Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-08-23

Mr.. Russell, correspondent Of the London
Times. who reached Washington. July 81,
and attended the parade of some Of the
regiments before tie President and other
public men on the morning Of the 4th, writes
under date Of July I2ch as follows
What change since the heir Of EngIlni stood
there by the side Of one who may prove TO be the
last President of the United States-united, at
least as a voluntary entirety. The feeble court
illness Of Mr. Buchanan is replaced by the straight
forward purpose and energy Of Mr.. Lincoln, on
whose broad shoulders has fallen the grieyous le-
gacy of his predecessors yacillatiCn and errors ;
and the letters, dispatches and messages which
nurtured civil war arc succeeded by speec e. 70
armed legions, who arc about to end it by con-
quest or in defeat.
1t is probable the English public are already
familiar with the lines Of the salIow, long and
strongly marked face Of the present President.
which to me is Indicative Of shrewtness, honesty
and some love of humor; the eyes are deeply set,
dark, not very bright, but penetrating and kind
ly; the tall ank body, set on long loose legswlth
a slight stoop forward, and ia his movements, if
there be not much grace, there is lack OF vigor.
Beside him, towering over the crowd and top
ping even the President, stands General Scott, the
veteran, but for whom it is not too much to say,
in spite of heaven born warriors and citizen sold
litia and volunteer regiments, the President would
probably not be there at all Tho bold leonine front
of the man, the massive head and broad forehead,
the full fine eye, the mouth broad and distinctly
cut and the square resolu:e chin arrest attention
and recall tho types of some better known COM
manders; but Americans justly proud OF one
who in a military career extending beyond nall
century has been uniformly successful, and who
has not been less fortunate in any diplomatic or
political function she has undertaken to discharge
The Virgnians, who burnt the house in which he
WIS born lest it should the birth of another
traitor, and who changed the name of a county IN
their State called after him to that of Davis, will
not do him any harm with postcrity. His look
and manner indicate that his mind is still vlgor-
Gus, though the SHOWS Of seventy-six winters
have wreathed their honors round his brow; / ut
when the towerlike frame and great torso are set
in motion there is a a feebleness in gait and
want of power in the limbs which show that age
and wounds and hard laoOr nave taken thelr most
ages and securities.
The march past of the troops would not be
thought much of by the critic in such matters
who has seen the vivacity of the French allure,
the measured beat of Austrian infantry, the auto
maton precision of the Muscovite line OF the solid
tread Of the British battalions; but when it was
known that these regiments had been called out
at few weeks notice volunteers, and were
equipped and sent TO a government which, last
April, had neither men, money nor credit, and
were but the head of an enormous army, with IL
the resources of the Free States of America at its
back, the moral force Of the fact overwhelmed all
the little exceptions to uniform, arms and that
which time alone can give-disciplne.
But the mischief which threatens the United
States forces arises out Of the jealousios which
exist between the regular army and the volunteers
The civilian generals, or political chiefs" are
obnoxious to the regulars, and General Scott has
battle to fight very much like that in which
Lord Clyde contended so vigorou ly and success
fully against his "politicas and ''civilians" in
India. There are men high in influence and ac-
tual capacity for good or evil, who declare that
the United States army is a nuisance, and that it
would be much better to employ good stump ora
| tors or men who know the wants of the ''people,
to conc uct the United States armies, than men
who have studied, at least theoretically, the art
of making war all their lives. 1t may be readily
i'm agined how Gen. Scott deals with such opinions
| and their organs. All these gentlemen are for
pushing on ahead and making general attack on
| the enemy. They think army is like q round
Of canister which can be fred of whenever the
match is applied. 1t strikes me. from what
have seen that the Federal troops will have TO be
managed with skill and caution in the face Of the
Confederates. The latter will fight with annosty
and desperation, tempered by military knowl-
edge of a certain kind that may neutralize the
advantages possessed in numbers by the North as
we'll as other points. The politicians are eager to
grasp the prize and to bring their machinery into
play, TO round off its rough edges, forgetting that
they must first clear the ground by armed free for
the lever. Every man, Of course, believes be can
write leading srticle,row a boat, drive gig, or
fight battle, and have heard men, with ign
military titles, who for their lives could not form
a regiment in square or occupy q farm house, talk
about operations in the field as if they were ele-
mentary portions of the arithmetic table.