National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1872-12-03

eau take no part.
Men-of-war add to the security Of our citizens
In foreign countries, often semt-barbarouH; they
give protection to our commerce against illegal
violence; they strengthen the hands OF dlplO-
niatlsts 1T hostile or haliclvllized courts Stun
lions are frequent In which the words Of peace
aud reason will only be heard when supported ny
the argument Of the presence OF man-oi-Wars
THESE considerations have already been fire.
qucntly presented at length, and II Ii hardly ne
cessary that I should pause to do more than call
attention to them again,
and the reports In the appendix Tor more lie
tailed and comprehensive Information on many
Of the subjects mentioned, and others o. lnte-
rest to the service and the country; and, In con-
cusiOn, | again express my obligations TO the
able oriccrs chief clerks, and assistants Of the
Department, aud o. all Us branches, iot the
great and unrGmittlng attention and assistance
Gro. NJ. RoBEsOS,
Secretary Of the Navy.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
MIR PRESIDENT! 4 comparison uf the tx
pendlulres Of tho War Department for the
present fiscal year and tho one Immediately
preceding will show that the actual eNpcndi-
lures for the fiscal year ending june 30, 1871,
weru e35, 40, 09l.S2; for the year ending june
80, 1872 s35 372, 1890; showing reduction
Of 1927 81
The total estimate for military apprOpria-
,
Is S33, SOL ,37S.7S
The estimates Of the chief Of engineers
arc submitted separately a. presented by that
officer, namely Notifications and other works
| Of defence, 90, T25 900; river and harbOr Inn
| pToycments, sl2, 302, 800; public buildings and
grounds and Washington aquCduCt, Sbl2,USi;
total, SlB, $50, S94.
Since my last report there have been turned
into the Treasury, by surplus fund warrant,
| balances of previous appropriations amount,
/ ing In the aggregate to l3,WO.5l. had
these balances been applicable for the use OF
| the current or ensuing fiscal year, the estl-
mates could have been reduced very materi-
| ally, "a, In the item Of expenses for recruit
| Ing alone, the sum Of $500, 900 was returned
to the Treasury, being double the amount
asked for under that head for the next fiscal
| wear. An estimate of E2,OOO,OOO hns been
submitted to meet Treasury settlements In Ia
| YUT Of States for expenses Incurred Tor Gu
rolling aud subsistlng troops called Into the
| United States service during the late war,
under the act Of July "a, 1881, and SlOOOOO
for payment for horses lost or destroyed
while in the military service OF the General
Government; these being the amounts re-
quircd Us reported by the Third Auditor, the
officer charged by Law with the examination
and settlement OF the accounts.
The reports Of Of the General Of the Army
and Of the division and department COM
mandUrs show that the various duties re-
VuirCd of the army have been performed win
| luithfulncss. Distortions have decreased III
number, the enlightened legislation In connec-
ton with the pay Of the enlisted men having
| contributed greatly toward that end
II has been found impossible, thus far tn
| reduce the force In the Southern states eaSl
Of the Mississippi which were engaged In thu
war of the rebellion. About One-siNth of the
army ia still located there. It is to be hOpo(
) that an improved condition OF affairs In that
section may permit the withdrawal Of pOr
ton Of the forces.
| renew the recommendation that the cXtrl
, lieutenants now authorized by law to serve a.
rogimental adjutants and quartermastcrs II
the artillery infantry, and cavalry regiment
! be discontinued Us vacancies occur In thOs
grades. \ yearly saving, with no injury 4
, the SERVICE Of nearly Sl6O,OOO would thus b
, effected.
. Thorough Inspections, especially In connec
ton with those branches OF the service nav
ing charge Of disbursements, have been or
dGTcd, and the Inspector will he held respon
sibc for any defalCation or interpolation q
a the public property which may occur with
= the district assigned to him, that an Actlv
/ vigilance on his part might have detected.
: Under the recent legislation placing III
o control Of the Freedmen's Bureau under IN
; | immediate charge, the transfer of the record
!: accounts, claims, checks Treasury certificate
= and property from Howard University TO
O building near the War Department, was con
II pleted about August 8 last, and regulation
9 for the discovery, Identification, and paymel
e of the claimants for pay, bounty, prize none,
y or other moneys due TO COlOrcd soldier
a sailors, or marines, or their legal represents
,e tiyes now residing or who may have reside
ii in any State IN which slavery existed In v
year 1860, have been framed and put In
execution.
The examination by the Bureau Of Militia
~ Justice of the records of trials occurring
IN the different military departments, brinl
Of constantly before 1t what Is felt to be INC
2, serious defect In the administration of justiC
~ and most positive injury to the service
y which Il, the Inequality Of sentences adiudg
- | nv different courts for Identical Offence
M DesertiOn, for instance, receives IN one d
ar partmeut punshmentOt two, three, lot
or and even Ave years imprisonment ut ha
30 labor, while In another, sentence prOyldil
. for Que years imprisonment Is deemed
pa ample expiration, and this In cases whiC
M | from the trial-TccOrds, appear to be, In
IA Tcspecta, deserving Of the same proportion
en- punishment. Prisoners thus differently tire
"; ed are often brought together, when, by co
~, puTisUn, the injustice wrought Is made ma
~ | fest to the sufferers, and the result natura
m, Is to harden rathersthun reform the Culprit
he Necessarily large discretion must be
posed Ia COurts-maTtial, as TO the measure
punishment required by the demands Of j
lie tlCC, In q vast number Of cascs brought Del
he them yet the opinion Is entertained that
Ill service would be greatly benefited, and
T. morale increased by the adoption Of q ct
ast providing specific penalties for wcll-dchl
M Offences with minimum and maximum III
In tntiOn to meet first offences and the cases
be- persistent offenders. By the pursuit of
TO plan Ii Is believed the character Of ccrtai
~. | of execution would attach to all sentenI
NJ adding largely TO their corrective power,
ing relieving the Executive from the numcr
in | applications for ClemenCy that are now
his ceiyed.
w The absence, too, Of proper places of {
ms hnement for the enforcement OF sentences
van pregnant with deplOrable results. II has
ex- through the necessity of the case, to the
ing ignAtlOn by this Department, of the differ
,ar. State penltentaries us military prisons,
9 VS. prisoners guilty Of purely military offences
~ | there compelled to associate with the VI
~ felOns In the country, aud subjected to all
humliating and degrading dlsciplines Of Il
co. institutions. Many mon who might, VI
kC, different treatment, again become useful
bOti diers, arc thus yearly added 10 the Grim
l w, classes by the ligmg. Of iniamy attached
an them, and the demOTaiLing influence OF /
rya- | prison associations. In connection with
cry, subject would again call attention to thu
re- port Of the board Of officers who inycstg
sur the subject Of military prisons in Cauad
RS5, the summer Of 1871, which report was II
I'M mitted to Congress at Its last session.
900; Under the existing laws there Il no wal
s2O,. or provision for the arrest by civilians Of
. OF sOrtcrs from the army, and when such ar
rent are made In consequence of awards of
eA- by the military authorities, tho civllii
than compelled TO assume all the responsible
q in. his act, and the expense aud yeXation Y
o be may arise from SUIT. As mtuEM &
lands QuenCe the descrtCr, In measure, e
!. for Immunity from arrest by the citizen, ant
1 and thereforS recommended that legislation b
le tHs looking to the protection and defence
: onF United States Of persons against whom
shall be instituted for such arrest.