476
WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1858
to it, but you cannot reduce it. You may go on by Degrees till a great portion of the community becomes interested in exercising an influence through their Representatives, in increasing the Army, but never in diminishing it. This is the evil that is to arise in the country, and thus it is that the Army is becoming formid- able. It is to become ingrafted with the corruptions that always grow up at a capital, and the country's institutions will gradually decline as these privileged orders rise to the ascendant. You may depend upon it, Mr. President, that things here are not as they once were. I say it in sorrow, for I feel it in my heart. The time was, that when officers were employed here, they were employed for useful purposes; and they were to be found at re- mote stations when usefulness required it. They were not con- gregated here in masses; and every officer was proud to wear, either in his hat-band, or upon his shoulder, or upon his person, some insignia, telling the world: "Look at my conduct, and see that I walk worthy of the insignia I wear." They were not sneak- ing about in citizens' clothes, identified with the masses, lest they might attract attention, and the people become alarmed at the formidable number about the Capitol. They were set apart, and the uniform was worn for their circumspection and demeanor. There were no bureaus here then. There were no men to influence the Department, and dictate indirectly to the Government, as there now are. The Departments once in four years become sub- servient to these stick-fasts, these set-fasts, these chilblains on the Government, as they are--yes, sir, these plague-spots on our institutions, that are here now. They are adroit and cunning; they have got themselves placed here; and whenever a new Cabinet officer comes in, necessarily unacquainted with many of the forms and details, and indeed some of the principles of the Department-for there is no man that possesses perfect intui- tion-these men are ready to take possession of him, and make him a mere supple instrument in their hands, and impress on him, like the metal upon the wax, what impression they please. These bureaus ought also to be changed every four years. I am told that really some families are very much distressed, and have been so for fourteen, fifteen, or seventeen years, perhaps, for fear their husband would be ordered off to do his duty as an active sailor or soldier. That is a most distressing condition of anxiety! I want to relieve them of those distresses. These men are either necessary on the decks of their ships, or they are neces- sary in command of their regiments, or at their post as com- manders or subalterns, or they are not needful in the Army and
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