r opportunities, and belittled their profession, by
vain-glory and personal ambition, and invited censure by inefficient
service. Fortunately there are men and officers, companies and
regiments, who, recognizing their mission, have conscientiously
performed their duty and redeemed the service from greater obloquy.
Their work has acted like leaven to the whole body. All honor to them
for their intelligence, honest pride, and patriotic labor.

The "uniformed militia" system has a foundation of inherent strength
capable of being built upon and extended to a perfectness not at
present thought capable of. With its present incompleteness, its degree
of usefulness is positive, and even under all the adverse circumstances
referred to the condition of ably administered battalions bears upon
the side of success and prosperity. Singular as it may seem, part of
its weakness is from its own elements of apparent strength.

Recruits enlist with a very inadequate idea of its requirements. Many
go through their term of service, sometimes pleased, oftener bored, but
always with a sense of personal importance, and take their discharge
with feelings of relief.

Some members are guilty of license when in uniform that they would not
indulge in as citizens. Officers without capacity accept commissions
and occasionally intrigue for command, from ambition and vanity,
without a sense of their responsibility or a proper knowledge of their
duties. There are also elements of disorder within the lines of duty
which are hard to bear and difficult to control, because they arise
from personal animosities. The judgment of an officer is warped to his
hurt by his selfishness, wounded pride, and ambition, who will hold a
commission to the injury of his company or battalion, even with the
support of part of his command.

Is it to be wondered at that an organization with such elements of
disorder in it should be regarded with disfavor by those ignorant of
its trials, its duties, and its aims? And is it not an argument in its
favor that its discipline is able to control and surmount such
demoralizing tendencies?

It is not pleasant to deprecate a continuation of long services, but
under certain circumstances it may result in injury to a corps.
Officers of merit and distinction, with the personal veneration of
their men, have been known to outlive their usefulness by retention of
command after the freshness, activity, and judgment of their earlier
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