, 1861-08-24

hobble On cratches OF sit in AL easy chair
Sew die and none resign"
The rebellion which re seek to puI
down, is guided and governed by young
and vigorous men. The rebel chiefs ar
N the prime of manhood. They are neither
boys nor octogenazians, but possess the
andor and and activity Of youth, tempered
by the prudence and experience Of middle
age.
How can we expect with hopes Of suc.
cess, to encounter these robust and dar;no
leaders, until we pit against them, men Of
equal youth, vigor, and elasticity. Gen
scott who has been an extraordinary man
N his day, has gracefully yielded the man
agement OF the Grand Army of the East to
the hands Of his talented pupil, Gen. Nc
cleAan, and contents himself with giving
tne latter the benefit of his counsel and
ripe experience. It would be well for the
country If several other chefs Of the mill
tary administration, who have no pretext
On the score of former greatness for Stag.
gng gsuperhuous On thestage, would follow
the example Of the i1lustrious veteran
and permit younger and fresher men to
discharge the arduous duties OF their res
pectve departments.
The public peril is too great and the
matter at stake too momentous tn nerrn;t
indiYiduals to stand in the way of tho Ea-
honal good and Public safety. The work
ing, executive period Of human life termi-
mates at three score and ten. The faculties
Of many men fail at sixty. A very few re-
tain their mentaI and physical 7igor IN
considerable perfection till seventy. But
after that, little ought to be expected or
exacted from them in the way Of labor.
At the risk Of frightening our loyal
readers, we will state the ages Of those
who are now responsible for the military
administration Of the Nation, below the
President and Secretary Of War, neither
Of whom Processes to be military man:
Lieutenant General Of the whole army,
Gen. Scott aged 76, OF as some authorities
assert 70; but who has re1inquished the
performance Of the duties Of his high Office
to Gen. Mcclellan, who, is at the prime,
working, acting age Of So.
Adjutant General, Lorenzo Thomas, 86
years.
Inspector General, Sylvester Churchill,
Is 5years.
Commisary Gen. Geo. Gibson, &c years,
long confirmed invalid, holding the most
important post in the army.
Assistant Commis sary General, Colonel
Taylor, Il years, feeble and sickly, and
therefore incapable.
Surgeon General, c. A. Finley, rs years,
hail and infrm.
Paymaster- General, Benjamin T. Lar
ned, 20 years.
Chi # of Engineer Corps, Joseph g.
Fotten, 80 years. The fatal deficiency of
in battle, is easily accounted for.
Chief Of Typographical Engineers, Syl-
vanus Thayer, rs years. Efficiency and
activity can hardly be expected in that De-
partment-
Ordinance Department, Henry z. Craig,
III years. A very important office it is, and
one requiring hale, active man to fill it.
Chief Of Ordnance {cannon}, James ".
Ripley, 10 years.
Most Of the head clerks and assistants
IN the vanous bureaus, belong to the car.
buncle tribe, and have little else than in
mense age and red-tape habits to recon-
mend them to public confidence. They
have held their Offices since Washington
was burned by the British, and expect to re-
tain them until it is burned by the rebels.
These antideluyian remains must be re-
tired and deposited elsewhere, and their
places filed with lice me1 Of this century.
Ii the country would witness avigorcus,
efficient and satisfactory prosecution Of
the WEI.