Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-11-01

-AS-+ t-I 4 NsSA1DA-Ae L-AEtIHal
In the list of newly commissioned lieutenant
generals, comprising seven in all, we are no less
surprised and mortified at not seeing the name
of General Sterling Price. This omission by
the President could not have been accidental
We are constrained under the circumstances, to
consider it = deliberate pretermission, dictated
by feelings and considerations not easily recon
cilesble 70 thst spITis Of justice and regard Tor
the public Interests which should prompt every
official act Of the Executive. No officer Ia the
Western army had higher claim for this new
honor at the hands Of the President than Gene
raj Price. He has proven himself in every way
worthy Of the highest admiration and confidence
Of the government and people. He has in re-
peated battles exhibited the most brilliant mill
tary talents At Springfield, Lexington Elk
horn and COrnth be won UntedIng laurals.
He is beyond question one Of our very Gblest
commanders and peculiarly qualified for con-
ducting military operations IN the Vest.
there he is a universal tavorite. In view Of
al these facts, it seems to Us that the course
which the government has pursued toward
him is no less remarkable than culpsbie.
We are utterly st a loss to account for 1t
upon any Other ground than that in his par
ticular case, for some secret reason, merit of
the highest order is deemed no passport to exec
utive favor. General Price should, in our hum
ble estimation, have had the supreme instead of
4 subordinate command In the department 70
which Mississippi, Tennessee and Kentucky
belong He certainly had stronger claim TO
this position than any other OF our generals now
in the West. The general impression, we infer
from what we have seen and heard, Is, that the
great obstacle in bis path is the fact that be was
not tut0rod in military science az West Point.
So far from this being any valid objection to his
advancement 10 the highest hon0rs of his pre-
fessi1n, ii constitutes. IN our judgment, the most
solid of arguments for such advancement. lie
is scCmade. Nature has endowed him with
gifts that emiuently fit him for superior com
maud. He possesses q genius for arms which
no military school could have given him, and
1t has been improved by his own eIertions in q
way TO render his services in the field powerfully
conducive TO the success and glory CT our army
in the present giant struggle. Evw many Of
the great Napol on's msTshals who filed Europe
with their fame rose from the ranks and by
their own energies made themselves iilustrious
These were selfmGde men, like Price, and
resped a harvest of lsurels on the hundred bat
tie folds X aich witnessed their valor and their
Browess.
We do not like the Presidents treatment of
the general of whom we are speaking. The
people do not ike it. More especially will the
people Of the West feel the injustice which mas
been done General Price, by the marked ezclu-
sion of him from the list OF Lieutenant-Generals,
which has Just been filed We are against
everything like favoritism CT prescription on the
part of the government. We 90 for an impair
lial, isely-dscIiminative, fair aud eveH-hGnded
dispensatiOn of its hOnoTs, reference beng had
10 competency and experience, and not to ex-
trinsic or advantageous considerations We
would make merit the sole guide of pTeieTment IN
all cases II this hal been the rule with the
President in his recent appointment General
Price would now rank fully with Generals jack
son, Lougstrest, Polk, Hardae, Kirby Smith and
PembsrtOn. We have nothing 10 say against
the promotion Of the two first named officers.
which viii meet with universal appreciation, but
surely the name and services OF Prica, might
have pleaded with at least equal force with those
of the others on the list
When Nelson was regularly snubbed By the
British admiralty, after successive naval victo-
ries, which be was instrumental in winning, he
coniented himself with telling his friends that be
would fight his way up to 3 dukedom, and he
certainly would have done so if he had not been
killed in the battle Of Trafalgar. So Price, if be
lives and this war lasts long enough, will carve
his way up to the proude5t title IN the army. All
be wants is TIE men and the opportunity. He
can do very we'll without q lieutenaut-genellship
at present. That would not make him a better,
or more distinguished or more popular COM
msnder than be is. lie viii continue faithfully,
truly and vigorously te devote himself to the
sacred cause which he has espoused, regardless
Of executive Sights, whether intentional or not,
of personal considerations, ard Of the dangers
of the field. None of these things can disturb
him.