The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-10
The Army Intrigue.

The Army Intrigue.
scheme has been prepared Mt the War
Department, and is TO bc presented to Con-
grcss, based ON the main idea recently ad-
vanced by Gen. MCCLELLAN for increasing
the army to 10000 men, without augmcnting
the number OF officers. This plan is not new,
and. instead of being n concession to public
opinion, which demands Il principle and sy5-
TEN OF uniform economy all through the
public service. Is rather an insult by seek
Ing to accomplish an object indirectly which
it, authors and abcttors do not dare to adj
vocato boldly and squarcly
1t will not be denied by the most jealous
advocate Of n large standing army that the
present force of officers Is abundantly SUM-
ccnt for complete military organization
of seventy-fivc thousand men. Many main
tain that there are enough officers to com
mand efficiently nearly twice that number
of soldiers. Consequently, to pretend that
the objections against charging the army
are in any way met or removed by this form
of project. is preposterous. One o: the chief
reasons for the constant clamor to increase
the rank and file Of the army is that the OIL
cial corps Is out Of all proportion to the main
body. Like ship overloaded with sails the
army may be called top-heavy, because
there is all officer for every five or six men;
and the testimony taken before the Military
| Committee Of the House IN the last Congress
| proved that at many Of the posts there
/ were more officers to drill than there were
ordinary soldiers to be drilled. The simple
remedy for this state Of things is TO cut of
the supertuous number, and bring the costly
machine within the actual and practical
needs of the country.
The prctexts invented and urged ne a JUS
tincation for imposing huge standing
army on the treasury, are audacious when
considered by the light of experience. First,
it is alleged that large force is necessary
to protect the frontier Of the Rio Grande {;
and secondly, that the danger Of an Indian
war In the Northwest requires great prcpa-
ration. This Fraudulent Administration,
soon after coming into possession Of power,
deliberately set to work to provoke war
with Mexico, in the interest of Rings and
spectators. The order to Gen. ORD to cross
the river was Of itself substantially q
declaration of war against neghboring
republic, and would have been SO treated by
US if Mexico had violated her obligations BY
any such act of violence.
| There had been no fOrays across the Dor
der for more than year previous to that
| hostile declaration. Ii IL had been intended
TO provoke collision, no more effective
means could have been adopted. That there
was sinister intention has been made plar
by recent developments, and by the laborec
efforts to manufacture war temper in the
organs Of this policy inspired from Wash
ington. If difficulty be avoided, the escape
from intrigue and from corrupt combina
tion7 to acquire territory will be due to th'
prudence and friendly purposes OF PoRFIRI'
DIAz, who amid serious embarrassments a
homo, has done his best to preserve tn
peace, and TO keep tho bad clements o
border rulianism in restraint. With I
similar spirit on our side There need be II
, trouble; and none will come unless il be in
stigatcd at Washington
So lar as the Indian question Is concerned
a, the late conferences show how easily "A sat
: isfactory adjustment may be made with tn
= tribes that have been driven into hostilit
. 10y the bad faith and the corruption Of Tia
agents aud other officials Of the Unite
t Stutcs Tho Indians who seek the benefit
o. Of civilization have loen made enomic
! through the troachery and rascalltics {
I tho very men who were appointed {
- lead thea out Of savage mode Of lii'
= Thus it is evident that the two subject
e which have been most pressed upon publ
h attention ms furnishing arguments for II
, crea sing the army or maintaining it at tn
l. present maximum, when stripped Of thel
j. false covering, are found to be destitute
o any solid substance.
I For moro than sixty years there has bee
= no use for an army TO defend the countr
= against foreign invasion or aggression
(, And in the only war with foreign powe
h during that long stretch Of time, GOVERN
l. two-thirds Of the whole existence Of the II
}, public, Gen. ScoTT marched from Vera Cru
:, TO the City Of Mexico, confronted by ski
s full enemy and great fortllcations along I'll
= whole route, with but 10000 men. That ia,
Il alone stands out as the conclusive answC
against all the shams that have been iabr
n Gated for keeping up and extending vas
II military establishment in time Of peace.
e An attempt will probably be made to rus
l. a bill through Congress for the pay an
t maintenance Of the army during the curroI
q half year, and TO leave the matter of IL
e crease or decrease until the regular session
It This Is the programme Of the War Dcpar
d mcut, and Of the military chiefs who advise
f. tho illegal and daring acts by which II
It army has been supported on credit and col
10 tracts have been mado to include two and
y. half months after Congress shall have IL,
IN to consider this question.
1t Is not to be supposed that the House
ye Representatives, will give any countenan'
- To this plan Of snap Judgment, or venture
at vote away dollar Of the peoples mono
at without first going to the bottom OF tn