, 1870-03-29

Is no good xeason why Congress should forri.
bly, muater out my Of shase o@oet1 On the plea
Of economy. We have plenty Of woet7 and
Register who Ia willing and, 1t for his profess
zion I assert that, nince ths close Of tho civil
war, no class Of our people haB oonfo1ued
more cheerfu11y to the demand for economy
on the part Of the General Government than
the army itself, and no class Of men ever Hnr-
rendered back the cxercisc Of power and au-
shor;ty with mora grace aud patriotism than
its officers.
The ve1y instances which Genera1 Loean
quotes is proof Of this. Many Captain4 snd
many subalterns but l. few years ago xere
leading brigades IN battle, or commanded d.
generally allowed them to proscribe their insig-
nia Of rank At their own expense, 10 that the
strap Of . Major General mny be seen, ss GEN
ersl Logan says, in the rank and file. Can this
be 4 cause for = sneer on hedoor OF Congress-
We have In our 1ankr, az Captains and Ileutan-
snts, men who in war have alrcsdy proved that
they are qualified for higher command At all
events, there can be economy in this, for the
law clearly provides that m officer shall in no
event receive one cent additional pay BY reason
fc1ov-soIdiers that ko once commanded brig
ads, or may be division, in battle
admit the Mavet system was shameftllly
abused about tho elose Of the var that Bre-
vet rank was laviah1y and recklessfy bestowed
it may be, in reward for political service, for
family influence, and for othar objects never
sanctioned By tho army itseH This Was not
the act Of the army, but OF Congress or the
President Of the United States, who may thus
hare cheaply rewarded men who never heard q
ahot, but who wanted some sort Of military
famc. I believe that these Brovets do disturb
the unity and harmony Of the army, and they
should never have been bestowed save for
bravery In actual battle. Therefore, am will
ling that they should all, bad and good alike,
be ahrugated; but it should not be- accredited
to economy, for Congress long sinca took good
caro- that these BreTet commissions should
cary no pay Or rccompense whatever. l do
not object to salary bill, CT any bill Congress-
may. in its wisdom adopt
I haTe streuuous1y endeayored to dirninial.
tho e1penscs Of the army wherever OF when
ever my authority Vas adequate. found, on
my arrival here, my headquartezs in hired
building, used by my predecessor. did not
occupy it It ali, but moved with al ny stafr In
to three rooms Of tho Var Department build
ing. found q regiment Of infantry in Wasll-
ington, a company Of artillery, and : company
OF cavalry. The infantry regiment il now ia
Arizona; tho eompsny Of cavalry il to start
April for the plains, and the artillery CONF
pany goes to Newport, 4. L, to zeplaco troops
sent to North Carolina.
Personally, cseupy the aan.e dHn,lins ul.iol.
AGAN4 ~ IAA4l A4A Ot4Nkl LIZ, HAQEE &0IQG E1Gu
friends in New York and Boston bought nnd
presented me-, anil hayc spent every cent,
and more too, Of tie pay allowed ne by Law in
keeping it up. have endeavorad to enter
tain my friends, come from what quarter they
might. and hare given some dinners, and son1e
receptions. and hope to do 80 again, at my own
expense. and not the peoples. II my pay Ii
reduced l may not be able to do it to the same
extent hereafter, hut never will l recaire the
courteeies or hospitaIisies ct others unless l |
can reciNzoeate them. 1nvidions comparisons
have been made between my salary aud that Of |
the Chief Justice and Cabinet Minister'S, Al |
can say il that it il and ll.s been shame
that country With 40.O0o.0 OF people
shnnld stint their Chief Justice and Cabinet
Ministers a. this government now docs,
The President himself assured me, before 1 |
came to Washington, that I could not live on
my salary here il had to pay the ,ent Of a
llnusc, and in his annual message he called at |
tention to the inadequate pay Of the Justices |
Of The Supreme Court. and i1lfercntially of the |
Cabinet Ministers. II il lay in his power be-
ieve this disparity would not exist an hour,
a.ld that he would not level down. but rsisc up.
Tue demagosuca might, Of course, cry aloud |
y E1tra4agancc" but tho people would say |
Amen. The people Of this country when |
appealed to are not mcsu. Thcy wan. real |
ecosomy and honest responsiaility, and |
Lhese , a1o IL allied to justice. II
asd present rsy; that during the war, when I |
commanded more men than the Duxe Of Wei
!ington had in Spain. my pay a. D1satlicr and
Major General WAS less than his private Sec1e-
tay.e. and was 60 small that, though ire;l on
A soldiers rations, my ray was not more than
enough to maintain my family in Ohio. did |
aot complain Of it then, nor do now, but / !
believe that my present ray is not wholly for,
present work, hut is III great part for past ser
sices- will say the same for Generals Sheri-
dan, Meade. Ihomas. for all Of our present
general officers: and it Is nolofy's business !
whether they are married or single, or
what uso they make Of their sal1rics |
Ihis il ! confederation too contcmp:i!lc |
for discussion. What money will pay MeaIe I
Tor Gettysburg? N!lat Sheridan for Wi,clles-
ter and Five Forks: What Thomas for Chick |
:matga, Chattanooga. or Sashrille7 What
American wonl,l tear these pages from our ma |
ttonal history for tho few dollars save,l from
their pay during their ehort lives? honestly |
believe shnt the ranks Of General and 1ieutcn-
ant General should remain as incentives to
honorable e1eetiou in all times to come. All |
tlat to terminate these posts of honor during
the lives OF our war-Genera1s would be I'll .ct !
0f unkindncss 10 them personally which the |
country does not demand, but quito the con-
traN.
make this strong appeal. not for mYself
but for the army aud fo7 my comrades, for
whom have right TO speak in their absence. |
l have the honor to no ycur cbetiient servant.
". T.. SEEE1fay t{,nar11