The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-05-23
A Commission in the Army Not Con-
tract for Life.


At the Chamber Of Commerce dinner TO
RurnrRroRD -. HAYES. intended to
strcn..then Nj. 4hpky ~cpi in the Prcsidcn-
tial Office. Con SHERMAN was assigned to
the congcninl dutyuf icpl> ing to the rcgu-
VAR toast. 1.-THE Army His speech was
protest against lis reduction and u plea for
Rs pctpctuity. His plea was based on the
declaration that the United states have con
traotcd with every officer educated for the
army and commissioned into II. e. retain
him in service for life; and that to reduce
the army or to abolish it. would bc breach
of contract violuiivc of vested rights and
d~honoriug 10 the Government.
Gen. SHEH,lNSs louSonc-s Of speech and
lnaccuracv OF statement are provrrbal; hut
his assertion that an army officer holds In
his commission contract on the part ~ the
United States to feed. clo'hr and pay him
Tor life. exceeds in wilduc-s any II his pre-
vious ccccntrctio-. lie j. the first man in
the nation to publicly prefer this claim. Ilc
pugnt oknuw that II is made in th" face of
the Constitution of the United states and of
the act Of Congress OF March ,, 1921, which
organized the army aud ul tine acts amends
tory thereof
The first article Of the eighth section of
the Constitution gives Congress power TO
raise and support arlni iut uu appropriate
tiun OF money 10 that ~" shall h" Tor
longer term than two wears The plurality
OF the word will he noted" armies. mot ,Oi
army. The article clearly contemplated
successive armies. a. madc necessary 10y
war, and not permanent army. Il con-
tcmplatod the raising amt support of armies
when needed, ami not their retention when
unnecessary; and the restriction of appro-
priations for the maintenance of the armies
t. short periods Of two years j. conclusive
that the trainers of the Constitution had in
mind provisional and temporary forces, and
not permanent establishment.
The West Point Military Academy was
organized 10y act of Congress on March 6.
iSo2 The third section Of the act required
each cadet to sign articles with the CON
sent Of his parent or guardian, by which ne
shall engage To- serve five years. unless
sooner Dis, harccd' This period " con-
tractcd service of their country los the ca
ncts. in repayment for their education and
nurture. was subsequently extended 10y the
act Of Congress of July :. 1855. which de-
elarcd. 1.-The term for which cadets here
After admitted into the Military Acadcmyat
West Point shall engage 20 serve, bee and
the same is hereby increased - eight years,
nnlcss sooner discharsod."
In both OF these laws the United States
explicitly declare their right ~ discharge
from the army the commissioned graduates
Of the West Point Academy Whenever they
See fit 10 do 80. No man has ever quc--
TONED this right til Gen. SHERMAN made
Bic astonishing statement that the contract
Of military service on the part If the GOV
eminent with the officer was for life. II the
officer was hrld t. serve for life, the Cow
eminent might equtably he held to sup
port him for life. But he Is bound for only
night years. and then il free g. 60. Mutual
,,ty oi obligation L. wholly wanting Ia
Gen. SHrRMAN's claim for the life
support # am oili rr. The commits
stoned graduates 81 West Point have
over felt tree to resign after entering
the army. Ia innumcrhie instances they
have thrown up their commissions - 20
marry rich wives 10 - into civil business,
~ got rid OF frontier service. from dislike 0i
their rofcs-ion. 1heirri-ht 20 g. has never
been questioned. And -iondugly. the
right Of the United States t. discharge has
never been questioned. till the "udcayor t.
diminish the waste NJ the public money by
reducing tie army 90 ton th0u-lui men has
roused the oppD-itiuuoi th" contractors who
ked, clothe, ANA transport the army. AMI Of
the officers who went into IL for ecutocl
aud easy support ard who cannot bear t.
face the necessity OF earning their own
living.
Reduce the army to 10 001 mon.