696 Account of Regulations 



trade in sentry-duty between those soldiers who were 

 furloughed, and those who, in their stead, assumed their 

 duties in the regiment, constituted the whole secret of 

 the former military system. 



By this system, the man absent on leave was obliged 

 to pay in money, under superintendence of the captain, 

 the one who assumed in his stead the guard and sentry 

 duty which fell to him. Very many and very weighty 

 objections, however, can be made to this system : 



ist, Every military system should be practicable not 

 only in time of peace, but also, and more especially, 

 in time of war; but in the field all furloughs cease, and 

 consequently all trade in sentry-duty ceases also. 



2d, Under this system, the officer had too much to 

 do with the pen : he was too much occupied in taking 

 care of his accounts to be able to take good care of his 

 men. Besides, it is almost impossible for a man to be 

 long employed 'as a merchant without beginning to 

 think about making profit out of his transactions ; and 

 as soon as an officer has begun to concern himself 

 about the profit, and especially about profit in the sale 

 of articles which he has to furnish to the poor soldier, 

 he is already lost to the military profession. He is 

 truly spoiled in heart, and entirely incapable of all 

 those noble feelings which animate and distinguish a 

 true soldier and deserving officer. 



3d, It is not only unwise, but also in a certain sense 

 cruel, to put honest men in a position in which their 

 passions can be excited by opportunity and example. 

 The desire for gain on the part of an officer who con- 

 ducted the business matters of a company in the ser- 

 vice of your Electoral Highness, according to the old 

 system, was not only excited, he was compelled, so to 

 speak, to think about gain. 



