Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1863-12-08
FHgCONsTITUTIOE-sTATE RIGHTs.
RICHMOND WHIG.
TUESDAY, MORNING, DEC. s, lses.
Bragg's Successor.

nor ia It known what disposition will be made OF Bragg
himself To be cure the public is fooishly impatient,
but time is infinitely precious and delays are dangerous
General HArdes has won the applause Of the Whole
country BY refusing to accept appointment which he
deems himself incompetent to al; yet Telegram from
Georgia tells he is appointed temporarily, and per
hep, permanently" to the command Weare told, too,
that no matter who BaggS successor may be- it is our
bounden duty not to question his ability bu! to ignore
his antecedents aud give him = cordial support The
reason, If reason 1t be- Cor giving this unknown person
the same conadeucs and support that leader Of the
6Is. order can alone command and deserve briefly
stated thus: that Bfsggs usefulness destroyed by
the newspapers precisely Sidney Johnston wASkied
BY the unjust criticisms Of the press.
Now there is not the first approach to logic in this
rubbish, Il is the sOphistry of the syCophaus, who
loves nothing go well the blind confidence which be
accords his eigs from interested motives, but which
the honest and discerning public cannot possibly give
simply because they are incapable of believing or Of
saying that black is white the moon is made of green
cheese, and imbeciity better than proved capacity
There are those unWise enough to think that BrAggs
want not Of patriotism or Of courage but Of inteec
tual ability, and that alone lost him the confidence Of
his GeneIas first bis soldiers next aud the people last
Could II be otherwise, when the whole world had seen
him. at the head of brave aud fine an army the Con-
fsderacy could boast driven back step by step FIVE or
six hundred miles from position after position, all more
lesJ stropg by nature and made by art and
driven too by General of inferior Abilities and com
handing al army twice or thrice whipped by Bragg
with inferior numbers2 II was not within the power of
mortal man, in his sane senses and uUprejudcsd by
doubtful motives TO believe in Bagg after this Never
thelsS he retained in spite of repeated prayers to
be relieved his friends aver and for reasons only
be asCertAined by examination of the motives which
led to his appointment over BeAuregArd in the first
instance The result is before Funkeys will not
profit by il, but Congress may.
I We oonnot promise beforehand to "go it blind" en-
Broggs luccessor. is asking too much. If he chance
to be a man Of approved incompetence We shall en-
deayour to TO SILENT but will be beyond power
tell the peope iha. be a. p,rson for the place be
cause-Wby' because he has got bis commission from
the spponting power That is more than pledge
ourselves in advance to perform for the sake Of
producing harmony Al the risk of being charged
with "seddOn, privy con piracy and reOelliOD," We
shall venture, now while Braggs is unknown
ana unappOnted to tell the truth, what We believe
to be SUCH tremblinEy indeed a. with many apologies
for the Outrage
We know more of Hardee than we did of Bragg
when Bragg was suddenly elevated. Bragg had then
fought but one battle in this war hs was not present.
the disastrous STAIR on Santa Rosa IIland) On the
other hand Hardee has fought many battles and fought
we'll IL Ike manner Bragg fought well a. Shiloh and
showed skil as a diSisou commander. But Bragg had
given earthly evidence, for he had had OppOrtu
Liiy, Of cap city TO command great army or to plan
campaign. The case is the with Hardee. As
Major General and Lieutenant General he has done
well, very well; but We know By capacity only as q
subordinate not chief, aud further that be
Is unwilling to take the responsibility of assuming
supreme command. Ought it to be forced on hmi-
We trust there Is such intention, at least We hope
there is mona
Every man In this Confsderacy Is aware that tho
dssser in Northern Georgia demands leader of IN
questioned ability. Many hoped, ourselves among the
number, that the disasters at Lookout and Mission
Ridge, with the dangers ahead would impress upon our
authorities the ABSOLUTE necessity of sending such
leader at once, and without delay, ill BragSs place.
But do disasters bring amendment and does danger
ensure = change for the BETTER After the fal, of
ycksburg the country aItOundsd with the promo
ton of the most incompetent Major General In Lees
army; and now, HndmGn is to replace acting Lieu
tenant General BrecklnridgS. Neither of them Is 9
graduate of West Point. Breckenridge has had more
experience in battle and incomparAby his superior
in intellect Nay not hope that the announcement
of Hndmans appointment although it comes from the
Trustworthy hand of "P. W. A" iS prematurs'
The truth must be told. man of the highest order
is mperatively needed in Georgia. no second rate man
will do; it will be criminal - appoint him. Beaure-
gard and Johnston have the ability, bu. neither of
them will answer, for the plain reason that, If they
should be ordered to take the command there is an If
removable impeachment in the way Of their success
Robert E Lee is the only Generic Of known ability,
who would be cordially, faithfully and fully sustained
in the trying position in Georgia. But if no be sent
from Virginia, who will take his place The question
we cannot anSRer. Perhaps thencvsnent in force Of
Grant upon East Tennessee will give new phase to the
war and solve what We cannot