Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-30
ATerribIe Republican
u. ....1 Philippe.
The Military Policy Of Gen. Grant
Denounced.
HIS APPOINTMENTS RIDIcULED.
THE DANCER BEFORE US.
from Wilkes IN. " Spirit Of the Times, 2oth.l
THE REIGN OF ArnIncRIrY.

lrrom w Wihss iN. L - oplrlt oI tne Ilmes, 20th.]
THE REIGN OF sIEDIocRITY.
A new phase has come over the troubled
disk of the Republic. The Crab and the
Scorpion, which for three years have reign
ed In the political zodiac, along with the
Gemini of the Postofilce and the Attorney
Generalship, yield at last to an overshadow-
owing eclipse. The sight momentarily
perplexes; but emerging from the shadow,
comes out, clear and bold, figure which
| rivets tho attention. Ii Is that of 'sthe man
on horseback" bearing In his hand the
scepter of military sway, and commanding
| civil attribute as incidental to his WILL
This apparition, which rose from the chaos
of the earlier democracies in the shapes of
Caesar and n Bonaparte, is always to be
apprehended in intestine wars; and it be-
hooves us to be watchful, that the returning
phantom shall not encroach permanently
upon the more healthful functions of the
State. We give no idle warning; for when
a whole Congress, forgetting its dignity and
sense of justice, scrambles to wreathe a
lucky soldiers brow, and President re-
| signs to him the chief attribute of his pre-
rogatiye, it is time for the masses to be wary
that the public liberties are not attracted
by the downward current. 1t becomes of
interest, therefore, to observe the bearing
of the new Napoleon, and without desire
to question his integrity or soldiership, TO
bear in mind that even the bogus conqueror
of Balls Bluff and Manassas once wore a
fuller plumage than the last hero of the
hour. r.r. si-.s.,.,...
Thus far, Grant has certainly been most
fortunate man, and it may be, he will carry
his luck with him in the future, to the adj
vantage of the country; but we can not re-
press a serious concern ut the manner in
which he has opened the Lieutenant Cen
eralship, nor resist feeling of discourage
ment at the names of the commanders he
has chosen to support his operations. If it
be really true that he is himself man of
merely middling qualities, whose good
chance it has been to lead the only army
not corrupted by dissensions, then indeed
has Mediocrity been inaugurated in both
branches of the State, and this great people
delivered over to a hazard which no patriot
can scarcely contemplate without shud-
der.
1t was misfortune enough that men who
do not represent the arClor or resolution of
the people, should be at the helm of the Civil
Governments; but it is deplorabe indeed,
nay, utterly alarming, that the great issues
of theimpending conflict should be confided
to Generals of feeble natures and inferior
ability, not one of whom respects that
popular sentiment which is the duant-
courier of Destiny, and which is press
ing on this war. We can not close our
eyes to this salient fact in relation
to both the Administration and the
Army. In counterpart to conservative Ex-
eclltiye supported by Messrs Seward, Blair
and Bates, we find first our voiceless chief
tain and run OF generals, who do not rep
resent four per cent. of military quality
First, Sherman, who commenced this war
by stating his belief 1t would last thirty
years; next 'Baldy" Smith, unknown to
the record of a single victory; and then
Jefferson, a tolerable soldier, but not war
ranted for the large grasp to which he has
been assigned. TO Sherman, who has been
an unvarying failure, Grant, with whom he
Is first favorite, has assigned the vice-roy-
atty of the Mississippi--and this in face of
his fdsco at Chattanooga, his ridiculous
pursuit of Longstreet and the complete
miscarriage of his recent raid at Selma -
10 MCPHERSON, a comparatively obscure,
though meritorious captain, he has donated
the Department of Tennessee; thus ignor-
ing the paramount claims of Thomas,
Rosecrans and Hooker. RosecraDs restored
that region to the domain of the Republic
Thomas defended it to our possession by
his combined genius and heroism at the
battle of Chickamauga;. and Hooker finally
saved ii, by his masterly operations in
Lookout Valley, and his subsequent magnif-
icent flanking of Missionary Ridge (Which
Sherman had butted at uiiavailingly for
two days), by the capture of Lookout Noun
tain. Werewe not certain that envy dwells,
not In celestial minds, we might suppose
that Grant, doubtful of his own superiori-
ty, had determined to surround himself on
ly with military inferioritics, by whom he
Is sure not to be out-dazzled. But the most
sglaring wrong which has been attempted,
as incidental to this new military phase, Is
the nomination by the President (Of course
at the instance OF General Grant) of Badly
Smith, to the Major Generalship in the reg
ular army made vacant by his own promo
ton. When we first heard that Badly Smith |
who never signalized himself in any thing
but worship of Mcclellan, was to be named |
for the great command on the Potomac, we
Thought the suggestion was put forth in de-
on. the utter inetiiciency of Meade; but
when we learned that Badly had been pre-
ferred by Grant as the most proper man to
be heir Of hisown unbelted sword,w we felt the
apprehension we have expressed at the out
set of this article, and saw that for some un-
foreseen purpose mediocrity was to be pur-
posely installed in all the superior positions
In the field. If it be thought that this is
strained, glance over the.list of conserva-
tive West Pointers who now hold the crisis
in their hands, will perhaps dissipate such
protest. Accepting Grant without ques-
tien, what shall we say of a string of vice
roys and marshals, such as Sherman, Meade,
Badly Smith Sedgwick, Franklin, Sykes
Newton, Schofeld, French, id genus ompes,
and reverting back again, what can we
hope for from the feeble, If not perverse
Administration which sustains them? What
shall be thought, in particular, of the hon
esty of the President which, with all due
desire to let Grant have his sway, should
have consented to recommend the name of
Badly Smith TO the United States Senate as
worthy, by his record In this war, to the
two stars and marshal's baton? Whatever
Lincoln might be willing to concede 70
Grants wishes in assigning Baldy to COM
mand, he had no right to administer this
deliberate injustice TO the host of soldiers
who have served the country better Mr..
Lincoln, IL not General himself has at
least looked on at the progress of the war,
and while presenting Badly for Major
rank in the regular service, his
cheek should have blushed at leaving the
hero of williamsburg, Fair Oaks, Glendale,
Antietam, Wauhatchie, Pea Vine Creek,
and Lookout Mountain, simple
Brigadier. He ought to have blushed to
crimson at The same time If he thought Of
Thomas, the victor Of the bloody. fight at
It Is the Observation Of these things, the