The New York herald., 1871-08-01

reverse that II despises the opinion even Of
whole parliaments. "L'armfc," he says.
''ntprsserG to,1ours Un Ssn1t et Yespecter0
sss o6'ciers." The opinion of Montesquisu Is
fully sustained by the history of all great mill
itary nations. Philip, King of Macedon,
laughed at the Athenian Senate because ID
annually nominated ten generals, any of whom
might be invested with the supreme command
Of the armies of the republic. ''How fortu-
nate the Athenians are, he exclaims, sarcas-
tically, Sin having always ready so many
great chicftains, while can find no general
but ParmeniO.
In the first Punic war the wealthy Romans
raised troops and took the command of them,
pretty much as was done in our own country
during the late rebellion. For a considerable
time the Carthagenians seemed to have the
upper hand, aud the rest of the world exulted
at what they regarded as the approaching fall
of Rome but, as in our own case, the world
was disappointed In due time. In the second
Punic war those Of the rich who were ambi-
tous of military glory, paid money into
the treasury instead of raising troops. and
a great Improvement was the result. Thia
is all the more worthy Of attention from the
fact that the pay of the soldiers was one-sixth
less In the second PuDic war than 1t was in the
first-that is their six ounces of copper were
diminished to five ounces. Bnt this did not
retard the final destruction of Carthage for q
single day, although wise statesmen had pre-
dicted very different state of things as more
than likely to result from the changes
alluded to.
But the new plan was that of Scipio Afri-
canus and his generals. True, Marius and
Cesar entertained the same views. None was
none more beloved by his soldiers; yet he was
always opposed to raising the pay Of the rank
and file. He preferred to give them both land
and money after their retirement from the SER
vice. It is to the philosophy of this that
Horacs alludes In one of his finest odes to
Augustus, when he asks, Is 1t in proportion
to the weight Of money he receives, the soldier
fightss a
AurO repensus sclllcet acrior -.
Now, if it be remembered that Edward tho
Black Prince, Cromwell, William III. and
Wellington were each very much Of the opinion
Of Cesar, Marius and Scipio as to the best
mode Of raising, commanding and paying
troops, it will not be 80 clear that the recent
achievement of Mr.. Gladstone is very great
one after all. True, the British Premier may
find cogent argument in the plan of the First
Napoleon, who, 1t must be admitted, was
the greatest conqucror of modern times. +
Napoleon did not indeed, insert In
his famous code clause legalising
the sale of commissions. on the contrary
he declared merit the sole claim to rank and
command in the army. AT the same time any
one possessed Of ordinary courage together with
thousand francs could secure a commission
In the French army without much troubles
This the Emperor admitted at st. Helena.
His remark to Surgeon O'Meara was-"Thers
was still room enough for those who distin-
guishcd themselves; besides, the fact that q
man is willing to pay certain amount in
order to become sub. lieutenant is evidence
that he has taste for a military life." So
thought, also, Frederick the Great Charles X.
and Wallenstein; and their views have received
the assent Of Grotius and PufIendorf.
1t Is idle to deny that there are sound res.
sons for this. While it Is undoubtedly true,
as we have said, that it looks shabby. and
seems demoralizing to dispose of commissions
as If they were bales Of cotton or boxes OF
opium, it may well be asked whether it is not
at least equally so to place the commissions in
the hands Of the politicians. Aud that this Is
the alternative Of Mr.. Gladstone's ''new
departure" is beyond question. Under the old
system any one successful in honest business
had II in his power to secure a commission in
the army for his son il such was his taste, no
matter what were his politics; under the new
system, In order to accomplish the same end,
he must render himself agreeable to The poll
ticians. What the country is likely to gain by
the change may be inferred from our own
experience as TO the morality and fidelity Of
West Point cadets in the lato rebellion.
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