The New York herald., 1870-04-04
Our Army ana Navy.

HpicuouS EFFORTS In that diroctiOh' N cynicui
observer might say that thoir efforts wcro too
plainly conspicuous, too evidently made for an
audience to be very sincere; but let us give
these worthy gentlemen oil praise for tholr
economical spasms; let us shut our eyes to
all railroad jobs, steamboat subsidies, land
grants, private bills and all that sort Of thing,
and shout /, admiration at the determined
efforts Congress Is making to cripple our army
and s!rangle our navy. A wise economy does
not tear down what already is well established,
krowing that some day it will have to build it
all up again, knowing that the building up
again must be done in turmoil and confusion,
when the government is at the mercy Of con-
tractors and jobbers-done, perhaps, whom
the Treasury is suffering from rapidly depre-
ciating credit; done when time, not money,
must be saved. Our bitter experience in the
last war. when we had to go through this,
ought to hive taught US lesson. The mil
liens Of money we wasted, tho shameful
peculation and jobbsry that made the
name Of government contractor o by-word
and reproach, should not make us desirous
of repeating the operation of creating an army
and navy out Of next to nothing. And yet
this is what our sapient Congressman in their
new-found zeal are driving us to. Stop mo-
ment, gentlemen reflect for a few minutes
what you are doing, and let those among you
who rant and roar about the majesty Of the
American eagle reflect upon the outrage you
are doing that glorious specimen of ornithololy
in pairing his claws and clipping his wings
How is he TO soar over and protect our COM
merce, or what you have left of 1t, if you take
away the navys How Is he to keep order
and protect our citizens from the savages
among the Rocky Mountains, bis traditional
perch, il yon decimate the army? Is IL wise,
let alone the generosity and justice Of the
step, to- drive our carefully educated ana de-
voted officers from the service? Is it good
policy to let enormously expensive ships rot
for the want of money to repair them? Is
this even economy, oh saving sages? In
some Of your clustering speeches about the
British lion, when you wax warm over the Ala
bama question. remember that our army is
just about one-tenth of tho British; and
when you grow pathetic over the woes of suf-
fering Cuba, or when your Indignation is
aroused by acts Of oppression and cruelty to-
ward Americans in Cuba, remember that even
what you are pleased to call the effete, worn
ont, distracted government of Spain has
larger naval force in Cuban watcrs than we
possess throughout the globe. Not that we for
a moment donbt the ability OF the great Yam
kec nation to bid defiance to all comers, with
or without a navy. And can we not point
with pride to the glorious deeds Of arms Of
members Of your own august body? Still,
though we yet have Logan and Butler
among us, don't entirely destroy our army all
men are not born military geniusss, and do
have some compassion on those unfortuuates
who have been obliged to spend years OF care
fuI training in order to obtain their present po-
sitio1. Aud when, OH sages! in conviyial mo-
ments--for unless you are sadly belied some
of you do seek to enliven the routine Of legis-
lation by feasting and merrymakiug--y toast
''the army and navy forever, think of the
miserable remnant of an army and navy You
would leave us to drink to. Be saving in your
economy, and don't ruin what has already |
been created be merciful to the service that |
Perry and Lawrence, HILL, Decatur, Stewart |
and mary others have made glorious; be
more economical, ye sparing lawgivcrs aud
don't destroy, by niggardiy withdrawal of
supplies, our gallant ships.
Il is mistaken and fallacous theory, how
ever CALLING it may be to admit il, that Yankee
gcnius is naturally universal. We succeed !
pretty well, it is true but our efforts at ntui-
tive generalshp have not been altogether sat-
isfactory. In diplomacy and in politics we
satisfy ourselves, at any rate; and we do very !
well wherever generalties will pass current,
wherever words will do for deeds, wherever
mistakes are not almost fatal; but when pre-
else, positive results are called for intuitive !
genius has hard time Of it. We do far bet !
than other nations, granted; but we have still !
modesty enough left to know that we might do |
better, Those economical members, who now |
and then, in some occasional ct, propose to
abolish onr national schools at West Point |
and Annapolis, would do well to study
the glorious record OF the s'regulars"
in the last war and soc what the
results of careful training can be. To or
binary observers there is always much in pro-
fassional learning that seems cumbersome,
useless, and even at times absurd. Red tape,
formality, they cry out. Very well, gentlemen;
red tape and forrnality, like most other things,
are very we'll in their place and in their
proper degree. Do you trust your health or
your affairs to quack doctors or lawyers, who
boast Of having cut loose from the trammels
of precedent? viii you trust the honor and
welfare of your country to quack generals
and admjralsF We have had, perhaps, enough
of such gentry already.
II would be more economical, more fitting
the high position you hold as rulers of this
great country, to give us noble navy; one