TOPICS OF THE DAY.
VIRTUOUS INDIGNATION : REFORM IN THE ARMY.
Ate parties seem to have formed a pretty correct estimate of the character and conduct of the Earl of CARDIGAN: no voice is raised in his defence. The judgment passed upon Lord line, in most quarters seems also unimpeachably correct. It were pity, since the work of justice has begun, that it should stop short, and not visit other offenders, who, although to a less degsve, are still im- plicated in the discredit which attaches to the Earl of CARDIGAN. The virtuous indignation at the conduct of the Commander of the Forces and the Colonel of the Eleventh Hussars, which, in the Ministerial journals especially, runs over so torrent-like, will be wasted if it only drown these two victims, when so many stand on the bank looking on, who richly deserve a wetting at the least. The Earl of CARDIGAN (then Lord Bateeeem.L) was dismissed from the command of the Fifteenth lit's:sirs, subsequently to the trial of Captain WATIIEN, because the Court-martial, after honour- ably acquitting the Captain, declared with regard to the Colonel, that they could not ascribe his bringing the accusation "seitly to a wish to uphold the honour and interests of the Army," and that "his conduct had been reprehensilde in advancing such various and weighty assertions to be submitted before a public tribunal without some sure grounds of establishing the facts." The Courtepro- ceeded to attribute to Lord Beenexem., "a practice in every respect most dangerous to the discipline and subordination of the corps, and highly detrimental to that harmony and good feeling which ought to exist between officers"; and another, " which can- not be considered otherwise than revoltittg to every proper and honourable feeling of a gentlemen, and as being certain to create disunion and to be most injurious to his Majesty's service." The finding of the Court-martial Nvili■ approved and eonfirmed in a general order issued by Lord HILL, in which it was stated, that upon a full consideration of all the circumstances of the ease, his Majesty has been pleased to order that Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Brudenell shall be removed from the command of' the Fifteenth Hussars." With these facts fresh in their memory, the public were much surprised when at a subsequent period Lora Beene- PELL was appointed to the command of the Eleventh Light Dra- goons. Sir WILLIAM Mot.eseseten brought the subject before the House of COMITIOns, tir.t ie nay of question to Lord Howica, then Secretary at War; and enerwards by a motion, "that it be referred to a Committee to invime ieto the conduct of' the Com- mander of the Forces in appointing Lieutenant-Colonel Lord Brudenell to the Licutenent-CtIoneley of the Eleventh Light Dragoons." This motion was defeated, because Ministers found it convenient at the moment to shele r Lord HILL from exposure, and because it was time cue of besily-professing Radicals to ex- tenuate all the misdeeds of Ministess, and take upon them the doing of their dirty work. The Ileese of Commons (which will be recorded in history as "the littbby• ") negatived Sir WILLIAM'S motion by a majority of 822 to se : en .1 battiest among the speakers on the side of the mejority vets !1'. 0.0)NNELL. He declared, that "if' the motion related only to Lord Hill and did not in- volve Lord Brudenell, he eertsiely sle mid have supported the motion" ; and took upon hie, to neeet that the Court-martial "erred most grossly—were 1«.1,1e•ily• wrong, and went for be- yond the bounde of' their duty, ii ceestaing a man who had not been heard upon the point, v lii Ji incurred their censure." And Mr. Ileste, chile ostensiely supportine the motion, said that " the sentence was e harsh ansl unjust tete towards the noble Lord." The purpese of these appeals in fitveur of Lord BRUDE- NELL was to induce the lieuse-e to refuse ti :e inquiry, under pretence
of tenderness fo : atel the denutteiations of' Lard Mu were empty flatteries of' pel,lle kr; sitatiett, it order to mitigate its anger
on seeing its objet witielnese 1!., reach. Lord Mu was only culpable becauel Los,: Be• N1.1,1, had net been tiejustly
dealt with. The Court-areeist !eel exceeded its duty : its
finditte see tantamount to that Ekoion cominittpe declaring
that a 1.• thief' against a sittiwe Th•tele r is frivobma and vesatiotts.
Lorct 7/.1./i110,rfl, epportunity of being heera,
upon fetes is,rticirs of cei tr. see ,cm •efinam the Court-mertial, for he (es:el.:owl his own e• The r, eleval of' Lord Bet•t.lesete, from tl -• •• eft of t'.•• Kirtg 're: etifereeeese Sule,tee":s1 j•etise lee! •s•• a r: •ht , see.plain of se• of le'er (.•,• resires-•
C,1101:1!1r,r, I, mmli It is (1, s • ,ss: : "..• I.,orti leo 1.7..: from , . 1,•.:e se set, Jirul (..%ItnIfeSS: is influfPn:-.ible; 1,orcl 111: u, le • .s., iryleree-Ible ; but every perst,r) wig, ., a is es lee.; I ,,1ig:1111 mistleineatimir, without.
f • had ;In epi,ertnitity of' repeatiee :f.t‘, lii sharpof i,i,mmie. ..•, • .,■•'1 tit pley,ortifais or
which le • • I fe• e of' 'rtete,ns was reaolvtal to shiehl mm spentanetais vet of tile enteta:(t of' a Ceatrt-Inartial.
e "hat itol>ite :en ; end if he had iteelset(:(1 v.hich the .1rticle:s see; the imroper neseis et' te a reeinu et, whil ii ‘.vas could not bear ingeiry.
111-111;111,11 '1 t!:1 111.111y 1,11111 11111 1111! S: .1111/11.01y v.ith iv,. to divert attention from the ii \1 mu less were im1,licate(1, aml have been made of' the manner in which justice is administered at the Horse Guards. We trust the Court-martial on Captain REY. NOLDS WIC elder) will confine its verdict to the charge brought against him. The conduct of Lord CARDIGAN and of' the Horse Guards must be made the object of' a special investigation or in. vestigations. Offenders must not be again screened from exposure and punishment under pretext of alleged informalities. With regard to Lord CARDIGAN, there are flues and suspicions enough to justify his being put upon his trial. The state of feeling which exists among the officers of the Eleventh, and the duel betweea Lord CARDIGAN and Captain TUCKETT, connected with the flicts proved at the trial of Captain WATIIEN, show that inquiry is neces- sary. With regard to Lord Hue, time statement of Captain REY- xoLos (the yeunger) shows that inquiry is called for, not merely into his conduct, but into the whole system of management in the Army. If Lord Him has acted in time manner laid to his charge, he and his fitvourites ought to be visited with punishment : and more than this, the Articles of War ought to be revised, and mills tary courts remodelled so as to put it out of the power of Coin. menders-in-Chief and superior officers to outrage, insult, and oppress subordinates, in the manner they seem hitherto to have done. To a civilian it seems inexplicable, how any person with the feelings of a gentleman can have remained in a profession where he must be continually exposed to such wanton insnits and injustice. It is clear that the " cold shade of aristo- cracy'," of' which an eminent British soldier complains, does not merely repress military talent; it relaxes and fritters away the manly tone of character we look for in the soldier. This matter can only be amended by a radical reform in the organization of the British Army, based upon a searching inquiry ; for which the secrets already disclosed regarding the transactions between the Horse Guards, Lord CARDIGAN, and his officers, give ample warrant. We would suggest anemg other subjects to be inquired into—whether it is not possible to translate the Articles of War into precise anti intelligible English ? whether it is not possible to make arrenge- metes that shall secure to every officer accused an opportunity of making his defence, even though his accuser should have the ad- vantage of hitn in rank and connexions, and in being a favourite of the Commander-in-Chief? whether, seeing that, according to Mr. MACAULAY'S statement, the Secretary at War is merely a principal military pay-clerk, it might not be advisable that some power of con-
trolling the Conunander-in-Chiet should be vested somehow in the head of the responsible Executive Government of the country? whether, seeing that the manner in which the spites in the mess of the Eleventh were expressed is rather frivolous, as also that some of time officers of that regiment have not long ago been accused of' un- gentlemanly conduct towards civilians, and that the Fifteenth Hussars is now doing penance in India for a similar fault, it might not be for the advantage of the service that " fancy-ball regiments" should be in future dispensed whim? lastly, whether, when so much is doing to insure fair play to officers, something might not at the same time be done for the privates ?
Previous page
