Weekly Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1853-1861, 1855-05-31
From the Washington Union.
-Whu Don't IL Fall .

Sebastopol-Why Don't it Fall
In the Union, recently, / saw extracts from
speech of Mr.. Bright, who, make no doubt.
from his Democratic sentiments is blood
relation of our Bright, the Vice President.
These extracts have suggested the query
which heads this article
When the news reached England that wal
between Mexico and the United States exist
ell, the military si,oJs of England ridiculed
the idea that the United States could success
fully carry on a war of invasion
That the impregnable San Juan de Ulloa
could he reduced by the American arms was
scoffed at, and the entrance of our troops lex
cept as prisoners) into Mexico esteemed too
absurd for speculation.
Surely, if the siege Of Vera Cruz had been
conducted without first cutting off all chance
of throwing in reinforcements, by investing
the place by land and sea, we might have
been as long in reducing the city and castle
rs have been the combined English and
French forces in reducing Sebastopol
AS throwing some light on the solution of
the query which heads this article, extract
from that standard English authority, "The
Snobs of England, by one of themselves" the
chapter entitled
"oN SOME MILITARY sNOBs."
GAS no society in the world is more agree
able than that of well-bred and well-in-
formed military gentleman, so, likewise, none
is more insufferanle than that ofs,><stary
snobs. IAsy.sae.te seiansi <|f 1zII
breast wrinkles over with q score OF stars,
clasps and decorations, to the budding cornct
who is shaving for beard, and has just been
appointed to the SAKE Coburg Lancers.
81 have always admired that dispensation
of our country which sets up this last named
little creature, (who was logged only last
week because he could not SPELL to COM
mand great whiskered warriors who have
faced all dangers of climate and battle; which,
because he has money to lodge at the agents,
will place him over the heads of men who
have thousand times more experience and
desert; and which, in the course of time will
bring him all the honors of his profession,
when the veteran soldier he has commanded
has got no other reward for his bravery, than
a berth in Chelsea Hospital, and the veteran
officer he superseded has skunk away into
shabby retirement, and ends his disappointed
life on a threadbare half-pay.
"When | read in the Gazette such an
nouncements as "LIEUTENANT and CAPTAIN
GRIa, from the Bombardier Guards, to be
captain, vice GnizzLE who retires, L know
what becomes of the peninsular GRrzzLE; |
follow him in spirit to the humble country
town, where he takes up his quarters. and oc-
cupies himself with the most desperate at
tempts to live like gentleman on the stipend
of half a tailors foreman; and l picture to
myself little GRIa rising from rank TO rank,
skipping from one regiment to another, with
an increased grade in each, avoiding disagree
able foreign service, and ranking as colonel
at 30--all because he has money, and LoRD
GRI6sBY is his father who had the same
luck before him. GRIG must blush at first
to give his orders to men in every way his
betters. And as it is very difficult for a
spoiled child to escape being selfish and AFRO
giant, so it is q very hard task, indeed, for this
spoiled child of fortune not to be snob.
Z" 1t must have often been a matter of won
der to the candid reader that the army the
most enormous job of all our political insti-
tutions, should yet work so well in the field;
and we must cheerfully give Grig, aud his
like, the credit for courage which they dis
play whenever occasion calls for it. The
Dukes dandy regiments fought as well as
any; (they said better than any, but that is
afsurd) The great Duke himself was
dandy once, and jobbed on, as Marlborough
did before him. But this only proves that
dandies are brave as well as other Britons-
as all Britons. Let us concede that the high
born GRIa rode into the entertainments at
Sabraon as gallantly as Corporal Wallop,
the ex-plough-boy.
'The times of war are more favorable to
him than the periods of peace. Think of
Grigs life in the BOmbardier Guards, or the
Jackboot Guards; his marches from Windsor
to London, from London to Windsor, from
Knightsbridge to Regents Park; the idiotic
services he has to perform, which consist in
inspecting the pipeclay of his company, or
the horses in the stable, or believing out
Shoulder humps! Garry humps' all which
duties the very smallest intellect that ever
belonged to mortal man suffices to compre-
hend. The professional duties of footman
are quite as difficult and various. The red
jackets who hold gentlemen's horses in St.
James street could do the work just as well
as those vacuous, good-natured, gentleman
like, rickety little lieutenants, who may be
seen sauntering about Pail Mall in high
heelei little boots, or rallying round the
standard Of their regiment in the palace court
at eleven o'clock, when the band l'lays. Did
the beloved reader ever see one of the young
fellows staggering under the flag, or, above
all, going through the operation Of salutine
it? 1t is worth a walk to the palace to wit
ness the magnificent piece of tom-fooery.