
sprin.ius up wi;h upnsual rupidity in
the district of country between the Mis-
souri, river and the PuciGc ocean, where
heretofore the Indian was left in undis'
putcd possession. Emisrants arc push.
ing to those settlements mud to the gold
Gclds of the Rocky Mountaios by every
avnilablc highway. The people focking
to those regions are citizens OF the Uni
ted States, and are entitled to the pro.
lection Of the Government. They urc
developing the resources OF the country
TO its grcu, advantage, thus making II.
our interest MS well as duty to give them
military protection. This makes much
greater force necessary west ofthe MiSris.
s;pri than was ever heretofore required
4 small military f"rce isrcTuIred IN all III"
States heretofore in rebellion, and it cant
DC rorr.cen that this force will not be re-
nnirri for some time to come. II is to he
hopcd that this force will not he ncrrS
s,ry to enforce the lava. either State or
National: but the difference Of scnti.
ment cn:endcrcd Ivy the great war
whirh hus wa.cd for four years, viii
make the presence Of military f"rc"
necessary to give feeling Of security ~
the people. Al classes disposed 10 obey
,hc laws ofthc country will feel this Like
To maiu'an order, the Government has
l.cen compelled To retain volunteers. All
the white volunteers have br1ome dis
satisfied. and claim that the contract
with them has been violated by retain
inc them after the war "as over. by
reason Of this dissatisfaction they are n"
longer Of use, arr: w. might ~ well dls
charge at oacc every ono now remaining
10 service. The colorrd volunteer
has equal rights to claim his discharge
but rs get he has not done SO. How
long will the existing iuws authorize the
retention Of this force. even if they are
content to remain? The {. 5 Senate
p...rd promptly n bill for the rcorsanlz
,;;ou OF The army, which, in my opinion.
is AZ free from objection rs amy great
mcasnrc GOULD possibly be, and which
would supply tn" minimum requisite
force. /, gives but few thousand nd
,i;:iunai m"u over tEc present or.an'zI.
ton. Hu; gives II l1rge uumb'r OF aii'
rinual baira!ipns and companies. The
ru!!c service. suariin: routes Of 'raVe'
ever tn" plains. and giving rro'cctl"u IN
the Srnthcrn States, d"mands the orcupa.
ton Ola great many posts. For mrny "f
them q ANAL company is jn>t az efficient
as one with more mru III it would he.
The bill before Congress -hr the one
that has passed the S"na:e--:ircs in
r,nascd numbers Of c"rprnics by d'mIu.
ishing the number Of rank and file OF
each company. Il is an exceedingly
appropriate measure in this. particular,
for it provides FIR the increase wkca &C.
cas;ou requires more mon. The company
is thu smallest unit Of organization tina:
can bc used. witl;ou: materially lnjnrins
discipline anl efficiency.
The Le!itf that Congress would acI
promptly in this r,a,tcr, if their attcn
zion was called to il, has induced me to
respectfully ask your attention to it. II
You agree with ME in this matter, | would
also ask if you deem it proper that this,
with such Endorsement as you may DC
pleased to make, DO laid before Congress
through the Speaker of tho House.
Very respectfully,
1Siyncd1 U. S. GRANT,
Lieut. Gcnl.