Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-23
The Fill Ola Army Organization.
CESERAI. sFERNAH'S OPINION or IT.
EBBITT HOUSE. WASHISGToN.

Gen. ! Z. Burnside, Chairman Jcjat Commit
DEAR GENERAL: ] have now completed the
first reading OF your bill, H. r 1890. entitled.
bill To leorganiZe the army OF the nitnd states
ard TO make rules for its government and regu-
Iation. see you have united the two subjects,
Amy Reduction" and Army Regulation"
hitherto Kept separate. and this SwelS your bill
to tie large size OF 294 pages of which the first
Is contain all that is essential 10 the plan OF
reorganization" and all the rest is Army
Regulations" At 11rst doubted the wisdom or
attempting 50 much lar. but On more doCefu
examination find that the bill is consistent in
all its details. and will probably bring harmony
TO al parts of the service. Although il deeply
affects many OF my comrades. confess il is less
damaging than feared: find a few omissions
or obscure sentences, but general precision and
accuracy.
note the very few criticisms which occur to
NE. The army ought to be a unit, with differ
ent parts. like the human body. thus: \ head,
generals: body, army: hands and legs, staff.
On the first page would not style the generals
as CORPS but simply generals or general
officers without the prefix of ga corps Of" |
also think we will always need a lieutenant
general, three major generals and six briga-
diers because 5000 men, which this bill makes
the permanent standard OF numbers. amount to
a corps d'drlHee, the equivalent of a lieutenant
generals command, equal to three strong di-
visions or SIX strong brigadeS: but do not adj
wise any discussion at this time because know
that as time progresses the pressure Of neceS-
sity for these grades will lead 10 the necessary
amendment. In relation TO the relative parts
regiments OF artillery, OF cavalry and 30 OF in
fantry TO the numbers proposed in your bill.
VIZ: OF artillery, OF cavalry and Is of infan
try. The mode and manner OF reduction and
consolidation seems wise and liberal to the pre-
sent establishment. On page 16, 1.-The reserved
list" the officers on said list shall receive the
pay OF retired officers and no more AS retired
officers receive pay OF several kinds, according
to the cause OF retirement, this paragraph
should be more specific. ON pages 25S and 262
the words military commission" appear. but
| nn trih nal
known as military commission" defined In its
powers and responsibilities. See sec. 80, chap.
20, March 3, 1873. Either military commissions
should be regulated by statute or the powers of
general couItS-martial enlarged 50 as to en-
brace the cases hitherto tried by military COM
HiSSlC nS
In the aggregate this bill if enacted substan-
TALLY as 1t stands, will give us military code
better than any which has prevailed since 1884.
! think 1t Will pass as whole or fail altogether.
Article ,23 gives the President full authority
10 supplement this law with the needful regu-
lationS of details to carry the whole into effect
and suppose that article 24 is sufficient for the
repeal OF the law OF last session, Which forbade
any promotions to till vacancies caused by
death, resignation. etc. am etc,
w. L. SHERMAN, General.
ANOTHER NoTARY-The President has ap-
pointed William Fl. Wetzel to be notary public
for the District OF Columbia.
THE RESULTS OF NEAR RESUHrTIoN-The
Washington correspondent Of the New York
Ttanes telegraphs: Gas evidence OF the conf
dence felt by the public in the successful main-
tenance OF specie payments after January l,
numerous instances are reported at the Treas
ury department where creditors, holding the
coin obligations Of the government, have taken
legal tenders in payment in preference to gold,
ana other instances are reported where per-
sons have recently paid internal revenue taxes
in gold. The most notable instance of this kind
occurred in New York Friday a banking
house OF that city having occasion to use
100000 at New Orleans deposited that amount
in gold coin with the assistant treasurer at
New York, and took al order on the assistant
treasurer at New Orleans for Sf00,1G0 in legal
tenders. To-day We'll known and wealthy
citizen OF Washington called at the Office OF the
L. S. Treasurer. and. presenting geld-bearing
coupons TO the amount OF 1000. requested pay
ment In legal tenders, which request, OF course,
was complied with. Treasury officials express
the belief that large proportion of the Janu-
airy interest, which is now being paid without
rebate, will be disbursed, at the request OF
creditors, In legal tender notes.
SECRETARY EvARTs las gone to New York to
attend the dinner OF the New England society
this evening.
PERS0NAI.-Mr. Rutherford p. Hayes, Who is
student at Cornell, is at the White House for
the holidays. 80. Mr.. ]. b. Hussey. assistant
librarian Of the House OF Representatives., had
the ice and break both bones of his right leg
near the ankle joint. -. EX-Congressman
Frank E. ShOber, OF North Carolina, has lust re-
covered from dangerous attack OF disease of
the kidneys. He is now mending rapidly, and
will leave for home in few days.
MOVEMENTS OF L. s. NAVAL VEssELs-The
TallapoOsa arrived at the Portsmouth, Va,
at Funchal. Madeira, November 30th, en- route
to New York. The Vandalia was at Teneriffe,
Canary islands, November 24th, and intended
to leave within twenty-fOur hours or as soon as
the weather permitted for Boston. Health OF
officers and crew reported to be good.
THE SECOND INSTALNEST of the diplomatic
correspondence for the last year has Just been
published. II contains a letter from Minister
Seward. at Peking. China. Mr. Seward says
that the proposition has been advanced that 1t
Is competent for Congress TO abrogate by
legislation those parts OF our treaties with the
Chinese empire which provide that the Chinese
may resort to the United States, and enjoy
there the privileges accorded to subjects OF the
most favored nation. There are reasons why
we should be more careful" says Mr. seward
Ito avoid such course, where our relations
rest upon the basis OF treaties wrested from The
other party by the exercise OF display of force.
o allowed to Me do ' RE Sd ost Wfs can
be said is that it may be desirable to secure.
such a revision OF our treaties as will leave us
Tree to deal with the question OF Chinese immi-
grafton in the ordinary course of legislation"
Another dispatch from the legation at Peking,
dated July 1St last, Is on the trade dollar. It
uC tolI LII question HIS OUtdIneu no
circulation IN China, except at Annoy, Canton,
FOO-ChOw, Swatow, aud the FOrmOSan ports
At these places. it seems to be preferred by the
natives TO the Mexican, and to command a
small premium
The burden OF opinion would appear to be
that no official effort to extend its circulation is
advisable, unless IL can be made legal tender
for the payment OF customs dues at fixed rate
There are in this correspondence several let
terS from the late Bayard TAYLOR, Minister to
Germany, the main interest of which lies in the
fact that they were among the last things he
wrote.
The BLAINE ELECTION INvESTIG ATIoN-The
Investigating committee appointed under the
Blaine resolution to inquire into alleged frauds
i'll the recent election has decided to 90 south.
and will tomorrow night leave for South Caro-
lima, Alabama and Georgia. 1t is not the in
tention to take any testimony in the SOUTH but
to look over the field and consult with those
who have knowledge OF frauds some OF whom
may be subsequently Subp9naed to appear in
this city as witnesses. It is understood that
James Redpath OF Boston, will be the clerk OF
the committee.
GEN. GRANTS COMPANIONS IN HIS COMING
TRIP.-One OF the small matters about which
much is made, is whether John Russell Young
OF the New York Herald, and Dr. Evans OF the
Gen. Grant on his trip aboard the L. S. S. Rich
mond. 1t has been stated that Secre-
tary Thompson has granted permission to
these gentlemen to take up quarters on
the Richmond: that he has refused such
permission, and again that he would not