The times., 1897-12-12
OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS.
To the Editor Of The Times:

To the Editor II The Times
A recent court martial has passed sen
tence upon Capt. Lowering, OF the Regular
Army. Your readers viii recall the case
of Private Gill. of two or three years
ago The captain most shamefully out
ragged his privilege as an officer e&ercis-
ing brutal violence upon his helpless victim,
not only kicking him, but stabbIng him
with mis- sword.
Private GIN was accused of thTashiuS
an officer, who was nutOriously deserving
OF every particle Of punishment he re-
ceived Whether Gill was guilty is ex-
tremely doubtful, iDdsnuch as the lieu
tenants assaiLant was described as large
and powerful man, whereas GIN is a small
man.
Mark the difference In the results OF
the two men. Capt. Lowering, with no
question as 10 his shameful brutality IS
reprimanded merely. NO loss of rank, 40
loss OF pay He goes on clothed with all
his Old power, protected in his british
ferocity, to wreak his malignity upon his
next victim, just the same.
Private Gill, pending his trial, was i'm
prisoned in an iron cell hot as an oven,
and, protesting his innocence TO the prison
door, was sent to hard Ia Dor for four wears
All the stupendous machinery of the
War Department is helpless To punish an
officer or TO protect private. Secretary
Alger with all his honest horror OF lover
ing's outrage is powerless to punish the
epauIetted demon, and the President suf
fers poor Gill To toll out the slow da vs.
in punishment of an act which he denies
and which, if he did commit, should have
earned him ihe, esteem of every brave nan
in America.
1t is idle To expect the standard C man
hood in the ranks of our Army 70 rise while
West Point brutes are shielded and the
privates trampIed upon. Native Americans
VIII not endure tyranny. As II Is, The mo-
ment a mans name is enrolled as a pri-
vate in the Army, he forfeits all the priyI-
leges Of American citizenship. The flag
which he fmperils his life to defend gives
him no protection against the brute whom
chance ma place above him. The Cont
stitutiop 81 which we citizens pTate with
so much owliSh reverence, guariltees to
the soldier who pledges his life in its
defense no safety against outrage. NO re-
course against wrong. He alone is beyond
relief.
If he be accused OF an offense' instead
of being tried by jury made up. in pa Z
at least, Of his peers he is dragged before
| d court composed entirely of commissioned
officers. every one of whom. most likely.
is his enemy eX-offieio.
| These two instances show the ten9city
with which West Pointers cling together
against the enlisted men. Their faithful
loyalty in this regard is strangely and in
terestingiy' offset by their slipperiness To-
ward each other when promotions are in
| order nd reports may influence them. Wit
ness the appointment Of Howard in fcJnt
| of Atisnta as gainst Hooker or Logaa Of
sherman at Chattanooga over Thomas, and
! of Sheridan to lieutenant general over
| Meade and Thomas.
/ Our CCngress-ifit has the power shoIl
overhaul our Army Regulations; ifnot Con
gress, then the President-or can no one
| short Of the Almighty do it?
The w-iter once occupied humble place
in the ranks of he Armyof the Cumberland.
/ In the division to which his regiment be
! louged was II regular regiment, and be
| happened lncidentallyte seeAa little IF the
! life of a private there, and from what lie
| then saw, and has since read, there are moi
il the Treasury OF the United States snf-
| ficient funds TO induce him to serve as
a private in the Regular Army Tor one
year.
| Let no reader understand the writer to
| classify all West Poin ters as brutes,
| Far fromit Amongst the most sacred and
tender memories OF his life he 'herishes
the goodness, the thoughtful care. ard un
varying gentleness OF Gen. Geo II Thomas
! toward the humble men in the ranks
The grand old hero's memory will he held
| in loving reverence while a sin gle
| soldier of the grand arm, he so long com
manded survives
Hooker was watchfui and kindly v with
his men SO was dear old '.Rosey,r as we
called him. Mcclellan was almost wor-
SHIPPED by his men The general is not
usually cruel. 1t is tie august captain, or