Arizona weekly citizen., 1882-09-03
ARMY DISCIPLINE.

1utIt 4s bO BoNNS SCuA0 nCAA5S
 and wholesome truth in the following
 Chicago Tribune editorial that we re-
 produce it entire. In speaking of the
 Col Taylor eourt-martisl, the Tribune
 says that ''the anxiety of the martinets to maintain discipline was touchingly
 shown in the case of Sergt. Mason. He
 was an unlettered soldier-rude, igno-
 rant and simple. He had been unlaw-
 fully assigned to the duty of guarding a civil prisoner-a wretched assassin who
 had taken the life of the President of
 the United States, the Commandar-in-
 Chief of the army and navy. While
 Sergt. Mason and his companions went
 their weary rounds on the outside of
 the prison day and night, in sunshine
 and rain, through heat and cold. the as-
 sassin on the inside was treated as an
 honored guest Of the Nation. He toasted
 his shins every night at comfortable
 fire. He fed on delicacies. His rOcep-
 tions were thronged. His photographs |
 were taken. He was permitted to write l
 his blasphemous biography, and to sell l
 his writings, pictures, and autographs to |
 visitors for a good, rOuld sum. Irritat- |
 ed by this unseemly treatment of a de-
 graded prisoner and conscious of the |
 wrong that was done in thus honoring a | confessed assassin, taken in the act, | Mason leveled his musket at the cell, | took deliberate aim at the grating, and
 fired-when the prisoner, protected by
 two feet of solid masonry, was lying out
 of range on his couch. For this awful
 crime Mason was hastily tried by a
 court composed of the most accom-
 plished martlnets in the service; was
 found guilty and sent to Albany Peni-
 tentiary, where he now is, long before
 the assassin had met the just punish
 ment of his crime.
 See what difference there Is between the caLe of common soldier and that of martinetl Major Reno, who basely deserted Custer, who was convicted of drunkenness on duty, and who foully at- tempted the honor of brother officers
 wife, was kept in the service after two courtsmartisl, and permitted to retire after a third. Macfeely and Barnes, who deprived the Soldiers Home of its choice fruits and flowers, paid for by assessments levied on the pay of the common soldiers of the regular army, were not punished, but Sturgis, who eI- posed their pilfering, was ordered to the frontier. Howgate, who stole half a million from the Government, was permitted to escape, has never been found, and We sincerely believe has not been honestly pursued.
 Colonel Taylor, of Newport Barra cks. was a short time ago ordered to Omaha. He besought Senators Beck and Vii Hams and Representative Carlisle to have him retained in his old post The expenses of moving were great, be had not been long in the post, and he wished to remain. The martinets heard his re- fuCSt N-tiA otCAA AAuishdAAOu. 4uc lucd of using political influence in army mat ters! Such thing was never conceived before. The msrtinets many of whom hold honored places in the soft-service brigade in Washington, procured and kept by political influence and nothing SI else, immediately ordered Col. Taylor to be court-martialed. The pretense of virtue in this case Is amusing even to themselves. Washington swarms with officers who have not seen active service for years, and who are indulged and pet ted by their superiors, and draw extra and these are the very Spartan heroes who propose to make an l example of Col Taylor. Why not Im- ( peach the President for permitting "po- . iticsl influence to control his apboint- nent of a Quartermaster General or a Paymaster in the army? That IS a question that certain persons about I Washington will not care to answer. If he case of Col Taylor were to be made | | precedent there would be few army pr navy officers in Washington who z would escape court-martial, and some I f them would richly deserve it. il
 Still, Sergt. Mason must lsnguish in l .rison. His superior officers have been . citing drunk in public. aod attempt D ng to commit rape, lying, stealing, and e using political influence" An exam \ le must be made of somebody. Who Il an be so good a subject as the poor ommon soldier who committed the un- crime of missing the mean st assassin of the age? Discipline F lust be maintained o