The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1884-12-18
GEN. SLOCUM
Proposed for Secretary of War.

To THE EDITOR: Referring to your state
ment in recent issue, under the head Of
"Washington Gossip" that lever since the
beginning of our Government the General in
command of the Army has complained that
the Secretary of War was trying to reduce him
to q mere clerk in the War Department, and
every Secretary of War has grumbled that the
General of the Army tried to make him a sub
ordinate on his staff, it will be remembered
that the petulant Sherman got so angry at the
Secretary of War that he removed the Army
Headquarters to st. Louis so as to be as far
away from his interference as possible. So far
Gen. Sheridan and Secretary Lincoln have got
on very amicably, as they were both personal
friends before Mr.. Lincoln became Secretary
and Gen. Sheridan General of the Army"
In this connection please permit me to say,
through your columns, / have long been of the
opinion that the General of the Army and Ad-
miral of the Navy should be Cabinet officers
as the offices of Secretary of War and the Navy
naturally conflict with those of the Command
ers of the Army and Navy; the one being
Commander in Chief of his branch of the serv-
ice er-0ffci0, and the others of theirs de facto.
The Commanders of the Army and Navy, of
their own knowledge and through the general
staff, understand the necessities OF the service,
which civilian appointees do not.
venture the suggestion that had the Admi-
raj of the Navy been in charge of that Depart
ment for the last Is years, the notorious Navy
Department frauds, which probably extend
back as many years, would not have been per-
petrated. Nor would there have been such an
utter disregard of the law pertaining to pur-
chaSes,-open purchase and by CONTRACT
which, I believe, is still the conduct of that
Department.
AS, however, there is little hope of such
departure by even so bold, honest, and able q
man as the President-elect, the next best thing
is to have Secretaries who have been in and
understand the Army and Navy.
l hardly know who would do credit to the
Navy portfolio, but of all men for that of the
Army, Gen. Henry Warner Slocum, of New
York, is he who would be most acceptable to
the soldiers of the country.
If the President-elect would make friends
of the x-soldiers-Union and Confederate
he will not overlook the merit of the man so
greatly distinguished upon the bloody fields of
Charlottesville and Gettysburg as the COM
mander of the Twelfth Corps-upon every field
where engaged-and commander of one of the
wings of Gen. Sherman's army on its triumph
ant march to the sea, contributing more than
any other General under Sherman toward the
successful issue. A man who, as Member of
Congress from the Empire State, has discarded
partisanship, and labored for the common good
of all; a universal favorite among the tgeire
hundred thousand ex-Union soldiers, not one of
whom ever asked him of which political party
he is a member.
He is interested in all cold soldier" organ
izations, but particularly in that of the Grand
Army of the Republic. He is a very modest
man, and were he aware of what am saying
of him your readers would not have the pleas
ure of reading these words of faith in and
justice to their old commander, as he would
request me to desist.
He has ever been an earnest advocate Of all
proper bills introduced in Congress looking to-
ward the fultillment of the promises made to
the soldiers before and after enlistment.
Gen. Slocum, as Secretary of War, would do
much to make Mr.. Cleveland's administration
popular with the people at large.-FRIrz How
ARD.