Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-10
SHERMAN,
The Generals Not the Secretary OF the
Treasury, Gives his Opinion Of the
Army Bill, which he Comes Down
on Like a Thousand OF Brick.
He Shows Up its Inconsistencies, and
Talks of the Meanuess OF Congress in
Not Allowing him a Horse-A
Libel on the South, Dictated
by Hate.

Correspondence of the Philadelphia Times
found General Sherman, this hottest DAY OF
the season, IN his omce, in the northeast cor
ner o! The old war department. He was busy
at work, with fan IN one hand and pen IN
the other Dressed IN liner, with no marks
of his calling except the military buttons on
his waistcoat, he appeared to be cooler than
many of the officials hare seen to-day IN
somewhat protsacted search for news. Behind
the general sat his personal aid, Colonel Au-
drenreid, also at work at his desk, dressed
with his usual elegant taste.
General" said ], ''ean't you Cite Inc
something about the Inconsistencies OF the
army bill. passed the day before the close OF
congress?"
Yes he answered, turning his chair
around, but you can make much smaller
paragraph on its constituencies. What do you
want to know"
Il want to know how ii will affect the
army
80, il raises HI. In the first place it pre-
vents the use of the army to protect emil
grants. That posse c0mitdtuS part OF the bill
Is the merest piece of foollshness L know Of
The army has always been subordinate to the
civil authorities, but | don't see, under the
provisions of this act, how the army can be
used to suppress riots or protect the emigrants
unless the President declares martial law in
the excited district or declare war against the
particular tribe of Indians. It is getting SO
that we shall have to apologize to the people
we whipped. They come here and get every
thing they want"
NO MONEY SAVED.
'Will the bill save any money!"
mo; believe the army will cost more the
present year than it did last"
''Ho% about the anomaly of mounted Off
GERS going afoot?"
"Oh! there's another id piece of foolish
ness. Just look at it. THINK OF battery COM
manders going afoot while their men are
mounted. All general officers by this act
are dismounted. For instance, | am not al
lowed a single horse, nor General Sheridan.
This law provides that 30 officer east of the
Mississippi river shall be allowed forage. The
spectacle is presented of officers of light
battery at East st. Louis drilling their men,
who are mounted, while the officers them
selves are afoot. Was there ever such alb
surdity and inconsistency? Across the river,
within a mile, battery may be stationed,
whose officers may be mounted. How can
| the efficiency of an army be maintained with
out the drill and how can army officers on
| foot drill a company of cavalry or artillery
mounted?"
remarked that it would seem rather funny
to see an officer on such hot day as this
running after a charging squadron Of caval-
| y,
handing the men not to go so fast and to
| keep within hearing.
"Well, General, how does the law affect
| general ofticersf'
1T affects them greatly. For instance,
General Sheridan, at Chicago, is not allowed
a horse, while colonel or a major on the
west bank of the MISSISSIPPI river is allowed
| two horses. The law even starves the old
black horse that Sheridan rode at W1nckes-
ter, which was alive at last accounts. The
| old fellow will have to be shot now, for the
government will not feed him"
'What have you done with your horses,
generaI?"
well, I've given the whole id thing
away-horses, harness and carriage. You
can't sell horse in Washington, you know.
| One horse, which was old and lame, | ordered
! to be shot because ] couldn't give him away
NO APOLOGIES.
''Have you any of your warehouses left %
| mo; thank God they are all dead, and
shall not have to apologize to them for the
meanness Of congress. | should hate to be
obliged to tell them, that the o,nunrr'',".,.
Inc general then took up the army bill
and ran pencil along the margin to call at
tention to that portion of the bill relating to
! quarters: Il was formerly allowed two hun
bred and fifty dollars month for quarters.
1t was the same in 1859 to the general COM
handing the army. This law cuts me down
to one hundred and twenty FIVE dollars a
month Sheridan is allowed only seventy
dollars month, which everybody knows will
not hire two rooms of suitable character IN
Chicago: The theory is that while officers
are IN barracks certain number of rooms
are provided for officers according to rank
When serving in a city where quarters are not
not owned by the. government, officers are
allowed money valuation. They are sup
posed to have furnished house, so they can
stakes at
tlce on being ordered to other fields. Why
General Hancock has had to leave New York
on account of this law. He has gone to Gov
ernor's Island, into the government barracks
He could not afford to live in New York.
how about fuel, General?"
"Weli, the law is very inconsistent in re-
gard to that. Formerly wood Was issued to
officers. Now the government sells it to them.
In fort Bufort, tor instance, it will take near
ly all an officer pay for the purchase of fuel,
while officers in southern California would not
have to bay any fuel, except little for cook
ing purposes. at very cold posts the purchase
OF fuel will be very severe tax on the Off
GERS. The law discriminates against such
officers and in favor of those in hot climates
In the matter of quarters, it was subse-
quentiy explained that no army in the world
Is regulated by law in such matters 1t is
always matter of regulation, not law In
New York and Washington rents are very
high; in Philadelphia they are much cheap
er, while In Detroit they are very low. In
San Francisco the rents are enormous. The
question is asked why the same rates are al
lowed IN Detroit as in San Francisco. 1.-The
law, said General Sherman, speaking gen.
orally, lis full of absurdities and inconsist-
encles- The posse comitatuS part was dictated
by the people whom we have whipped, and
who don't want to see Union soldiers. The
fact is they don like to see the American flag
among them"
LIGHTNING. =.