Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-07-28
Military Presidents.

mllltarl IIesluehtss
Hon. S. A. Douglass. in speech made
at Richmond on the 9th inst, makes the
following allusion to cur military Presi-
dents. With one exception. we have ne
yer had strictly military man for Presi-
dent, and the experiment of that exception
was failure. Washington, jackson and
Harrison. like every able-bodied man be-
tween the ages of 10 and As. were sol-
diers in war. and citizens in peace. Gems.
Taylor and Scott were professional sol
diers, followed it for livelihood, as a
farmer follows the plough. We ask our
readers which is entitled to the highest
consideration, the man who selects arms
as his profession for life, living great
portion of his time in idleness at the ex-
pense of the government, and fighting
only when ordered to; or he who in time
of need voluntarily sacrifices his private
interests and risks his life in defense Of his
country sa bab
eve have yet to see professional sol
der succeed as statesman. Washing
ton was no military man by profession,
following the army for living He was
a civilian in the fullest sense OF the word.
He was reared for civil pursuits: He held
civil Offices both before and after the Re-
yolution. He was member of the Con-
tinental Congress that founded the Union,
and a member of the Convention that fra
med our Constitution. lie knew whether
naturalization laws ought to be uniform or
not. The period during which Washing
ton held commission in the army, con-
s,ituIed but very few years of his long
life. He was the first of our citizen sol
diers. Andrew Jackson, too
Here Mr.. Douglass was interrupted
by a long and hearty cheer. He contin-
ued-]
Gentlemen, it does me good to hear
that cheer Andrew Jackson started in
life as poor attorney and he became
an eminent jurist, before he ever drew a
sword. When his country was involved
in war. only, did he, like Washington.
leave the pursuits of citizen for the du-
ties of a soldier: and like Washington,
when war was al an end. he threw up his
commission and went to a farm. Like
Z w dSlllIlBtOut dlSOs l6 l6II JnaI IaEtn only
to become President of the United States
He was not a member of the military pro.
fession like Washington, he was never
more than citizen soldier. So with Har-
risOn. He commenced his career as a
young physician; he held many civil of
fees before he went into the army he
went into the army at last. only as Mr.
Pierce did, because there was war in the
land and when he was nominated fol
the Presidency. he had long ceased &c
hold the commission of military officer
But next we come to the name oil
Taylor. lie was the first, the very first
professional soldier who ever became the
Chief Magistrate OF this country. My
friends. sCds there any thing in The result 0t
that experiment anhich in"ites y0u to repeat IL
If he had lived for one year more than lie
did, with that cabinet about him. would
this Union be rxt ant at the present time?
believe Gen Taylor to have been an
honest and sincere man hut ut the
time of his death he was simply taking Il
military view of civil question and nei
ther Wing or Democrat who is at all in
formed upon the history OF that period
will be disposed to deny. that he had al
ready committed himself TO steps which
would have led inevitably to civil wal
between the Federal Government and Sc
veral sovereign States in our Union.--
and thereby have rent in tatters the en-
tire confederacy."