Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-08-07

ter and feeble spirits under his charge,
would have more favor in such crisis than
all the colonies and suh-colones that Gov.
Randall can coin from bis exhaustless r1int
at Madison. OF course, regular troops are
governed to some extent on different prin-
cples. 1t is said that Col. Peck would
have been the choice Of his regiment, If
left to a vote | believe that had he re-
ceiyed that honor from the regiment he
never would have forsaken them in the
hour Of their deadly peril Cursed be the
tongue that would have hidden farewell to
the dying heroes in the wood Of Manassas,
if they had elevated him to the command
and given nim their confidence. 1t might
have been so, but it is Improbable. Why
did not the Captains fly too? There were
Captains there, some if not all, who were
bound to their men by ties which not
horses, nothing but death, could have sun
derad. Had Wisconsin Regiments chosen
their own officers we should not have
heard Of their dining at hotels and their
men lunching at depots on what they
could get, on their way to the seat of war.
We should not have heard a correspon-
dent Of the 4th Regiment complaining
that the officers were attending to their
wives and daughters and the correspondent
left to take care of the men as best he
could. Gen. Mcclellan is driving such
drones out Of Washington; if be would
drive many Of them home he would de-
serve the thanks of the country.
/ can imagine how a man who was
known to tie possessed Of superior military
knowledge, might honorably accept an APP
pointment from the Governor, to command
a regiment.which had not chosen him.
But a man who would seek or accept such
an appointment over men, many OF whom
he knows to be bis equals and superiors in
qualifications, cannot look those men
4quarely ia the face, without feeling some
OF the sensations Of a sheep-stealing dog,
unless he has less sense of shame than that
animal. In how much better position
would he stand for service, if he was called
by the commissioned officers to command !
Governor Randall has virtues and doubt
less patriotism; but there We're some Of
fees which he should have bestowed on
volunteers alone; mean that of Quarter
Master and Commissary Of II giments. Il
is true that the Governor was besieged by
swarm of political aspirants, without
number, beginning or end, and rapacious
enough to have gulped down all the offices
/ that the God Of war would have needed in
the last battle of Armageddon. 1t is said
that in some of the regiments there were
more than hundred educated men Of all
professions, Of business tact and practical
knowledge. What right had any civilian
to ask for these offices that mainly required
such qualifications. Gov Randall ought
to have regarded such requests as an insult
to the volunteers, and called up a regiment
Of them at double quick, and ordered them
to boot such mercenaries ont of Madison.
The howl Of their disappointment would
have trumpetted his fame throughout the
State. Every father and mother who has
a son there would have lauded him ever.
But the volunteer lost caste as soon as be
undertook the vulgar task of carrying a
musket to fight for his country; he SUM-
below executive notice. The generous IL
on was starved and snubbed and his food
and his honors given to Jackalls. 1t was
a cruel judgment that deemed those men
only fit for cannon fodder, while the honors
and enoluments of the service have been
conferred on men, pledged to do a like IA
yor for the Governor. If the Second Req
iment cannot select proper field officers for
itseE, let it suffer. If Gov. Randall will
let them alone, the commissioned officers
will do it. Three months men from other
States refuse to re-enlist because they are
more afraid Of officers appointed BY Gov
errors who have axes to grind than Of jeff
Davis or Lee. How long shall political
demagogues traffic in these brave men like
cattle, and drive them toJeff Davis slaugh-
ter yard at Manassas, and then desert
them! II. M.
----u7zS - Su.--- ----
Statement Of Geo. r.. HYDE.