, 1863-01-26
Chicago +Gribt1ut.


-. Il CHANGE DEMANDED.
The pubic opinion Of the country needs
not to be Informed that General Halleck,
to whom al recent military operations are
are due, is a failure, and that the highest
interests of the nation demand thnt he
should be removed to make room for a
more practical man. We take 1t that the
expression confirming what We state would
be unanimous il the press and the people
dared speak out. While this is the case,
nobody denies that the Gcneral-in-C Chief
Las talent, nor that he is the possessor Of
great requirements, He is probably as
profoundly learned in what relates to mill
itary science as any officer Of the army;
but he lacks that faculty which isindispcn-
sib1e in commander faculty of using
and applying the resources that he has
laid up by prolonged and careful study
in the schools. Nothing in Ills hands
seems to prosper, He failed in his West
crn campaign-failed signalIy and lament
ably-just where man Of more aptitude
for affairs and far less learning would have
won brilliant and enduring success. In his
dealings with that man Mcclellan he was
unfortunate enough to encounter dislike,
but not firm enough to command
obedience. His choice Of agents
for securing the success Of Pope
could not have been worse. When the
command Of that army Of the Potomac
was given to Burnside, Halleck's obstinate
prejudice against Hooker and i'll placed
pertinacity for his competitor with the
President, were the reasons that theleadcr-
ship went where it did. We all know the
result. The hopeless but desperate valor
of our men at Fredericksburg has written
it in letters that can never be efFaccd. But
in spite Of Burnside's protestations TINT he
is unfit for the trust reposed In his LANDS,
he is continued by Halleck's encour-
agement; and will, unquestionab1y,
try again. We do not mean to ac-
cuse unjustly; but the actors in that
VickBburg tragedy justify themselves
by charging the disaster upon Gen. Hal
lcck who ordered what was done. And
so disaster has succeeded disaster-rcyerse
has followed reverse the country,
exhausted Of its patience and weary Of the
delay, calls impatiently for change and
for relief In saying what we do, we only
re-echo the CRY that comes to us from every
quartcr-Get Gen. Halleck ont of the way,
and let victory step in.
.Devoutly believing that the instinct of
the country is not wrong, and that all men
may judge Of the success Of Qpe or any
number Of campaigns, after results have
been achieved, we entreat the President to
listen to the country's cry and show his
Willingness to meet the popular
demand. We assure him that
in his own thorough loyalty and patriotism,
in lis desire to make an end to the rebel
lion and Of the rebels, the country has un-
limited faith. + any blame, it is for tardi~
ness 10 act when the emergency demanding
promptncss and decision arrives. II any
censure, it is because he permits his own
sterling sense to be suborlinated BY theo-
ries that have not been proved, Hany are
restive, it is because he will not judge
his subordinates by the results that
they attain, rather than by the
pretensions they make. If any sncer, it
is when they ask how much time will
elapse before the President finds out that
his next in command is incapable of filling
his place. How much longer, all men in
qulre, shall we endure-how many more
campaignslike Pope's, how many reverses
like that at Fredericksburg, how many dis
graces, patterned after that at Vicksburg,
shall we encountcr-beforea change is re-
solved upon, and Man Of Affairs is put
in place Of the Man Of the Closct2 ''Old
Brains" is good soubriquet. But " oung
Victory" would meet the national want
far better.