National Republican., 1876-07-04
Pharmaceutical Cl
Great Success,
.. j
THE SIGNAL CORPS.
A Chronicle Nan Catches a Tartar.

MR.. EDITOR: An understrapper of the Daily
Chronicle, in an article appearing among the
editorials in Sundays issue of that paper and
headed "Ofensiye Visitors" proclaims that he
has refused insertion to an article written by
Private or Corporal Csshell," which, as he
noirely admits, answered fourteen seriatem
small allegations against the signal corps" Il
have not corrected his spelling nor his colloca-
tion.)
1t is the first duty of a newspaper to tell its
readers the truth, or TO lay the whole matter
before them in order that they may Judge for
themselves; yet this exemplary journalist (?)
cOnfesses publicly that he has suppressed the
answers to certain calumnies.
The tone, temper and grammar of his produc-
tions would indicate how much of a gentleman he
is. if his want Of veneration for the truth repu-
diation OF his proportion Of the Just debts con-
tIacted in connection with a certain defunct peri
odical, and his lack of personal cleanliness did
not do SO Tor him. Both of the visitors whom he
chooses TO term "OtfeDsivc," have. therefore good
grounds for denying his competency judge OF
gentlemanly conduct.
The fact is that for six or eight months he has
been slanderiDg the Signal Bureau and all con-
nected with IL, and when quietly assured on the
evening to which he refers, that all his various
later ones are in the accompanying letter. he lost
his temper and set an example of raising his
voice" AS anybody naturally would, raised
mine also; but his notion that he could have me
arrested for SO doing is extremely absurd 1t is
susceptible Of proof that my manner was per-
that would have LEFT his office without raising II
at all if he had not detained me by continuing to
address me. My civility in hearing him out, and
replying to him. was quite thrown away.
He has no just grounds for finding fault with
the style of the letter he rejected; anything in 1t
that can be censured results from following his
example and initiating his style-a policy which
adopted in order to bring the enormity of his
conduct home to him. In that succeeded to per-
fection, and now he compels me, in selfdefence to
give all the facts to the public,
In reply to his repeated references to the Army
Regulations, need only say, for his information
either human or divine, prohibiting Inc from tell
ing the truth. See accompanying letter.
Very respectfully, JOSEPH CAsHELL.
The following is the letter which the Chronicle
rejected:
The Editor Chronicle:
An article on the Signal corps (vilifying It, as
usual) appeared in your Journal this morning. 1t
was not signed therefore. according to we'll
known rules and your own declaration, "the
paper is responsible" for it, In review
ing it shall accordingly suppose you, Mr. Editor,
(whoever you may chance to be,) to be the author
of it: have to premise that a more outspoken
exhibition Of ignorance and malice has seldom
fallen under my observation.
1.-THE SIGNAL CORPS.
'If the signal service belongs to the army WHY
pedition under General Crook?"
This question indicates ignorance of the signal
service and ignorance Of the army. There are no
"stgnal officers" at all. There are no less than
200 or 400 acting signal officers, including those on
duty with the Signal Corps, scattered through
the army-nOt less than one to each military
pOst-and Gen. Crook could not take the field
with so large a force without taking with him az
least half dozen such officers. trust this half
dozen will satisfy the Chronicle and that IL
will not insist on demanding that the number be
increased without at least consulting Gen. Crook
"a better field for the application of the science
OF semiology (..) could not be found"
This does not deserve q remark, beyond saving
that you are as unfortunate in selecting primi-
tives, from which to construct your new deriva-
tive words, as you are to all other matters Of
knowledge and of common sense.
why are not the seacoast telegraph lines built
by the signal service transferred 10 the lfe-sayng
bureau Of the Treasury Department, where they
properly belong?"
1t is foolish and reckless to assert that these
lines properly belong" to the Treasury Depart
ment. They are not transferred to it:
First, because they were built cheaply by the
signal service; and second because the signal SER
vice can maintain them as cheaply as it built
them; and third, because no other department Of
the Government could do either of those things
so chesply; s5 80 per mile per annum cannot be
beaten at all.
"At present they are maintained at a great ex-
pense to the country, and do not serve any useful
purpose"
This sentence includes two deliberate false
all these things but the wiseacre of the Chronicle
ONCE. Efrontery may pass for courage, but It
has never been mistaken for wisdom.
"Why are not the military telegraph lines in
Texas and Arizona transferred to the Quarter
masters Department If they must be kept under
military control?"
Yes; or why is not the artillery transferred to
the Post Once Department, or the cavalry to the
Interior Department? Questions like these could
be multiplied dd iafnftum by any idiot having
sufficient time. This question is based on the
"iact' stated in the following sentence. Let us
examine the "fsct:"
"Thst Department now is at the burden and
expense Of caring for and working them, while
the chief signal of1cer has managed to get super
vising control Of them and perverts them to his
personal advantage"
Here we find that the "fact" is deliberate