The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-11-24

IA in the war many corps, div ision, and
brigade commanders established larger or
smaller families Of their own blood or kin at
their headquarters, SO now in peace the
entire army forms household, excepting the
unasslmilatc1 appontces from civil life.
Take up the Army List and see the repctl-
ton Of names gray and cobwebbcd in the
receipt ~ pay and rations-the ABBoTrs,
ALEXANDERs, ALVoRDs, Atoms, AYREs,
BABBITTs. BACHEs. BAIRDs, all the way
down through the alphabet: showing an
army organization in q republic which has
fallen into the possession OF old graduates
OF the West Point Military Academy, their
Sons, grandsons. sons-in-law. brothcrs-in-
law. ncphows, and cousins, and the far and
near male relatives Of their wives and
wives sisters.
Men who know the commissioned personnel
Of our army can put their fingers on hum
dretl- Of names in the Register. the owners Of
which owe their places to the persistent bor-
ing of officers high in rank, who desired to
relieve themselves Of the care OF their rcla-
tiyes. iasten them on the Government, and
bring them into their own excellent business
of soldering ON the pay roll and on parade.
These Vigilnnt solicitors, living In Washing
ton all or much of their time, tease out Of
tho President appointments 10 West Point
md ia the army. They coax these appoint
mCnts out OF the members Of both Houses
of Congress, and out Of influential poll
ticians in the States. The Army List l.
spotted ON every page with cases like the
following:
An infantry officer. exceptionally ignorant
and uncntcrprising. had been thirty-ninc
years in service before he got above the
grade Of Major. In all that time he had
never commanded over one hundred men.
Ninety days of the war and greedy solicita-
tion made him first Colonel and then Brig
ndicr-GencraL. His conscience can joyfully
Acquit him OF ever having, directly or indi-
rectly, caused, Of his own impulse. planning,
or will, the death OF single rebel. The
second year OF the war and the proftably
Improved accident OF having been surprised
and confused by an attack in front Of Rich
mond made him Maj General In 1869 he
personally engineered through Congress a
special act retiring him on pay for life, with
the full rank Of Major-General
In the mean time inevitably, he had been
providing pupil for the taxpayers TO edu-
cate at West Point, as they had educated
him Inevitably this successor was showed
Into West Point, scraped through IL, became
Lieutenant in the artillery, and the hus-
band Of girl doubly rich in father who
was power in one Of the great Republican
clubs. This power had no difficulty in coax
Ing out Of GRANT the acceptance OF his SON
ln-law's resignation OF his commission in
the artillery, and his appointment as Cap
tain in the Quartcrmastcr's Department
over the heads OF many officers older in
bervice and lneal rank, and over most Of his
classmates who had ranked him In scholar
ship in the Military Academy. Not the
least disgusting feature OF this act is the
trick by which an officer, educated TO fight
the armed enemies OF his country, and sworn
20 that service, escapes 1t by being shifted
through family influence, from the line into
the business OF inspecting flannel shirts
and drawers, and pretending 10 superntcnd
skilled carpenters in building stables for
cavalry horses.
This military system which the families OF
various old officers graduated at West Point
have fastened on the nation, and under
which abuses like those above are Of chronic
occurrence, overrdes the Constitution OF
the United States. That, in spirit and IN
letter, provides for the defence Of the coun,
try against invasion, insurrection, and
every form of war by the militia Of the
States. And 1t expressly inhbits the Fed
dcral Government from appointing the
officers Of the militia, and reserves theil
appointment 10 the State Governments II
was this constitutional militia that put
down the rebellion and saved the re
public. In lieu Of it, we now hav,
an army which has become a family DOS
Session; in which nepotlsm commission.
the officers; In which the married officers O
West Point origin rear up their own sue
cessors; which is not fighting machine
but an order Of society; in which publ,
ONCE In an elective democracy has prac
ideally become an entailed estate; an arm
controlled by families, while the spirit o
our institutions sternly forbids famillc
from acquiring and perpetuating influence
In public affairs an army which Ia a sole
cis'n In time OF peace, whose existenc
outside OF war violates tho Constitution q
The country, aud which consumes yeall