The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1877-10-04

Elsewhere in ths Home journal we
have alluded in complimentary terms
to Gen, Mcclellan, the Democratic can
iidste for Governor Of New Jersey,
But be is not as democratic as we
thought. lie favors an increase OF the
standing army from 10000 to 4o,ooo'
We hope that Congress will red0c tue
number TO 10000, or 5000, We can
not see why the army should be ex-
empt from any reform, or stand out /"
glariug exception to the national ne
,os.i,v or rctrcnrlImcnt wherever re-
lrcnchucnt is possible. Says ihe New
York Sun:
In the last ten years Of peace, five hum
drcd and sixty millions Of dollars have
been expended for the maintenance OF the
regular army, whose chief duty during
| that time was to serve AS Il political police
in the reconstructed States. IL matters
not who ordered these troops on that SER
vice, or how they %dcportcd themselves.
The compliments of Gen. Mcclellan count
for little, when We remember how Legs
laturcs were made and unmadc at the
POINT of the bayOnet. how Il people seeking
pcnccably and lawfully TO assert their
rights were stigmatizcd and threatened rs
bandiLli, and, only recently. how the great
Electoral Conspiracy was c0nSlllnnatcd lh
the presence Of troops gathered from lhc
distant frontier, and with artillery trained
IT, 49,. 800. Aha. Hama. nf nnInEnnInIip VOC
If there had been no large army to furnish
that intimidating force, which was kept
for months on II war footing, ANA cOmnan-
dcd by the General OF the Army, the con
spiracy would hav3 been ridiculous. The
conspirat0rs knew well what was behind
them when they stole the Presidency, and
loudly threatened revolution at the capi-
tal TO insure the success of their plot.
These events are too recent to be forgot
ten, and though they seem not 10 nave at-
tractcd the attention OF Gen Mcclellan,
thcv have none the less made a lasting inn
preston on the public mind, intcnsifylng
The patriotic warning against a large
standing army IN time OF peace. the I'M
mediate practical and unanswcrable rehs-
ON for reducing the army, however, Is the
state of the public finances ami the rcvcI-
ucs, and the general depression OF bust
ness, which makes every doll r OF unncc-
cssary taxation almost a crime.
Why should the regular army stand
alone, as an exception TO II system OF econ
omy? Why appropriate for that branch
of the public service fifteen or twenty NIL
lions a wear more than is absolutely need
ed? A few hundred Indians in the North
west rebel against the United States be-
causc they have been cheated by Govern
mcnt agents out Of their annultles ant
supplies, aud their lands have been stolen
Deal honestly with them and they viii re-
turn to obedience. The laborcd effort to
get up Il war with Mexico, in the interest
OI j0bbcrs and spectators. has sIShally
failed by an example If good faith on the
part of that Government which we WOulo
do well to initiate.
There is no cause, then, to justify the
drain on the Treasury for an army OF
twenty-five thousand mcn, let forty
thousand, when ten thousand are adequate
to all our wants. A great army Is only a
luxury for those who hold life estates rs
officers, and whose families are pcnsloned
after their death. Gen. Mcclellan has
chosen Il most unfortunate time for urging
an increase Of the army, as he will be like
" to discover when Congress comes TO
foot the bills for carrying ON this costly
machine without authority OF law.