The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-02-02
Irc.,nCIng the Army.

Reducing the Army.
Gen. luGNN's bill TO reduce tho number "
officers N the army Is to be taken up for dis
russion in tho House of Representatives to
day. 1t has sane good points 1t provides
Tint the Offices Of General and Lieutenant
General slwll cease with their present occu
pants that after the frs. q September next
lhcFp shah bo only thrc, mrior generals and
sis brgadicr generals that the chiefs Of the
ftoH DEPARTMENTS ut Washington shall be
colonies only; aud that II my officer of the
amy shall accept n civil Office lis commits
son shall thereby become vacant. A Board
Of Gro major general, two lrigadi,r gene.
rails, and two culopcls who served actively
during thc late war. are TO examine the
record and qualifications, moral. mental, and
profess onal, ot all officers Of The line and staff
below the rank Of lrigodicrPcnoral, and 10
rccomm, nd to the President those who should
be retained in tho service and II the Trcsi.
dent approves the report, those not recon-.
mcnded shall be mustered out, with one
y'tT7 ray and allowances.
III estimated that If this bill should Ic.
come Ia W, about Eve hundred officers will
be discharged under its provisions To such
measure no factious opposition will be
attempted indeed, If the public service docs
not require them, most of the officers Will
themselves desire TO return to peaceful occu.
patisis But anxious as the people ore to
save money, they cannot forget the debt they
Dwcto most Of thesc men. Some of them have
grown old in military life; many Of them
left situations Of great promise in CONNER.
cial or other business, TO become soldiers /;
they fought through the war many of them
were wounded, and will never fully recover
from it ; and the pcol le desire that they should
lie treated with extreme tenderness and
consideration. No picayuno economy must
DO allowed 20 cypress and injurc tlcsc vet.
Grams Tlcy oro oar pride, and VIC viii glad.
Is su.y.g little extra taxation rather than
Lave orc Of them made unhappy by the
uouglt that his country Is uucmtctul.
But admitting that reduction is iul'apon-
E.blo, is There not lc.tor method ofm.h ur
~ II We hoyo too many officers, why not
begin by diminishing the .ufply ofncwoncsc
tho army from West Point. Suppose tie ca
dctship- many e.. thUn-sAou!d remain va.
cant until the required reduction las been sc-
;urod or suppose the graduates should wat
nrthc rcomm .-sious ur;l there are vacancies.
1t is not night 10 turn good and proved officers
out of tie army, In order that these boys,
wlo know nothing Of actual warfare may
rcp into their places. Let them wait. They
can wJll lie content with their education,
obtained from the Government free OF cX.
pence Con it be right to dismiss any war
officers for the purpose of reducing the
amy, 50 lorg os IN the very same year, com.
missions are bestowed upon graduates Of
West Poiutf
last week two pcrsons formerly officers
Of the army, hut WHO had been dis
missed from the service by the judy
mcnt ofmiltary courts, were nominated by
the President to tie positions from which
they had been removed, ard thor re.
ftoRt.on was confirmed Iy tho Senate. OF
course tie contemplated reduction viii not in
cludo the names Of these men but two places
will have 10 DC vacated by other officers 20
balance the increase Of the whole number
consequent ugon utcir rcappoiumut We
should Ike 70 hear any possible justification
for dism ssiua from tho army two gentlemen
against whom no word OF roproach has ever
been hrcathcd, whlo others are retained who
have been odjudScd, after trial by regular
courts unfit 10 remain in the service Of the