Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-05-11

took the command Of the army in Mexico, we said
that he would noby redeem himself from the awk-
ward position into which he had strutted with his
'.hasty plate of soup" We knew our man. We
knew that, If peacock a turkey-cock out of the
camp, he was game cock within it. And most no.
bly, did he fulfill the expectations of All who justly
appreciated his military character The laures which
he for the country and HIMSELF at Vera Cruz Ger
TO Gordo Contreras, Churubusco, will flourish while
the country exists, its history is extant. But
fortunately for General Scott. his duties in the field
were suspended ended; and true his instinct of
fnordnate vanity, he laid aside Frederick and Mar
shall SAKE, and put on Ancient Pistol. Had he been
put in close confinement and straight waistcoat,
when he ceased to have n campaign battle
hand he would have been saved from ridiculous po-
sition Nor is General Scott alone in fault. Gener-
al Worth could not keep himself out of political in
rIgues professional rlvalshps and General Pillow
could nor resist a temptation to make himself the
greatest man that ever did exist And the ''squab-
bles' between General Scott and Mr.. Commissioner
Tris another precious chapter the between
the frogs and the mice, that aids making our Next
affairs laughing stock to the English money
jo5bers who have conIrved to make millions out Of
our eredulity. Then we have General Taylor's let
about politics, of which each day shines upon
new one some of them telling and all of them prov
ing That, he entirely out of place when out of his
profession.
All these things furnish several impressive lessons.
One lha the camp not the best mil for spinning
and weaving material for civil rulers another is that
our military men control government quite loo
much another is that the people the authors Of
all the mischief by their hUugbtless exaltation of
every nan who gains a battle on land or water. We
have had two military Presidents. But each of them
was an extraordinary man; the of his age.
Neither of them had much military learning. Yet
each. with will, great dignity of character,
great sincerity and honesty and great fertility OF ex
pedent. was able to acquire great influence over
masses Of men, and consequently to achieve great
military success. Every soldier Of the Revolut on
knew that Genera! w ashington honest
In earnest, with extraordinary common sense, and
therefore followed him with willing heart and
fding mind. The same qualities the heads and
the hearts of the whole army New Orleans. They
carried these qualities into the Presidency, where they
were as useful as in the field. Neither of them was
statesman, according to the books. But each
earnest patriot, with the practical Sense ade
quae to the difficulties of his position; and
quently each sustained by the people with both
confidence and cordially.
But all good Generals not WashingtoDs o Jack
sons; aud in shall look for either among the
principal heroes of the Mexican General Tay-
Tor to exceed any of them IN the manly SIM
pIclty Of Washington or Jackson. But in most of
the letters which he has written if to show that
anybody may fish out of him, he shows quite
much the simplicity of credulity as of common sense
Washington and Jackson exhibited the sturdy SIM
pcIiy which cannot be imposed upon, and scorns dis
gulse. General Taylor exhibits little of that anna
BILE simplicity which anybody may dupe, because 1t
suspects guile. In the field he is a Napoleon out
of It greenhOrn. But why is the camp bad school
for ciSilians The strict discipline necessary to
military government, Restraints the freedom and ex-
panson of thought essential TO the statesman; while
the jealousy of rank and competition for honor foster
that suspicion of subodinates that impatience of OPP
position, which are unfortunate traits In men who
govern by reason and consultation, and not by
positive command and blind obedience
Our military men control our government too much.
We have long this In the manag cement of the
navy which seems to have been created fer the ex-
elusive benefit of few Commodores. And now
it, in the last war, the management of the
my. In both wars, The general officers seem to have
had too much discretion They quarrelled them as
they do now. And then, as now, the government at
Washington, instead Of commanding quiet upon PEN
atty of dsmssion, tried coaxing and courts martial.
And this mistake has been founded upon the very err
belief that, the country could get along
without them. We have often said that, If every Of
fcer of the navy should leave it suddenly, could
fill their places well from the mercantile
rlne And with very high appreciation of our Gen.
erals. add that, if every of them should leave
the service tomorrow, have plenty of coonels and
majors to fill their places. The people abound in tai
ent, and decidedly military, and the country Is
filled with well educated soldiers from West Point.
Our successes In Mexc quite much due to the
indOmtable courage and chvalrous pride of charac-
ter IN men, and the native talent and military
tary experience and learning of veteran generals.
We will give all our regular generals To the Mexcans,
and still beat them, i've to one, with volunteers,
aud regular sudiers and regimental and company
officers Who. before the war; thought Of Shields and
Pillow and Cadwalader aud Pierce generals Yet
what veterans of quarter Of a century in camp
could have done better
But where the fault! In the people. They seem
to admit but two ideas in government, the camp and
the Presidency. in the camp. they take for grant,
ed that every thing depends on the General. Yet
something depends the officers and troops. In CIV
government they take for granted that every thing
depends the President. Yet the Legislature, the
Judiciary, the people themselves have some
in the affair. Chershng these two ideas to the
exclusion of all Others they connect them almost
inseparable, and therefore General gains
n battle, proclaim him q candidate for the Presi-
dency. II is all wrong.
CAssIUs NJ. CLAY.-We find in the New York
Evening Mirror the following notice of the result of
the suit of Cassus M. Clay against the rioters who