The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1879-01-04
whole organization of our army. including


the staff departments.
When the war department of the govern
ment was first established 10 l776, copy of
the measure providing for it was sent by
the president of congress to Gen. Wash
ington, who was in New York, his reply
was as follows:
'The instituting of a war Office is GER
'tainly an event of great importance, and
in all probability will be recorded as such
in the historic page. The benefits de-
rived from it. fatter myself, will be con-
siderable, though the plan upon which it
is first founded may not be entirely per-
feet. This, like other great works, in its
first edition may not be free from error;
time will discover its defects, and expert
ence suggest the remedy, and such furth-
er improvements as may be necessary.
But it was right to give it beginning, in
my opinion"
This letter indicates what has since hap
pened 10 our country. An army and
war department were organized more than
one hundred years ago. The organization
then was probably the best that body of
wise men could DEVISE for our country
when devising new and untried thing and
probably was far from a good one.
But it has gone through exactly what Gen.
Washington anticipated and indicated.
Time has discovered its defects, and ex-
perience has suggested the remedy.
Whenever anything has been found to be
wrong, it has been corrected by legisla-
ton. So that our organization of today
is the result of one hundred years OF ex-
perience and careful pruning aud grating.
This experience has included three wars.
The organization has been thoroughly tested
and refined in the hot furnace of war, and
carefully repaired iu the long quiet periods
of peace; its trial has included our volun-
teers and militia 10 very thorough man
ner. 1t would appear that, as it stands
now, it is likely to contain much that is
better than party of men, however wise,
lcould evolve from their inner conscious
ness. or coliate from the organization of
foreign armies while lettering away the
summer at fashionable watering place.
1t is understood that this bill was pre-
pared in great secrecy by commission OF
congress, sitting at the White Sulphur
Springs, in Va last summer. 1t was in-
troduced in both houses of congress on
Dec. 18th. and friends of the bill
say it is to be pushed through both
houses Immediately upon the return Of
members from the holidays. There is &c
much in the bill that is radical, and il
proposes such an entire change in ouI
whole military system, that it would seen
that congress should go a little slowly anc
give an opportunity for officers ofthe army
and others who are interested to be hear(
on the subject.
We notice the following among ou
Washington dispatches of the 25th.
Senator Edmunds says that when tn
army reorganization bill comes up il
t ''the Senate, be shall move to refer all tha
! part of it which refers to the code of law
governing the army to the committee or
Judiciary. "Mr EdmuDds pronounce
''some portions Of the bill unconstitutional
The bill has received much criticism Of
o account Of its provisions for transferrin
s the duties and powers Of the secretary c
. war to the General of the army and hi
o military commanders 10 a way to make th
: military independent of the civil power, n
viviDg the old question fought cut by MI
7 Calhoun when Secretary of war