WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
475
domineering, and will not seek to create and foster in the Army a proper esprit de corps. It is said a regular army is dangerous. The danger does not consist in its numbers. It is not from the number of the regular Army that danger is to be apprehended. They are too much dispersed over a vast area of the country to be congregated and rendered formidable. There is an outside pressure that is too terrible to be resisted in the sovereignty of the States, that would crush out and at once annihilate a congregated regular Army. Sir, the evil begins here; it begins at the other end of the capitol; it begins at the other end of our Government. The danger is in the Military and in the Naval Academy. There privileged classes are inaugurated. No matter how promising a youth may be-he may be an orphan boy that has sprung up with the impress of genius in his mind, and nature's nobility stamped on his heart; but if he has no political influence-if he has no friends-if he has no patronage with which to reciprocate patronage, he is neg- lected and overlooked. The members of Congress, in selecting individuals from their districts for these Academies, are guided by an eye to policy. "Who among these candidates will bring me the greatest support in my district?" is the question. No matter how stupid a boy may be, if he has influence to back his applica- tion he is selected by a member and sent to West Point Academy, where he is nursed and cherished and fostered till he graduates. Then, forsooth, provision must be made for him in the Army. You create places; you add companies to the regiments to make room for subordinate stations, or subordinate appointees. A graduate of the Military Academy must be provided for; you will not return him to the walks of civil life to add his mite to the general contribution of society-to make us great and glorious as a people. No, sir; but he is stultified as to all usefulness, by placing him in the regular Army. This influence continues. It has not ceased with the Academy, but is disseminated throughout the whole community. The consequence is, that no 1·eduction in the Army can ever take place. Why? Because here come the relatives of the man whom you propose to turn out; he has raised them to action on the subject. All the thousands of officers whom we have disseminated throughout the various Str1.tes and the various congressional districts, go around and influence their Representatives. They have relatives and friends to say, "l\Iy son must be retained; my brother must be retained; or my father or somebody else must be retained." This outward pressure on Congress will prevent the reduction of the Army. You may add
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