The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-08-04

time to grow mp, to offer to the democracy and re-
public first, impenetrable refuge, afterwards an
sverger, il m ayenger should be necessary in
the future.
/, is, no doubt, beautiful to know how to oppor-
tunely renouncs power, Washington did in
1891 TO teach his country this truth that If people
wish to preserve their liberty untouched, they must
NOT obey too long the same Inan that man II he
WANTS to preserve his virtue, must not leave it too
long expose to the intoxicaton given by the exer-
ese Of public power but perhaps il is yet more
b,autifl to avert occasion OF present glory, and
to face the rep-onch of ingratitude puillanmity
to reach an aim which Will reveal itse1 only IN the
future and AFTER his death.
John Adams, the successor of Washington to the
Presidency, did not understand the thoughts of that
great man. During his administration, which
lasted four years. he only saw in the neutrality in
which The United States shut themselves, but the
means of bringing them nearer TO England, in CIV
ing to their institutions an aristocratic tendency
The two Presidences of the skilful Jefferson, from
1901 TO 1909, were entirely occupied III striving
against that tendency, so dangerous that IN sub
hitting to the insults OF the right of visit
and Of the impressment OF sailors, the Americans
gained enormous sums by the maritime commerce
Of which she had become tho general agent.
Jefferson nevertheless, succeeded in throwing under
America the mistaken basis upon which the demo-
cracy grows proud; for it should not be believed
that the wings, who have succeeded the federal
party, are partsans of the arstocratc principle
al is democracy in the United States, and the dis
agreement Of parties consists only in the manner of
drawing out Of the principle certain secondary con-
sequences.
Il was from 1902 under the Presidency of Madi-
son. the most complete statesman produced in
Northern America, that the United States began to
show what they intended one day to become.
Madison could not nevertheless obtain, during the
hrst term of his Presidency, that his fellow citizens
armed themselves against the insolence, increasing
from day to day, Of England The love Of gold had
0bternted the sentiment of national dignity in the
Americans. That sentiment rose up again, in 1913,
and every one knows what were the results of that
war, crowned by the success obtained. in 1915, by
Jackson, over the English before New Orleans,
late French colony, that brightest revenge Of the
democracy against the old governments which were
triumphant on this side Of the Atlantic
Monroe, nominated Colonel on the battle field by
Washington during the great war OF the indepen-
dence, succeeded Madison in 1914. 1t was Monroe
who made, in 1921, that declaration, written now-a-
days in the heart of all Americans, to wit that the
Americans wou6not suffer that the European States
should create new colonies upon the American con-
tinent It was under the Presidency Of Monroe that
General Jackson took possession (wthout an order
Of the governmenD of Florida, which the United
States have only retained by treaty made with
Ferdinand VII it was, in fine, during that celc-
brated Presidency that che Congress acknowledged
the independence of the Spanish colonies.
In 1873 there was pause in the policy of the
United States John Quincy Adams, son of the
Adams who bad occupied the Presidency from
1897 10 1901, was elected President. But the de-
mocratc principle took again, in 1929, its impetu-
Gus course. JACKSON was elected. Inc wing party
had wished to found its power upon money, and, in
order to dominate the credit of the Union entirely,
it had established the United States Bank. The
mission Of jackson to break off that institution,
the financial domination being that which is directed
to the lessor honorable passions. Every one knows
with what energy the conqueror of Florida dis
charged the mission, in interposing thrice the Pres-
Dental veto. Jackson, on withdrawing, had re-
commended to his successor, Martin Van Buren,, to
| accomplish the annexation of Texas Either by his
hesitation, or because the hour had not arrived,
it given to Captain Tyler, successor to General
HARRISON to prepare the expedition directed after
wards by President Polk, with vigor which in
two years exhausted the sources of his life.
The events of the Mexican war so well known
TO US that it is not necessary to repeat them. The
enthusiasm which they had excited brought, in
ls49, the election Of Zachary Taylor, the hero OF
| Buena Vista, where 1000 Americans vanquished
10000 Mexicans IN open field; ic produces. to day,
the candidates Generals Pierce and Scott. After
that, it would be very wrong to say that the Anne
ricans of the North are not sensible to the glory Of
arms; bat it is also right to remark that the Ame-
ricans have combined, in such manner the organi-
zaton Of their military power, that IL does not rule
| the civil power. Their army is composed OF but
10 600 soldiers. The nomination OF all the officers
| o. that army is submitted TO tho Senate Such is
the very small centre around which, in case Of war,
| rally regiments of volunteers, which equellZe
! the troops OF the government, in the regularity
! Of man@uvres, and, perhaps surpass them in
ability for shooting: for tue Americans have
understood that in order to be strong ia entertaining
that every citizen be acquainted with the exercises
| of soldiers Gen. Pierce, although he served only
in the militia, j. general very well able TO
mand one division-probably even army. The
United States hold, in reference their neighbors,
/ position which permits them, under their milf
taTy aspect, privileges which prudence denies to the
great European States IL appears to us, however,
evident that it would be possible study with much
more benefit than it has done, the military nstitu.
| tions of Northern America. At the outset of our
immortal revolution, OF 1889, France had only an
army of the line less than 200 600 men, and though
the emigration had broken it, in some part, by the
Withdrawal of numerous officers, that army was suf-
cent to form the nucleus of the gigantic forces OPP
posed by the republic to the foreign invasion OF
that army, less by half than that which is pos
sessed by France, since the system of armed peace,
crowd of good generals, anda number Of the great
| men of war, arose on the battle field.
The Bonapartes, Desaix, Dumouriez, Massenas,
Moneys, Dugommers, Davoust. Macdonalds, Las
saes Monte Bruins, Richepansc. were officers before
1880. Do you wish to count as belonging to the
army of the line, Hochc and Lefcbvre because they
had been Sergeants in the French guards; Sout and
Cbampionnet, because they were lieutenants-we
| do not know in what regiment; Pichegru, because
he was sergeant of the artillery of marine; Ney and
Murat, because they were quarter masters, one Of
the hussars the other of the dragons! We will not
make any difficulty There is nothing more natural
tn an that, nthe time Of war, the permanent army
produces the first and most distinguished officers.
What remains to be seen, is whether battalions
Of volunteers have not given their contingent Of
Morcau was, when thirty years old, lawyer and
| provost of law at Rennes; Saint Cyr-whom Napo-
leon had proclaimed the first Of our generals in
| the defensive warwas painter; Bruno who had
saved France by the battle of Castricum, Gin
HolIand), conquered Switzerland and succeeded
| Bonaparte in the command of the army of Italy,
was, when thirty years old, literary man, and
| printer. Joubert, who excited the admiration even
of Bonaparte himself, in forcing the deiles Of the
| Tyrol-Joubert, whose loss was more sensible to
France than the loss of the battle of Novi-was q
| volunteer from the department of Lain. And the
| Lobeaux, with the Gerards, and many others
whose death did not leave them time to make them
selves ilustrious, did not they from the bat
tallions of volunteers! Lannes, of poor coun-
| tryman, of Lectoure, himself q workman dyer ut
Auch, did he not enter with precipitation as
volunteer in the career in which he greatly increa-
sed his fame at every battle, when the cannon Of
Esslng came to roll him in grave under the dome