National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1879-01-09

the people, is fourd in the fact that this por-
tion of their work was prepared for them
none of them originated It,
IL is strange that the ex-ollicers comprising
this commission did not remember one of the
greatest lessons ofthe war, rs set forth in the ad
minstraton of the War-Ollice by the Rcpub-
lies greatest Secretary. Suppose General Nc
Clellan had been superior to Mr. Stanton, how
would the cause of the Union have Jared Sup
pose General Sherman, at the time he framed tho
terms of the noted political surrender to Johns
ton, had been elevated where the Secretary Of
War could not reach him; suppose, in short,
that Edwin NJ. Stanton had, through the war
Of the rebellion, been the cipher to which this
bill reduces the great civil office of the Sccre-
| tary of War,what would have been the chances
| of national success2 Every reader can picture
for himself what the war for the Union would
have been with generals in the field and their
chiefs of staff in Washington lifted above Mr..
| Stanton.
1t is altogether natural for the higher grades
of general officers to desire that the ornamental
| office of General OF the Army should be, In time
| of peace q position of more responsibility.
| The country knows very well that 1t was not
| created because it was wanted, but ms proper
reward for great and brilliant services. As it
| is to cease at the death of the present incum-
| bent, it Is quite natural that such rs stand
near him in rank should wish to have this of
| flee continued and made moro powerful. An
| office that in time of peace imposes few duties
| above those of q purely social character except
during the summer inspections on the plains
when social life at the Capitol is dull, is surely
one that all army officers including General
| Sherman, would doubtless be glad to sec made
| more Onerous and important
These higher grades of line officers, with far
| less duty to perform than the public supposcs,
living themselves in the principal cities of the
country, and Keeping office hours with eX-
treme punctuality, make it their constant
| business to snoer at the staff They have done
this till the country has been made to believe
| that the staff Is collection of officers who do
very little beyond living in Washington, ZEN
ioying soft things" and drawing their pay.
| The truth is exactly the reverse. There are
no public officers in Washington, civil or mill
| tary, that arc more continuously busy at
| legitimate official work than these same much
abused staff officers. But they live in Wash
| ingtOn Is it any worse for them to live in
| Washington than for the General Of the
Army to reside here? Is it any pleasanter
or less in accord with the idea of military
service, than to live in New York ut military
| headquarters, or in Chicago, or San Francisco ?
| Where should the officers of the Quarter
| masters Department live If not in Washington,
| where its immense offices are Could supplies
be purchased to greater advantage, accounts be
settled more readily, and the immense supplies
of the Government be better cared for If this
department should move out on the plains .
And SO Of all the staff corps. Where should
their officers live ifnot where the Government
has established its buildings for their varied
and most important duties, and where the
other departments with which they have con-
slant dealings are? As to the comparative
work performed by the staff corps, and that
transacted at the headquarters of the army,
and by most of the officers in high positions
who hope to save their own official lives by
cheap sneerng at tho staff, there is more
real work, and work that is valuable
to the country and necessary to its in
tsrests, done every month in the office of engi
neers than has been done at the hcadquarter:
of the army since General Sherman occupied
them. And this is not because the General has
neglected anything but because he has little
of Importance either to do or neglect. In time
of peace there is no need whatever of either !
General or Lieutenant-General. Both office
We're u reward of merit, and the country vii
lingly pays for keeping up the costly presents
it made for distinguished services in the field
1t is doubtful whether the gift contemplated
setting up an ornamental military Office abov'
the civil authority, which is exercised over thu
army by the President,as Commandcr-n. Chief
through the Secretary of War. ii. V. b.