The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1870-03-01
Another Cashiercd Army Officer 20 be
Restored.

INtblOIcUs
The Associated Press telegram Of Inst
Thursday morning announced tho nomina
tons sent into the Senate that day by the
President. Struggled in at the tail end of n
list of Surveyors, Collectors, md Assessors,
appeared the name Of THOMAS CUMMINGS,
late Captain Nineteenth L. S Infantry, TO be
Captain Of Infantry
We invite the attention OF the honorable
Senators TO this nomination, and refer them
TO General Court Martial Orders No 70,
dated at the Adjutant Generals Office, Wash.
ington, Dec. 81, 1869 BY this order Brevct
Major THOMAS CUMMINGS, Captain in the
Nineteenth u S. Infantry, was cashicred and
directed "to be held in custody ut Fort
Jackson, Louisiana, until he refunds the
sums Of Sl12l0, post fund, and Sl7o15,
company fund cubczzled by him" To
the uninitiatcd, we would say that the
company fund of a military organization
occrues from the savings oil the mengre RI.
tion of the soldier and 10 designed to be ex-
pended in directly promoting his comfort by
procuring articles Of diet and table furniture
not otherwise allowed ly law. The safety
AID judicious disbursement Of this fund is
one of the first cares Of every captain who
has particle OF honor or selfrcspect and a
man must be sunk very low indeed in the
scale of honesty vino would tampcr with
money so acquired aid SO ntrust,d to his
keeping.
CUMMINGS was found guilty of having
made " false statement with regard to the
company fund" confdcl to his charge Ivy
virtue of his Office. OF this finding of tho
Court President GRANT approved He was
likewise found guilty of embcz2ling funds
for which he was responsible; :" and of this
finding the President also approved. The
Court tried CUMMINGS besides for ordering
his quartcrmaster sergeant to destroy GER
tain documentary evidence of his CUM
MlNGss) money responsibility, but of this
charge the Court acquitted him. 1t appears,
however, that the President was satisfied of
CUMMINGs's guilt even on this last charge,
for of this finding of the Court no disap-
proved. The President approved the other
findings of the Court and the sentence, and
directed the execution Of the latter to be car
ried into effect 10y the General commanding
the Department of Louisiana and now he
comes before the country with the name of a
convicted thief on lis lips asking that the
man who bears it shall be permitted again
towcar uniform, and that he shall be thrust
back among the members of IN honorable
profession.
We asl; the Senate 10 show some decent
rcgrrd for public opinion by refusing to con.
firm every such nomination. If the prac.
tice of restoring dismissed and cashiercd
army officers TO the service whence, after
far trial, they have been expelled, is in.
dulgcd in much longer, it win not be long
before the uniform of an officer Will be but
the livery that covers either drunkard, n
llackleg, OF a thief and the shoulder.strnp
that once stamped the gentleman will burn
the flesh OF the honest veteran whose neces.
Stiles compel him to wear IT,
Nor is this all. Congress proposes to mus.
ter out of service over four hundred officers /;
and to accommodate Mr.. CUMMINGS, this
number is TO be increased by some worthy
man who has never been guilty of any
offence but who will I've banishcd from pro-
fcssion hchonors to give place to man who
has disgraccd IT,