The New York herald., 1874-10-03

the seven great departments, and to the Secre-
tary OF War Is conlded the general care o. th c
military establishment. and his powers are iurtner
subdvded INTO ten distinct and separate bureaus.
The chiefs OF these bureaus are under the imme-
date orders tAe Secretary OF War, who, through
them, III fact,
COMMANDS THE ARMY FROM his OFFICE,
but cannot DO IN the fed-an aDsurdity IN
military, II not evil law. The General cl 'he
Army adds the following pointed wo~6s:-"fhe
subordnates OF these stan corps an" departments
are selected and chosen from -.e army itself or
fresh rom West Point, and zoo commonly construe
than the common soldier. thus they separate
themselves more and more from their comrades OF
the me- and 10 process OF time realize the condi-
tcn OF that old olcer OF artillery who thought the
army would be a delightful place for a gentleman
If 1t were not for the damned soldier; or, better
still tie conclusion or the young lord In Henry
w., who told Harry Percy (Hotspur) that but
.or THESE vile guns he himself would have been
solder dmo Inns Is an wrong utterly at variance
universal experiences: and now that the French
rom whom we had copied the system-have ut
VIII follow suit. admit in Its fullest force the
strength oil the maxim that the civil law should
be superior 10 the military IN time OF peace; that
the army should be at all times subject to the
dl ect control OF Congress, and assert that rom
day, the regular army has set the highest example
OF obedience 10 law and authority; but Tor the
very reason that our army is comparatively SO
very small hold that it should be the best pos
slble. organized and governed on true military
principles and that in time OF peace should
preserve the habits and usages OF war; so that
when war does come we may not again be COM
PEELED to suffer the disgrace, confusion and dis
order OF 1861"
APPLICATION FOR REMOVAL OF HEADQUARTERS.
General Sherman's application to the War De-
partment to remove his headquarters to ST. Louis
was made IN May last, and the Secretary promptly
assented. with the approval OF President Grant.
Nevertheless 1T would be hard to say why the War
ters OF the Commanding General at st. Louis. 1t
seems very difficult that they should act apart
and il they are TO act together in an emergency
and it s only in an emergency that their a. ton Is
OF vital moment-they should be so situated as to
act together. The telegraph, however, will make
the two cities near enough. In reference to the
authority OF the Secretary Of War the United
States Supreme Court has held that although it
may be true that "he does not compose part OF
the the, army ana has no duties to perform N the ne
n aea 'a ase ee cy duta yeI se Is ana the h
regular constitutional organ or the President Tor
the military establishment OF the nation, and rules
and orders promulgated through him must he
received as acts OF the Executive, and as such be
binding upon all within the sphere OF his legal and
"that so long as the President and the Secretary
OF War in accord with each other the powers of
the latter with Ter to the arMy ma their
the authority OF the Chief Executive" From all
this 1t appears evident that President Grant pre-
1ers his secretary, General Belknap, who is SOL
der and the OF an hOnored soldier, rule the
army than the officer who by law, regulations and
universal custom, is the rghtlul person TO perform
the duty.
THE STAFF LEAVES FOR ST. LOUIS.
The following named officers, composing the stan
OF the General OF the Army, proceed immediately
from Washington 70 st. Louis =
Colonel William d. Whipple, Aid-de-Camp and
Assistant Adutant General.
colonel J. c. Mccoy, Fourth artillery, Abide
Camp
Colonel J. c. Audenreid, Sixth cavalry, Aid-de-
Camp.
Colonel John E. Fourtellotte, Seventh cavalry,
Ald-de-Camp
Colonel J. M. Bacon, Ninth cavalry, Aid-de-Camp.
Colonel Orlando M. Poe, Corps OF Engineers,
Ad-de-Camp, Is to remain IN Washington, and all
maps, reports OF reconnosances ana OF all expora-
tions are to be packed, marked and transferred
under his superintendance to the Quartermaster's g
Department for transportation to st. Louis. The
clerks and Orderlies, seven In number, also
proceed to the new headquarters.