The daily gazette., 1878-02-04
OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

~.ShOat VI uhuG
bi1l-What Gen. Butler says
about Army Onicers-The Sc.
cret Of he lobby strength OF
West POint-The Country sad
died and stratidled by "a pOlit-
fc0-mtiftarya aristOcracy-The
s1gnfftcnnce OfcOl1osal bronze
COuntry-men.
(From our regula correspondentFeb I'd. j
Last week bill was introduced by the
committee on military affairs making
some important changes In organiza-
ton and payroll ofthe army, but in no
way impairing its strength and effective.
ness AZ lighting engine.
Appearances are not favorable to
the passage of the bill. Too many
members 0. Congress have m mothers-in
law and other female connexion who
are In one way or another welded To
the army, and the bill will reduce the
national expenses TO the tune of S6,OO0,-
OO0 year Gen. Butler made a witty
speech supposed TO favor the bill, but he
viii vote against it, he sad there were
one hundred and twenty five officers IN
washington busily engaged in avoiding
The gout, and that whenin camp, these
nne gentlemen aniuse themselves by
@-JA.b o"s WV iuhlDb vi sugar anu MAX
Ing bets as to which will first attract a
fly.
The secret of the lobby strength of the
arny is its direct indirect female pow
or. The military bill has always been
manipulated and shaped to please the
army, and the arrogant language OF
General Sherman IN recent interview
Is but a reflection of the general senti-
ment OF army officers in relation to the
Interference of the taxpayers, through
Congress, with what the officers have
come To consider their heredita,y rights
and prerogatives. 1t would seem reason
able and decorous, from any other than
amilitarystand point, that an army officer
should See the propriety Of his bearing a
small proportion of the financial ruin
| that has come down like night on this
land, and from which no other class IL
exempt. But General Sherman who,
| twenty years ago, as superintendent of a
| school in Louisiana, was able to live
| comfortably on$1 800 year, now pro-
tests that he can scarcely meet ex penses
with his salary of Sl7 900 and perquisites
A powerful female lobby of cousins
wives, daughters, mothers, and mothers.
in-law OF army officers, and relations Of
too many Legislators, crush Congress in
\ their coils. The baleful influence oi
women Ia legislation the devil only
knows. West Point has waltzed with
and welded itself to women of Bolitica
| influence for years; IL has married and
| intermarried with Congress until now
the country finds itself saddled and
straddlsd by ahighbred'politico- military
| aristocracy that nothing short of desper
ate bucking will dismount.
Granted that General Sherman ant
other General performed distinguished
| services during the war-so did tn,
| armless and the legless private, and tn,
| SACRIFICES of the latter were greater thai
| of the former. Sacrifice Is the highes
element of herolsm. L never see tn
colossal bronze cavalrymen with whicl
the squares of Washington are dotted
| without emotions of disgust and shame
If we desire honestly 10 commemorat
the heroism of war, why do we not fix II
bronze the one armed and the one Legged
soldiers even those without arms or legs
A few monuments of these would b.
very original and terribly picturesque
| They might offend the aesthetic sense O
the ladies' and the exq quisite army ofb Ger
but to the public generally, they woult
be suggestive, and provocative of retiec-
ton; at least, they would not offend wha
we call the truth OF history. Sometime
in the enlightened future We will b,
traduced for our golden calf worship, TO
/ BAN"o OAPOhoot Sciioooe.
bronze horses those who rode horses il
the flesh, while those who were riding
crutches in the flesh, were left unhonoI
ed and often uHfed.
| The debate yesterday indicates the de
feat of the Military Academy bill bt
yond doubt, in its present shape. Tn,
Democrats are not unanimous in its sup
port. Mr.. Beebe and Mr.. Potter of New
York have placed themselves on the re
| cord in speeches against it. These tw,
members come from districts that in
clude, or impinge upon West Point
The Academy is in Mr.. Beebe's district
but some of its appurtenances are in MI
| Potter's district; and thus 1t is nationa
| economical measure must be sacrificed
! to the petty ambition of a memb bers o
| Congress. There are many member;
here who have no higher idea of states
manship, than TO get an appropriation
allowed for some improvement in thei
| districts.
While on the subject of the army 1t may
| not be uninteresting to mention tha
| Canada, including all the British Norti
American Provinces, is governed with
out the aid of a regular army. No por
tion of the English army has been station
| ed in Canada Tor number of years, bu
| the Canadian Militia is so well drille
that IL is always available for service. j
| Canada can get along without the use @
any regular troop, why may We not b
able to do without portion of the Yves
| Point graduates in waltZing. composin
| the army of occupation in Washington