Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-11
THE coLoRED nArrAlloNs.
They Are Removed From the Organization
Of the Dissrtct National Guard.

THE CoLORED BATTALIONs.
They Are Removed From the Organization
Of the Distrset National Guard.
GEN. onDwAYs LETTER ISronMNe THE TWO
coNMASpERs OF THE FAcT-IxsuFFIcrxScY oF
CONGRESSIONAL APPROPRIATIONS THE CAUSE
SOME SHARP CRITICISM OF THIS ACTION.
But few people are aware Of the fact that
Congress practically legislated two battalions
Of the District National Guard out of existence,
but the time has come when concealment is
neither polite nor possible. So long as there
remained probability of averting the action
Of the Senate and House the matter was kept
perfectly quiet, but after n dozen plans had
been formulated and thrown aside as worthless
Gen. Ordway was brought face to face with
situation which he had done everything in his
power to avoid.
At o'clock on the evening Of Monday next
there will be no such organizations as the sew
enth and eighth battalions, and as a natural
consequence the interest Of Washington's col
ored population in the District National Guard
will suffer material diminution.
COMMUNICATIONS TO MAJORS FLEETWOOD AND
REvELLs.
Yesterday Gen. Ordway sent Maj. Fleetwood
and Maj. Revells, commanding the two bat
taiions, communications, of which the follow
ing is a copy:
Sir: 1t is with great regret that / am compelled
to inform you that the action Of Congress COM
pels and virtually directs me to muster your
battalion out of the service of the District Ma
tianal Guard.
Congress not only failed to make the neces-
sary appropriation for armory rents for the
balance OF this fiscal year. but also reduced the
appropriation for next year SO far below the
estimated and necessary amount that there is
no alternative left me under the law but to dis
band the seventh and eighth battalions.
This action was not taken by Congress ignor-
antly or inadvertently. By official written
communication to the committee on appropria-
tons "a copy of which inclose herewith,
made detailed statements of the whole matter
showing what the inevitable result must be if
they persisted in making reduction. Follow
ing that communication personally devoted
much time and unceasing effort in endeavoring
to persuade the committee to add the - 200
necessary to continue the rental of the armo-
ries of the seventh and eighth battalions and
brought to bear on them every influence in my
power to command. All efforts failed and the
result leaves me without discretion in the mat
ter. trust that a future Congress may repair
the injustice done and shall use my best efforts
to accomplish it.
You will direct that muster rolls of the two
companies of your battalion and of the field
and staff be Immediately prepared and forward
them to these headquarters, SO that they may
be received on or before the l4th instant.
You will also direct the quartermaster Of your
| battalion and the captains of your two compa-
| MES to deliver at these headquarters on the
| 10th instant, at such hour as may be most con-
venient to them between and o'clock p. m,
| all quartermaster and ordnance property for
| which they are accountable to the United
States.
l have officially notified the owner of the
property that occupancy and liability on the
part of the United States Of the armory will
cease on the 3lst instant
Respectfully yours,
ALBERT ORDwAY,
Brigadier General, d. C. Militia.
GENERAL oRpwAY's EFFORTS.
The amount OF argument used by Gen.
Ordway and wasted on the appropriation COM
| mittees ought to have been productive of good
results and should at least have suffced to
prevent the abbreviation of the command now
SO plainly necessary. In his letter to the Senate
committee on appropriations the general
mittee's shoulders. In that communication he
| said:
1.-THE estimates for the support Of the militia
| Of the District Of Columbia for the next fiscal
year amounted to $50. $40. The amount appro-
priated in the District appropriation bill as
passed by the House is 1850. ~
The appropriations made FOR the current
fiscal year were made without any previous ex-
perience or facts on which to base them and
will entail a deficiency. The estimates made
facts and experience. The mates amount
| to about $40 per capita Of the luIlitia which ID
far below the average expenditure made by the
states, and it should also be noted that the ex-
penditures estimated for are of q character
that will not grow and make greater demands
| from year to year.
| 'If, however, the revenues Of the District
viii not permit the appropriation for the next
fiscal year OF the amount estimated as neces-
sary for its militia there can be no objection to
cutting it down, but the cutting down should
be done in an intelligent manner.
The true objects Of the militia are: First, to
constitute . reserve police force for the en-
| forcement OF civil law; second, to be trained
for possible service the first and only reserve
OF our small army in times Of public danger
third, and possibly its most important object,
| to be school OF instruction to fit young men
for military duty if the country should ever
need their services. 1t is better that whatever
purposes are attempted to accomplish these
| objects should be done thoroughly rather than
attempt great many purposes with insufficient
| means for each. 1t is better to concentrate the
amount Of money fixed upon to be appro-
priated TO few purposes that can be thor
oughly and beneficially accomplished rather
than to divide it among great many purposes,
none OF which can be accomplished for the
amount apportioned to it and which would
result in the wasteful expenditure Of the
| whole.
ITEMS IN DETAIL.
ITO make the matter clear will refer in de-
tail to the various items of expenditure. The
| cost of rent of armories is a fixed fact.
They were secured by selecting those offered
| at the lowest prices after an exhaustive
examination OF every building in the city suited
| for the purpose. The rentals thus secured are
exceedingly low and are duly recorded by leases
filed in the Office of the first controller. They
are as follows:
Headquarter Offices and store rooms
CORNER Of 18th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenueJ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. s1,4ls 90
| First battalion and headquarters Of
first regiment (Albaugh's Opera
| mousse. ,500 0O
Second, fourth. fifth and sixth bat
taiions and headquarters of second
| regiment Center Market. .. 5000 90
Third battalion GLOBE building)..... 800 90
Seventh battalion 20 street,. ........ 1900 90
Eighth battalion sd street,. ... 1000 90
| Rifle gallery ID street,. ..... 1880 90
Light battery, ambulance corps and
tirst separate company (New York
avenue rink. ....:................ 2,400 90
$l5.2l6 90
| The only possible way of reducing the amount
| OF these rents would be by disbanding part OF
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