No violation of this rule was
allowed and as a result of this common sense regulation the men were
well fed and provided, for every colonel was held to account for the
welfare of the men under his command and every officer up to the rank of
field marshal could be reduced to the ranks for violation of the rules
and regulations governing the army. As there was a mailbox under the
control of the Minister of Information in every military post in which
complaints were posted to be sent to the President it had a very
salutary effect in keeping the officers attentive to their duty, as no
officer wanted to lose his position and salary and be a private. All
trivial violations of the rules by non-commissioned officers and
privates, such as insolence, drunkenness, filthy habits and disorderly
conduct, could be punished by the captain with three days on bread and
water-but no pay could be forfeited for any offense, for no fines were
allowed in the republic. For serious offenses committed by either
officer or private in time of peace, such as sodomy, crimes against
nature, adultery, seduction, larceny, embezzlement or any other felony,
the accused was sent to the district court for trial and on conviction
was dismissed the service and committed to prison for the term of years
provided by the law for the crime he had been convicted of and five
years additional for perjury, he having violated his oath of office that
he would be honest and upright in all things so help him God, and any
officer could be reduced to the ranks for conduct unbecoming a gentleman
as the result of a trial before a jury of twelve men drawn by ballot
from any other command than his own.
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