Southern recorder. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1820-1872, January 09, 1821, Image 1

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SOUTHERN RECORDER. VOL. I. MILLEOGEVILLE. TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1021. ****** So. 48. PUBLISHED WEEKLY, (O* TCfcSDAYH) by s. ajLixTi^xn gf n. m. orme, AT THRF.K DOLLARS, IX AOVANCK, OR FOUR DOLLARS AT THE EXl'IRATION OF THE YEAR. IT Advertisements conspicuously inserted at the customary rates. PROSPECTUS n* The, Y\u\ft<Vc\\i\\\a JtmYnal or THE MEDICALfcrilYSir\L SCIENCES. tyiicd by Jf. CIIM’MjI.V, M. D. rHOJKSSOU OF THE 1NSTITCT1.S AN I) I'RACTICf. OF MF.IUCINF. ANI) CMMLA1. PRACTICE, AND ItOUEHT M. I’ATTERSO.Y, M. I). 4SROFF.SSOII OF NATT'KAI. I'HIL'ISOFIIV, Uc. iiC. IN THE CNIVEKSITt OF I'F.NNoFl.VANIA. To be published by M. Curyi,- Son, Philadelphia. In the four quarters of the £lebc, who rends ah Ainericnn hook ? or goes to un American play? or looks at an American picture or stn- tue ? M'hat dan the World yet owe to American Physicians or Surgeons f Edinburgh Review, No. LXV. Next to the invention of the art of print ing, periodical publications probably exercise the most hcnoficial influence in awakening literary curiosity, and diffusing knowledge. Of their utility in these respects, we have conclusive evidence, in the extent of their multiplication, and the eagerness with which they are sought after and encouragr.d, in every enlightened country. Deriving their materials from many k dif ferent sources, they are accommodated more readily than any other species of writing to the varieties of taste, and the several conditi ons of intellectual capacity, and improve ment. To the United States, productions of this nature would seem to he singularly adapted. An inquisitive and reading people, we are, however, so widely dispersed, as to render access, fur the must part, exceedingly diffi cult to libraries, and other auxiliaries of luai n- ing. To these inconveniences, which the me dical profession, in common with the rest of the community, experience, others, more pe culiarly incidental to it, m«y be added.— Engaged in the discharge of duties incon ceivably oppressive, and with a penurious, and wholly inadequate reward, not a few of our practitioners have neither the means to collect, nor the leisure to pursue elaborate works, or to pursue with regularity, any course of systematic study. .Expedients, therefore, cannot fail to prove acceptable, in tbeir arduous nod perplexing avocations, which are calculated, in arty measure, to les sen expense, economise lime, or abridge la bor. No scheme, in relation to these purposes, obviously combines so many advantages, as a well conducted Journal. Being afforded at a moderate price, it comes within the competency of every one, and conveys, in a condensed shape, over the widest yxpanse of country, the. earliest intelligence of the dis coveries and improvements in science, pene trating into places, from which more ponde rous tomes, and literary vehicles, are entire ly ekcltided. Nor in another view, is it scarcely less suited to the existing condition of the pro fession. Destitute of liberal leisure, and with too little of that soi l of discipline so es sential to the greater and more complicated literary performances, we have the talent Abundantly distributed, which excels in short and miscellaneous compositions. The preceding considerations, have had no small share in the. promotion of the present undertaking. But weighty as they are, we confess the operation of other incitements,. not less cogent and impressive. Eversince the estahlishinentofour/n*/>«n- dence, it has become the habit of Europe, ve ry wantonly to traduce our national charac ter, our institutions, and achievements.— Calumnies from this source, have licen so long tacitly endured, that they really sacm now to he raised, as it were, under the sanc tum of prescriptive privileges, and on each repetition, to be marked by fresh acrimony and insolence. Even allowing that we are. ns deficient ns is alleged, in literary and other polite attain ments, it dues out at all militate against our pretensions to genius, or to generous views, and dispositions. Candidly examined, our history will show, that in whatever course the energies of our people have been direct ed, there we are. eminently distinguished. It would be alien to the occasion, and not compatible with our limits, to prosecute, in any detail, Nhe discussion ot this very in teresting subject. Enough, perhaps, w ill be contained, to answer our immediate object, in the simple aflirmation, that the more ele gant occupations of the mind, are the laBt to arrest the attention of a people, and as expe rience teaches, have alone flourished in the maturest state of society. Cast on a deso late shore, our first care was to provide for the proximate necessities of lile, and next to lav those solid foundations, on which, may lie perceived, through the vista of no distant futurity, to arise the most splendid edifice of national happiness, prosperity and glory. Be the charge, renewed, it may be more distinctly replied, that we are still in the state in which the useful »s preferred to the orna mental, bihat as in thecasoof inanufertures, being readily supplied from abroad, We have taken no pains to force the culture of litera ture or the fine arts by the warmth of indi vidual patronage, or legislative provisions. No part of the reproaches to which we tyivc Xdid, can, with a «had°«' «■■«*. he extended to the profession of medicine. Emphatically, we have done our duty. I rnav b* safely said, that in no country is me dicine strictly defined, better understood, or more* successfully practised than tn the U. States. European physicians do surpass us, m classical education, and in variety, depth and extent of erudition. But in acuteness of pe netration, and promptness of remedwl^ej source,—in that species ot tact, without which genius is cold, and knowledge inert, - ifa .over whereby the means are accurate ly adapted to the end, and which in the treatment of disease confers vigour and effi ciency, we are unrivalled. Douhu as to the soundness of this posi tion, wifi at mice be dissipated, by reference to the periodical and other recent publica tions of Euro|>c, in which may he traced doctrines and inodes of practice, long pre valent among us, now eagerly adopted and very generally approved. Ills not difficult to assign some of the cau ses of this superiority. Necessity is the strongest incentive tn exertion, ami in all its tendencies, is original und inventive. It is the fate, as previously intimated, of n large proportion of those who toil at the profession among us, to be so situated, as to command few of the ordinary advantages, and hence they are driven mainly on their own resources. Neither perverted by prejudice, nor enfee bled by any undue reverence for authority) the medical mind of the country was every where open to the reception of new impres sions, when thirty years ago, thn pestilence which has since wasted our cities, made its appearance in a guise so anomalous and vio lent, as to tender the existing principles of the science inapplicable, and to e igage us in- tcnsly in a wide scope of observation and re search. As new lights were elicited, correspondent changes took place, and the spirit of refor mation continuing tn move on, eventually led to one of those revolutions, incident to the history of medicine, in which views were established, inure pertinent to the condition of the distunes of our climate, and in stricter c.oiilurmitySb the general advances of human know ledge, during a season of such uclivu exertion. It may he collected from the foregoing observations, that among our leading aims, will he to trace the progress of medicine in the U. Stales, to vindicate our claims to cer tain improvements, to preserve these, as well as what may hereafter lie done, fiom foreign usurpation, and lastly tn evolve, and stimulate the genius of the country to invi gorated efforts, by holding nut a respectable and more permanent repository for its pro ductions. Connected intimately with one of the schools, from which has emanated n large share of these improvements, anil where medicine is still most ardently culti vated, we shall have peculiar facilities in the execution of this part of our plan, though, at the same time, we are sensible, that much has been accomplished elsewhere, and is •ereforc to be drawn from other sources, b by the help of such as are friendly to our undertaking. There is no section of the Union without able and intelligent medical men, or which does not present the amplest field for the dis play of talent, the extension of knowledge, and the consequent acquisition of fame.— Confessedly, the indigenous medicinal vege tables have hitherto been imperfectly inves tigated, and much remains to he performed in relation to medical topography,—in the history of epidemics, or more, common dis eases, as modified by climate, the seasons, the state of weather, tin* habits of society and other localities, and peculiar circiimslan. ces,appertaining to the infinite diversities o our widely spread territories. Communications on these points, so curi ous in themselves, and of such high practical import, as well as on subjects, which more commonly enter into the constitution of miR- cellanies of this description, are earnestly so licited. Nor do we confine our views exclusively t o mere technical mtuiciiic. Contemplated in a shape so -limited, whatever may be iti boasted usefulness, our profession loses hull its elevation and dignity. * The physical sciences, or at least the brunettes having the closest affinity to medi cine, shall share our attention. Exidmraut in objects of curiosity, the. United Stales most unquestionably afford the finest Opportuni ties fertile cultivation of this species of know ledge. Contributions, which tend to eluci date any part of our natural history, in the widest sense of the term, we shall always gladly receive. Criticism will regularly occupy a part ol our space. As our wish, however, is to in struct, ami not to censure, nr gratify our own vanity by wantonly wounding the scnsihili- i ty of another, we shall restr-cl lire cxi-iei-o of it tn those works only, which have indis putable claims to notice, by the value ol tlu-ir matter, or the merit of execution, and there by he spared, the pain of contending with unresisting feebleness. Native medical li terature, by which we now mean, tlie art of elaborate writing, is still pretty much in its infancy, and we are persuaded may he inure promoted by the language of U-nd-Ttices and encouragement, than by any severity of ani madversion, or harsh exposure of its defects. Deviations from the rule of conduct we have presented to ourselves, will only he found in cases of obtrusive impertinence, or empirical pretensions, and under such cir cumstances, we shall ever he mindful of the legal maxim, “ that the judge is condemned when the criminal escapes.” To complete our design, we mean at stnt- I intervals, to give an analysis of the l’o- gust from whatever partakes of narrow ness and favouritism. We look to the profession at large, lot countenance and support of a scheme that deeply concerns the whole, and which we. are sensible, can only succeed, by- general approval and cordial co-operation. An enterprise, such as we meditate, vigor ously sustained by the various ability w buffi we hope to enlist in its service, is eminently suited, in our delilierate opinion, to promote the best interest of medicine, and in the illus tration of its character, to conduce in no slight degree to the moral ascendancy and intellectual glory of the country. CONDITIONS. I. The. work shall he issued in quarterly numbers,each to contain about two hundred pages, handsomely printed in flow paper. t The price w ill he six dollars per annum, payable on delivery of the second nmnhur. (ieutlndien at a distance who wish to receive the work, will have it sent by mail or other wise, as they may direct, on enclosing to the publishers one rear’s subscription. ;t. No subscription to be uisconlinuedex- ceptnt the end of a year. 4. The iirst number will appear in No vember. AT Subscriptions rereived by Dr. T. f Wray and Iti/i. J. Hobby, of Augusta, and W i/Ikm T n'illiams, Savannah. DOM1&&TU3. their zeal, courage, and habit of using ilk... .. ... . . A BA ...all I.JB A* _ A * J ed „ . reign Journals, so copious as to embrace tin most interesting of their contents, and to ex hibit the progress abroad, of medicine, and the collateral branches of science. Distinct f.omthe obvious auvantages of such a syuop sis, it is especially demanded by the cost and difficulty of procuring the wotksthemselves. Extraordinary ton, as it may appear, it ran, perhaps, be here only executed with fidelity. Controlled by hostile feelings, and the meanest jealousies, the must enlightened na tions of Europe, und with whose literary proceedings w*e are chielly* conversant, per petually offer proof of a mutual spirit ol in-. Justice, ill the. snppreseinn or depreriqjion of each others merits, and more particularly, in relation to medical improvements. Toe neutral in our position, tube warped or in fluenced by such considerations, \vl* art- in Ibis case, the best prepared to institute a can did inquiry, and pronounce a just and im partial decision. After so ample an exposition ofotir mo tives and views, wc might, perhaps, be saved Report of the Secretary of Fl’ar on the Military Peace Establishment. Wak Dr.i'AivrMFM, ) December 12, IbJO. j Sir: In obedience to a resolution of the House of Representatives of the 11 th of May last, directing that the Secretary of War report to this House, ut the com mencement of the next session, a plan for the reduction of the army to six thou sand non-commissioned officers, musici ans, and privates, ami preserving suqh parts of the corps of engineers as, iu his opinion, without regard to that number, it may be for the public interest to re tain ; and, also, what saving of ttie pub lic revenue will ho produced by such ar- rangemC'.i' of the army as lie may pro pose in conformity with this resolution, have the honor to make the following report : 1 derm it proper, before a plan is pre sented iu detail for reducing the army, s proposed in the resolution, at stem briefly the general principles on .-kith it is conceived our military peace e-tab- lishmenl ought to be organized. It b.: readily admitted, that the organization of the army ought to have reference to the objects, for which it is maintained, and ought to be snclt as may be best cal culated to effect such objects ; ns it must he obvious, on the slightest reflec tion, that on considerations connected therewith ought to depend not only its nun,tiers, but also the principles on which it ought to lie formed. T'lie necessity of a standing army in peace is not Inhered to he involved in the subject under consideration, a* the resolution presupposes the propriety of maintaining one ; nod, in fact, its neces sity is so apparent, that even those least friendly to tiiu army have never attempt ed to uboli-Ji it, or even to rot-lute it since the late war, much below the num ber proposed in tlie resolution. Thn ob jects for which a standing army in pJjace ought to be maintained in.ty be o«in;u t/.ied under two classes ; those which, though they have reference to a state of war yet tire more immediately connected with its duties iri peace, anil those which relate immediately und solely to war Under the first class snay he enumega- ted, ns the leading objects, the garrison ing of the torts along our Atlantic fron- j tier, in order t*o posbrve them, and to I cause the stiver* ignly of the I . ritates h> lue respected in their immediate neigh- I horhood, and the occupying of certain oititnatiding posts ou our inland frontier, to keep in chetk our savage neighbors, und to protect our newly funned and fee ble settlements in that quarter. These are, doubtless, important objects, lint ire by no means sn essential as those which relate immediately und solely to ii tate of war ; and, tlfongh not to be neg lected wholly, ought not In have any de cided influence in the organization of oar- pence establishment. Without, there fore, making any farther remark on tlii- point of the inquiry, I will proceed to ;onsidor the other class, on which, as it comprises the great and lending induce ments to maintain in this country a regu lar army in pence, the prominent fea tures of its organization ought 10 depend. “ However remote our situation from the great powers of the world, and how ever pacific our policy, we are, notwith standing, liable to he involved in war ; and, to resist with success its calamities and dangers, a standing army in peace, in the present improved state of tlie mi litary science, is on indispensable pre paration. The 0| po-ite opinion cannot be adopted, without putting to hazard the independence and safety of the •oun- trv. 1 am aware that the militia is con sidered, mnl in many respects j'lktly, as thegri-.it national firre ; but, to render them effective, every experienced offi cer must m knowledge, that they requite the aid of regular troops. Supported by a suitable corps of trained artillerists and by a small but well disciplined bo the declaration that in conducting this Jour- . 0 f j^fanlrv, they may he safely relied! completely formed, w nal no traces of^ local partialities,,ox •ici-tuni.i , ( garrison our foi ls, and to act In Ihoj as the number of troo 5 H S I.« troep.. 1. -W sW ™>«« »o tire arms, would be of great importance, and would Imve their full effect. To ro ly on them beyond this, to suppose our militia capable of meeting iu the open field the regular troops of Europe, would be to resist the most obvious truth, and the whole of our experience us a nation. War is an art, to obtain perfection iu which, much time uud experience, par ticularly for the officers, are necessary. It is true, that men of great military gen ius occasionally appear, who, though without experience, may, when an army is already organized auddisciplined, lend it to victory ; yet, 1 know of no instance, under circumstances nearly equal, in which the greatest talents have been a- ble, with irregular and undisciplined troops, to meet with success those (hut were regularly truiifcd. Genius with out much experience may command, hut it cannot go much further. It cannot at once organize mid discipline nn army, and give it that military tone, and habit, which only, in the midst of immioent danger, enn enable it to perform the most complex evolutions with precision and promptitude. Those qualities, which essentially distinguish an army from un equal assemblage of untrained individ uals, can only be acquired by the in struction of experienced officers. If they, particularly the company and re gimental officers, are inexperienced, the army must remain undisciplined, in Which case, the genius, and even the experi ence, of the commander, will lie of little avail. The great and leading objects, then, of a military establishment in peace, ought to he to create and perpetuate mi litary skill and experience : so that, at all times the country may have at its command a body of officers, sufficiently numerous, and well instructed in every branch of duty, both of the linn aud staff; and the organization of the army ought to be sncl), as to enable the government, at tile commencement of hostilities, to obtain a regular force, adequate to the emergencies the couutry, proporly or ganized mihI prepared for actual service. It is thus only, that we can be in the con dition to meet the-first shocks of hostili ties with unyielding firmness ; and to press on an enemy, while onr tosr.urcvs tre yet unexhausted. Hut if, on tlie o- tlier hand, disregarding the sound dic tates ol reasonexperience, wesimuld in peace neglect out- military establishment, we riAist, with tt powerful ami skilful eu- emv, be exposed to the most distressing calamities. Not nil the zeal, courage, and patriotism of our militia, unsupport ed by regularly trained pud disciplined troops, can inert them. W ithout such I troops, the two or three first campaigns would he worse than lost, The honor ol our arms would bo tarnished, and l|ie resources of the country uselessly lav ished ; for, in proportion to the want of efficiency, and a proper organization, must, in actual service, he our military cxpeudituws. When taught by sad ex perience, we would lie compelled to make redoubled efforts, with exhausted means, to regain those very advantages, which were, l ist fur the waul of experi ence and skill. In addition to llie im mense expenditure which would thei| lie necessary, exceeding, manifold, what would have been sufficient to put unr peace establishment on a respectable footing, a crisis would be tints brought on of the most dangerous character. If our liberty should ever be endangered by the military pow er gaining the a-cen- d.iiicv, it will lie from the necessity of making i!m,e mighty and irregular ef forts to retrieve our affairs, niter a -ciaus of disasters, caused bv the want ot ade quate military knowledge ; just in, in onr physical system, n state of the munt dangerous excitement and paroxysm bil lows tlintof the greatest debility and pros tration. To avoid these dangerous con sequences, and to prepare the country to meet n state of war, particularly at its commencement, with honor mol safety, much must depend on list? organization of our military peace establishment ; mol I have, accordingly, in the plan about tu lie proposed, for the reduction of the al loy, directed my ntientiou mainly to that point, believing it to be nf the greatest importance. To give such nn organization, the lea ding principle in its formation ought to be, tii,at, at the c<>iimionc»*mont of hos tilities, there should he nothing either to new model nr to create. 1 tie only difference, consequently, bat ween Jlie ; pence and the war formation oft he army ought to he in the increased magnitude •>f the latter; and the only change in passing from the former to the I liter, should eon-ist in giv ing to it the augmen tation which will then he necessary. It is thus, and tints only, the danger ous transition from peace to war may be niado without confusion or disorder ; and the weakness and danger, which other wise would he inevitable, he avoided.— Two consequences tesiilt from this prin ciple. First, the organization nf the «taff in a pence establishment ought to be Mich, that every brunch of it should he ith such extension of troops und posts occu- cortdly, that the organization nf the line ought, as far ns practicable, to be snclt that, in passing from the peace te the w«r formation, the force may he sufficiently augmented, without adding new regi ments or battalions, ; thus raising the war on the basis of the peace establish ment, instead of creating a new army to be mhled to the old, as A the commence ment of the Inst war. The neat princi ple to he observed, is, that the organiza tion ought to be such ns to induce, in time of pence, citizens of adequate tal ents mid respectability of character to enter and remain in tlie'iiiilitarv service ot the country, so that the government may have officers iff its cynitimnd, who, to the requisite experience, would add the public confidence. The cot redness ol tins principle can scarcely be doubted, for, suroly, if it .is Worth having an ar my at all, it is worth having it well com- mantled. These nre the general principles tip- on which I propose to form the organi zation of thn ••H'tny, as proposed to lie reduced under the resolution. By re ference to taldes A nnd B, which contain the proposed anil present organizations, it will he seen that the principal differ ence between them is in the reduction ot liic rank and tile. The present or ganization of the staff, with its brunches, is retained, with slight alterations. The principal changes in il are, iisthat of the commissary general of purchases, aud the judge advocates, hy which il is in tended that they should conform more exactly to the principles ou which (he other branches nre now formed. It is believed that the true principle of its organization is, that every distinct branch of the staff' should terminate in a chief, to be stationed, at least iu peace, near the scat of government, mid to lie made responsible for its condition. It is tints that the government may at all limes ob tain correct knowledge of the condition of the nriuy in every particular, and lie enabled tu introduce method, order nnd economy, in its disbursements. It is, at present, with slight exceptions, thus or ganized, and the beniTtciul effects of it have already bean strikingly exemplified by experience. .Since the passage of the act ol'the 1-lib of April, UUtl, winch gave the present organization to the staff, Die expense nf the army has been greatly reduced, while, at the same time, the va rious articles supplied have been im proved in quality, and tho punotnnlity •viih which they Imve been issued ; and while the movements of the army have, at least for the present, been refldered more expensive by occupying the dis tant. frontier posts at the mouth of the St. Fetor's and at the Council Bluff*. Bv a state mo, nl from tho adjutant and inspec tor general, and the books of tiie second auditor, marked U, containing the army disbursments from Iblti to 1821) inclu sive, it appears, that the expense of the atniy in 1010, the year in which the present organization commenced, amoun ted to three miliums setreo hundred uud lorty-eiglit thousand four hundred and forty-live dollars aud one cent, while the amount of warrants issued f>w ciirrmit disbui toments to the firstuf November this year, lots amounted only to two mil lions six hundred und sixteen thousand live hundred and tw enty-six dollars nnd eleven cents, aud tho disbursements ot the whole year will, probably, hot ex ceed two millions seven hundred thou sand dollars. In tho year 1818, the ag gregate average number of the military establishment, including the cadeti, u- iiioonted to eight thorn.uid one hundred mid ninety-nine, and that of (hi- year ti nine thousand -ix hundred and eleven.— It is admitted, that, during the same pe rm,!, a considerable reduction ims taken place in many ol'the articles which con stitute the supplies of the army, the ef fect of which has been to reduce its ex pense ; but, mi examination, it will ap pear licit the diminution on this account is tnm il less than what on the first itn- * cent, high*# Ilian in this, nnd w tie *»fc" tiatttic* about forty per cent. With these data, it i* ascertained, that the et- pense of the army this year, had no dim)* tuition in pried aince 1618 takan plat e, would have amounted, deducting for (to diffarenoe of the average number ef Ah two yeitri end allowing- for the expendi ture of the Semieote war in 1818, to e> bout two milKena saven hundred k mnw> tjf-une thousand nod thirty-eight tfelhwh and fitly five cent*. This sum, deduct ed from three million* seven hundred und forty-eight thotplpd four hundred und forty-five dollar* nnd one cent, the expense of the army in 1818, gives for the actual saving, niter allowing for the diininulioh of prices, the sum of nine hundred und filly seven thousand three hundred nnd fifty six dollar* and forty lit oento, (see table fo,) which ha* been ef fected through the organimtioe of the present staff, by enabling the department id, in its inioete details, sn to superintend, well thn various diabursentents of the ar my, ns thn measures token te pro waft the waste ef public property. Tire o mount of saving may appear to be rery great, hut it is confidently believed, that it cannot hu materially reduced by nay just inode of calculation of which the subject is susceptible. As rreat as tills result is, it is only in war that the benefits of a propar organ ization of the staff-aan be fully realized. tV ith a complete organization, and expe rienced officers, trained in time of peacss to nn exact aud punctual discharge of their duty, the saving in war (not to in sist ou an increased energy und success in our military movements) would be of iucalculalde advantage to the country.— Thu number ef deputies and assistants in ouch brunch ought to be regulated by tho exigency of the service, and thw must obviously depend much more on the number of posts than on the number of troops *, und ns no material change cue, consistently with the public interest, be made as lathe posts, under the proposed reduction, little diminution can be mad* in the number of subordinate officers hh> longing to the stuff. It is also proposed to retain the twe major and four brigadier geosrala. Al though it is not probable that thera will tm concentrated, iu time of peace, at any ono point, u fore*equal to the command of a single major or even a brigadier gen eral, yet il is conceived that it is import ant to the service that they shobld be re- tai led. As two re-iments, with a pro per proportion of artillery tf light troops, constitute, iu our service, one brigade, and two brigades n division, the command ofu major general, the number of regi- luouls and buttalioiM, under the proposed organization, thus give# a command e- q tat to that of two major und four brign- •tier generals. But a more weighty, and, in my opinion, decisive reason, why they riiinuld Ims retained, may be found in the principle already staled, Chat the organi zation pf the peace establishment ought to be such ns to induce persons of talent >nd' respectability to enter and continue tu the military service. To give te the officer**«f the army the necessary skill «nd acquirements, the military academy is an invaluable part of our establisbmen —but that alone will be inadequate. For this purpose, respectability of rank and compensation must be given to the offi cers of the army, in due proportion to the other pursuits of life. Every prudent individual, in selecting his course of life, must be governed, making allowance for natural disposition, essentially by the re wards w Inch attend the various pursuit# open to him. Under eur free institu tions, every one is left free to make bis selection—and most of the pursuits of life, followed with industry and skill, lead to opulence nnd respectibility.—- Flic profession of arms, in the well ef- tat,fished state of things w hich exists a- tuong ut?, has no reward but what is at tached to il hy law—and if that should be inferior to other professions, it would be presrion might bn supposed. Many of file to suppose individuals, possessed of ' the necessary talents and character, would be. induced to enter it. A mere :-en*e of duty ought not, and cannot be safely relied on. It suppoees that indi- viduals would he actuated-by a stronger sense of duty toward* the government ■than the latter towards them. H’wi may judge fro® experience, it would seem that the army, even with these important commands, which, from their rank and compensation, must ope rate strongly on those who have a milita ry inclination, does out present induce ment* to remain in it, stronger than, nor even as strong a-^ those of inpst of the 0e ther respectable pursuits of life. The number of resignations has been very great, of which many are among the most valuable officers. Should the num- ber of generals be reduced, the motive for entering or continuing in aarvict must idso be greatly reduced—for, like the high prize* iu a lottery, though they c ut be pbtuiued by a fear only, yet they operate ou all those ryko adventure—so those important stations which they oc cupy arc, with tho»“ * to serve their count live to enter or j rbtaie them is, ini ilic more consiil- ruble items, w hich con stitute the expenses of the army, me lixial by law, and d» not lltiMtlule with the change or prices, such as tha pay of I be officers and idi-ii, the subsistence of the former, and the allowance to them lor servants, forage, transportation of barrage, (ic. All of the items ertinmtud for, by t e pn\-ma ter-general, except- ing clothing for servants, which is of -mull amount, partake of this character ; to w hicli, if wc* add those in the quarter- mastor-general'i estimates, which, id- tbonuli the price of some of them Imve ia the period under consideration been i educed, yet that lias been at least ba 1 I,meed in the increased expenditure of that department for tire two last years, bv the extension and increased number of (lie military po-ls ; it will result, that the reduction in the expense of the anuy by the diminution of price* is substantial ly confined to the clothing, medical, nnd subsistence departments. Some pains have heeu taken to ascertain this diminu tion, in the various articles supplied by them, and it 1ms resulted in the belief that the average ef those supplied by the clothing and medical departments, necessary ^ and, se- Ip'ere, in the year 1818, about 4 seven per