The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-07

military above the civil power of the Govern
ment, and above the criticism of the people,
Ever since the President assumed the direction
to some extent, of the Army of the Republic, in
his capacity as head of the civil power of the
Government, there has been a constant attack
partly covert, partly open, upon him, and upon
the conduct of the war under his direction. 1t
has been iterated, and reiterated in every vari-
ETY. of form, that civilians should not NEEDLE
with the conduct Of the war, with the manage
ment Of campaigns, with the objects for which
the war was to lie prosecuted, with the success
or failure of any General in the field. And it
has been made, within the last few weeks, an
especial cause of complaint that the President
has lnterfered with the plans of Gen. McClel.
Ian In conducting the campaign, and is respon-
slble for the escape of the rebels at Yorktown.
10 be sure, this attack upon the President some
times takes the form of the fiction of the Eng
lish press in charging the faults Of the King
upon the Ministers, but that dodge deceives no.
body except those who want to be deceived -
1t means the President whenever it is employed
by anybody who knows what he is wiring
about. The New York World and Herald lead
in this attack, making their thrusts at the
President through Secretary Stanton. And
not content with this, the Herald has its Wash
ington reporters, and its reporters with the Ar
my, who are continually filling that paper with
oo1,,, o,f, e A. r
the Government, and laudations of portion of
the leaders of the armies
Quite irrespective of the merits of these
criticisms, we regard the partisanship
that is growing out of them as mschievous to
the Country, if not dangerous to our liberties
Its direct and legitimate tendency is to engen.
der jealousies and enmities between the civil
the superior, and the military, the subordinate
power in the Nation The old order the order
established by the fathers, is the wise one, and
let us stand by it. The President is the head of
the Nation, the first civil officer in the repub-
lie, and let US SO regard him, and remember
that no General in the field is his superior, or
is to be elevated above him. When we disa-
gree with his policy we can say SO, but let US
not ask for military dictator on that account
Let us also remember that the Secretary of War
holds his Office only at the will of the President,
and is subordinate in all things to him and
that no military order issued by Secretary STAN
ton has any validity except as the President
consents to it. The censorship of the Press,
the division Of the army Of the Potomac, the
sending Mcclellan TO Yorktown, Mcdowell to
the Rappahannock, Banks up the Shenandoah,
fremont to tho Mountain Department, and
Halleck TO the Valley of the Mississippi, ara all
the Presidents acts, and if they are wrong he
should bear the blame. Let US also remember
that Congress is the Legislative power of the
Nation, and that while We choose To be governed
by laws and not by men, We should jealousy
guard its pregrcgatycs, and not sneer at its de-
sire to see rebellion speedily crushed by the ar
mics in the field, as though it was meddlng
with that which was none OF its business. And
above all, let US remember that in our Govern.
ment The people are The so"ereigns, and have at
all times the right to impress upon the Govern.
ment the policy which desire should control
its administration. Let us watch well the cur
rents of popular opinion, and see to it that, in
our struggle to escape the despotism Of slave
holders, we do not insensibly drift into blind
military adulation that shall he dangerous to
our freedom.