Year: 1871

He Breaks it Sending His Son to
Europe.


From the New York Sun, Nov. 49,


Mr.. F. D. Grant, a Second Lieuten-
ant in the Fourth Cavalry, has been
sent by his father on tour through b
Europe in the capacity Of an aid-de-
camp as military attache OF some sort to
General w. T. Sherman.


This is direct and fiagraut violation
o! the law OF the land. The regulations
for the Government of the United
States army, established by acts of Con-
gress and promulgated by the Secretary
of war as law, prohibit in distinct terms
the granting of leave Of absence to any
subaltern officer until he shall have
served at least two years with the COM
pany to which he may be attached.


Lieutenant Grant has never, we be-
lieve, served siugle day with the COM
pany on who .e muster roll his name is
borne as Second Lieutenant. He
graduated at West Point last summer,
after having clandestinely governed the
Academy through his fathers favorit-
ism, with results exceedingly injurious
TO the order and usefulness of the insti-
tuition. He received the usual furlough
allowed to all graduates before joining
their regiments. This furlough was
subsequently extended to allow him to
take employment as civil engineer on
the Pine Bluff railroad in Colorado.
This was in violation OF the spirit Of the
law, which would not have been per-
mitted in the case of any one except
the Presidents son. While he was
thus engaged he was recently ordered to
report to the General Of the army, and
leave of absence Of six months was
granted him to make journey to Eu-
rope.


We repeat, this is fagrant, outright,
unqualified violation OF law, and every
ene knows that there is no other subal-
tern officer in the army who would have
been similarly favored. On the con-
trarv, had such an officer made an ap-
plication for leave of absence, his
petition would not only have been re-
iected, but returned to him with all that
severity of rebuke Of which the Adju'
tant Generals Office is capable, calling
his attention to the army regulations
forbidding such an indulgence.


1t has come to be well understood in
military circles, as it is everywhere else
throughout the country, that to be a
relative ofthe President or relative OF
a relative, or one of his early cronies,
constitutes well founded claim upon
the favoritsm Of the administration.
1t is bad enough when snch favoritsm
corrupts only the officers OF the civil
service and debases the patronage OF a
political party; but it becomes grave
matter when the evil penetrates the
army, and its officers learn to depend
either for peculiar privileges or their
lust rights upon their personal relations
with the Chief Magistrate and his boon
companions. :,


As there is one law for the Presidents
son and another for the poor mechanic
boy, who is so fortunate as 10 procure
commission in the army, we have a
single suggestion to make. There is
now sitting in the army building in this
city, board Of veteran officers, who
are engaged in revising the regulations
of the army. We advise these grey
haired gentlemen to insert in every
paragraph affecting the duties or limit
ing the privileges Of army officers, these
words as a final clause: Except in the
case of the Presidents son.


President Grant is beyond hope, but
what is to be said Of General Sherman
and Secretary Belknap? Are they
ready to cooperate in any violation OF
the law which the President may desire
We commend the subject to the atten-
ton of all independent members of Con-
gress.