, 1862-09-02

admirably calculated to test the difference |
between profession and practice, between
pretension and reality, as war- There is
nothing that SO admirably detects and de-
scribes The counterfeit, and stamps anew
the sterling coin. There is very little
chance for pufed ur conceit, or swelling
vanity in the stern c, ;nfiict Of arms. Men
mass in war for thtr real value; and the
various tests which campaign applies to
. soldiers conduct, give most exact
mcasure Of how MI: u:h and what he can do.
In tie raging stream Of battle mans OVID
wind bag will not keep him from sinking;
and Tie most generous faith Of friends, and
Ill their praise, will not avail to keep him
from going under. There are regions ofthe~
nry ard speculation in which the empiest
nonsense, and most foolish professions, may
give some lustre to reputation; but on the
sol1d ground Of The battle field, and amid the
clash Of arms, nothing will save the man
but real strength and genuine talent
The army hristlcs with sharp points for
prickine all l,lown-up bladders and letting
The foul air out, however long they may
l,aye kvpt their owners atioat on sea Of
glory. War is the most tremendous crush
ing machine ever known And the NUM-
bcr is almost fabulous Of solil-looking rep
utaions, and seeming powerful and great
mcn, who, fastening to get between its
ponderous wheels, are ground to powder.
It is but 8 twelycmonth since this huge
machine began to work in our midst, and
already We have seen countless men, some
reruted Of the best parts, largest name and
1lo!,lest promise Of strength and endurance,
crushed al to pieces These were found to
have neither intellectual strength or moral
build t. resist the terrible test for any
length Of time; and though once thought
fl for sustaining any weight OF RESPONSE
lility, and ca1a''lc Of welding the highest
power, they have. been shown by the tests
Of this war to be full of flaws aud frailties,
and the mcst unsafe and worthless mate
Iial.
It would he sad, il it were not so just
GJ1u UEnHut1tl1, W lu11tA oL 1AN 11AAAY I1oll
isins aspirauts for the Presidency tha
have had all their hopes SO rudely sWep
away, and all their llustrious future for
ever crushed in the revolving Of this irol
machine. How many Wellington an
Napoleon in glorious expectancy, have lei
the name at which the world should gro'
pale, only to point moral, OF adorn tall
Such q breaking Of bones, and grindin
up Of great names and ambitious men, hf
not been seen before in OUT midst; and r
look with awe upon the steady an
ronderous movement Of the maclliner
Gswe see oac after another so in, all fu
and feathers, and after no long line appe
again forlsrn aud crushed mass Of h
nun limbs and soldiers clothes, wheth
snorc objects Of pity or DISCUS: were ha
to say. Terrible as this result is it is
right, AID we cannot be too thankful
Heaven that one way is provided for ia
ing the conccit out Of worthless rrctende
1t is c1ninenly just that men whose flint
80 command is made up solely Of humo
end prctcnsc, and who strut in should
streps because tLeJ have the brass aud i
pudencc to dc it, saould be brought
Erjef and disgrace, and VIC are glad IL
lhe relentless working Of the mach
cruShcs to pieces, and grindsup SO many
fhcm. There can be M more disastrc
xil1uiHy than that prac'ised by the inca;
blcs and towards who work themselves
impudence aid lying into places Of co
mand in the army, and when the crust
gets them between its iron teeth and bres
cy,1y bone in their bodies, all the pco
layc reason to rejoice.
This work Of crushing out men who
in places that they have no talent OF fo
10 fill, and to whose weakness aud incc
lclcncy, are justly owing so great aud {
astrous failures in this war, is only beg
But it is q work that must 60 on stea:
and uDhinchingly, until the men Of pref
gior, Of unfounded reputation, Of n
THEORY and no practical power, Of brill
schemes and no execution, who are ali
60 many dead weights OF living drawba
to cur cause, are enc and all pluckcd
and flung aside. It is great work to
and incompetcncy and prctension
hedgcd round and kept in their places,
50 n,:.ny influences Of instcrcst, friends
previous reputation, party policy and IN
more, all powerful and controlling, ths
scvms III some instances almost imposs
But the progress Of events works Wont
No military reputation can stand up ags
gross t1Indcrs and disastrous defeats
movements Of the great machine may s
slow, but they are very sure. The er
as certain as fac to him who processes,
brags, and promises, but never accompli
anything He must inevitably come o,
this crushing machine broken all to pi
The mills Of war like those Of the
may grind slowly, but they grind excee
small.
A DIVISION NlmPRACTICAELl
The Republic cannot exist half free