The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-06-15

M time FOR talk;,, Aot,o, ,'s what Is wanted.
The slavery question is no Tonga ~ i'Su'' 'u'
tho existence Of the government.
semetAins Wrong In High auat>, ers'
Upon no Chief Magistrate Of tho Uaa> eo
States. since the days Of George Washington,
has there been imposed, by the exigsaoies Of
the period, 80 great responsibility as rests
upon President Lincoln. The public have
confidence In his integrity, aud in his general
wish TO administer with impartiality and wis
dom the high functions of his office. 1t is owl
dent, however, that many of those who sur
round him, even In his Cabinet, are inspired
by the most sordid and interested motives;
and their unfaithfulness recoils upon the repu-
tation Of the President, whose duty it is to
understand that he alone is officially account.
able TO the country for every aot performed in
his name, or which takes place under his juris-
servant, clearsighted, and firm; and he should
prefer the necessity of changing his Cabinet
every week, until he has secured proper agents
and advisers, to permitting abuses to contiaue,
on the ground that there are no apparent
means by which they can be remedied. 1t has
ong been clear that the system of army ap-
poin'nents ia wrong, from beginning to end
fraught with danger; and that the loyal States
may soon see their efforts to put down rebel
lion frustrated, by the shameful manner ia
which Colonies, Generals, and Major Generals
utterly ignorant Of military tactics, have, for
purely political reasons, been entrusted with
be lives of Thousands of their fellow citizens
ana put into the regular army over the heads
Of those who have been educated for that
branch Of the service.
Ia times OF war, the government Of the United
States, must unqueetionably rely upon the
volunteer system, to meet emergencies that
may arise, and help out the regular army in
defending the country, or in suppressipg rebel
lion. 1t forms part of that ~ stem, to appeal
10 local and individual pride and ambition, and
to permit regiments to be Differed by individu.
ais Of their own free choice aud selection
Calamities frequently arise, it is true, from the
ignorance and presumption of such persons, in,
aiscreetly removed from secular occupations,
to positions of authority for which they are
incompetent; but no remedy can be devised
for she evil, excepting for the federal govern
ment to prevent any intermingling or interfe.
renee OF commands in the volunteer, with that
of the regular service. To transfer q volun
teer officer into the regular army, is always
culpable blunder. To raise such an officer,
however, to position of authority over traineo
graduates from West Point, who, after receiv-
ing thorough military education have borne
The heat and burthen of duty as soldiers
for long course of years; and whose expert
ence and profession entitle them to the highest
consideration, is eminently wrong and impro
per. Yet, from within two weeks of the bonn
bardnent of Fort Sumter we have continu-
ally seen Brjgadiers and Major Generals taken
from their Offices as civilians, and, without
ever having heard the Whaling of bullet, or
witnessed 90 much az skirmish, entrusted with
the highest responsibilities which ever are ex-
ercised by the most sagacious, practiced, and
distinguished commanders.
We aIe informed, on the most undeniable au.
'hority, that the number of applications re.
ceived by the War Department for Brigadier
Generalships and Major Generalships in the
regular army, from persons who have never
donned a uniform, and who have nothing what
ever to recommend them, excepting republican
speeches they may have delivered in past po
itjcal campaigns, is literally overwhelming;
and were all the aspirants for Colonelcies in
the regular service to be entertained, it would
require a force of several millions of men to
provide them with troops. We could mention
he names of several lawyers in, New York
who know as little of fighting as they do OF
:hoemaking, who have been presumptuous
enough to put themselves forward for positions,
only second to that Of General Scott himself,
and who confidently believe they will receive
such appointments. Moreover, there are advi-
,ers of Mr.. Lincoln, who, from demagoguical
and interested purposes, encourage these dan
gerous aspirations, and lend themselves to
heir fultherance. The consequence of the
continuance Of this state of things would be
inevitable. Defeat must accompany our troops
wherever they 60, and the rebel army, Differed
oy the ablest generals Of the continent, must
be victorious in every encounter.
1t is the duty Of President Lincoln, to put an
immediate stop to the Introduction of this mise
rable political engineering, into the military
service. To do SO, he may be compelled to
interfere decidedly, and to dismiss members of
mis- Cabinet; but he cannot act too soon, for it
Is too probable that the errors that have been
already committed, may entail irreparable Gala
mites. We understand that the Union Defence
Committee, with the political corruption, and
favoritism that have marked its existence, is
about to die natural death. 1t has emulated
the worst qualities of Washington politicians
At the capital remedy exists and should be
supplied b. the President, and not a single in
stance should again occur of the transfer Of
volunteer officer into the regular army, except
ing for stupendous services, which demand the
most signal exhibition Of national gratitude,