, 1870-03-28
THE ARMY BILL,
Views OF General Sherman

Warrington tNareh ~ Dtspa1h II tie cisesnnati
Commercial
Senator Wilson, Chai1man Of the Senate Nil
itary Committee, requested General Sherman
to glve his views upon tho Army bill, passed
recently in the Hotae and now before the Sem
ate Military Committee. General Sherman re-
spons1r in lengthy letter, in which he opposes
tho ill with emphasis in nearly al its fea-
tuEcs. He il quito severe on General Logan,
orloses The reduction Of the army. gives fig
army expenses, AZ General Logan assorted.
the bill increases the nccceBagy expenses over
The higher "a ersde Il officers ] is is
more than doubled by that added 10 tho lower
grades. He denounces the attempt TO cut OF
any Of the Major Generals; favurs the contiu-
uance OF tho rank OF General and Lieutenant
Gencsal; says it would be base to take an Of
ficer from one grade and lower him to another
nr compel him to resign. Tllis. be SAYS. il
never done in any army in the world, except
where IN officer Is convicted by court martial
tion Of the pay Of any grade Of officers, and
thinks in some Of them tho pay should be in
creased, He IL in favor Of the retired List BE-
ing $50, and says that, what with those retired
and those who are rapidly dying of, the
officers arc being depleted fast enough. He
denouncee tho 2spefnune Of General Logan,
made on the t1oos Of the House against Quar-
termaRtcrs and Cotumissarics - Inspectors
Of boots and bean coup. and cites the services
Of officers through whose hands hundreds OF
millions Of dollars have passed, and who arc
checking officers to hundreds Of millions OF
dollars Of claims against ths government He
denies tho statement that breyctted officers
arc paid for their h1eTet rank-thcv beng ps,d
only for tic rank which they actually hold in
the army. He is not opposed to abolishing tho
trevet rank, but thinks thas Ill who have it
should retain it: He says just At the close
<1$ fE.nt lila f+%ut
an outrageous a4treIne. and many were brevet-
ted more l'y political influences md for politi-
cal ptrForcs. than for .ncritoTious conduct"
General Sherman is very frank in expressing
his opinion - to the reduction Of his own pay.
He SAYS the President told him hs conli not
hsc IN Washington A. General Of theA1ny aud
pay house rent, He tells Of the house being
made present 10 him: says il he il not able
to entertain and receise Tia countfr's repre-
scntatiyes. and others. hc will not visit Anv Of
ri.ality OF any one nnlees ar, able to 7ecirro-
cste." He giyca figures in reference to the dif-
fctcnt ARMIES Of Europe, and showH that they
are all more than thrice differed in compari-
ron to rank with ours He dispro%c.. in these
tabular statements, many OF the points made
and thinks it humiliating to the Army, rank
md f]c, that such bill should have passed
| one Of Tho houses Of Congress, and feels sure
f that its provisions were not understood bE
| many OF thost who voted for its passage.
He states tlat tho President Is opposed to
the bill rs passed By the House.
Gcnerl sherman il decidedly in favor OF the
| retired officers. whose pay he SAVE il made
| auatc to sustain life respectfully. having the
| privilege to enter the civl service WHY
| should not retired officer b. magistrate. o.
sheriff Of the county where be zesiaes2 Wh,
| should be not hc member Of the State It i
SLOWED Ill over tie world, and Why not heres'
He SAYS that General Sickles is a zctiret
officer. II the bill is passed, he viii have Il
resign either his rank as III officer or the plac<
Of Minister. Tie gives many reasons Why re
tired officers should haze this privilege, ant
cites Franco and England - countries thA
rather seek thosa out who have done theil
country service, and from age or wounds bee.
retired, to places Of profit and honor in th,
| civil service.
Senator Wilson has returned noto Of thank
to <icucr11 sherman for the letters Of whicl
the above is but hEief synopsis, and assure
the General that the bill, Il reported At al
will lte much modified By the committee O
which he has the honor to Be Chaitman.