The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-08-11

The Change I'm lhe War Depart at
Grant asd tho Pettssciaas.
General Grants recent visit to Washington
must apparently, be credited with great re-
suit Ii In all probability dethroned Stanton;
for that worthy, IL he did not actually "resign"
| the Var Department in the Cabinet COUNSEL OF
Tuesday, will resign il very soon General
Butler VIII succeed to the position il the sim
pie and patriotic terms upon which ne is dis
posed to take il are complied with. Upon the
occasion Of the visit Of President Lincoln to
Fortress Monroe, accompanied by Mrs. Lincoln
aud the young prince, General Grant aud The
President, it will be remembe took sail
together, and had long talk. Genera! Grant
then, as it was just after Early's advance, ex-
pressed very strongly his dissatisfaction with
Washington management and Washington men;
and, as it was just after the failure Of the
attempt to storm the Petersburg lines, he also
expressed very strongly his dissatisfaction With
certain men and matters in the army. Enough
was said at that interview to impress the Presi-
dent deeply with the fact that change in the
War Department was absolutely essential to
the continuance of the war But it required
even more than this to "scrsw his courage 10
the sticking point" and when IL was an
nounced that Early was again advancing Gene
raj Grant went to Washington. He left the
Army of the Potomac, meanwhile, not in charge
of lis proper commander, General Meade, but
under Major General Butler. His visit was eff
fcctive, and resulted in greater benefit to the
country than any victory in the valley could
be and in the overthrow of a worse Toe to our
cause than Early has ever been.
Over This glorious result the country may
well rejoice. Under Stanton we have played a
bloody farce for three years, Under him a
great national struggle for civil liberty has
been degraded into the vilest of all faction
fights, and the war has besn prosecuted in
spirit that has strengthened our enemy daily.
and alieoated from the government the support
And from this man we change to one who is,
we believe, above all others it fox tue place
General Buffers achievements in the field have
not been brilliant; but his experience in that
sphere has been such as to impress upon his
mind the necessity that armies should be com
manded by professional soldiers where ii is pos
sible, AZ we'll as to give him an intimate knowl-
edge OF the active operations OF armies. Such an
experience is indispensable to the proper dis
charge of the duties Of Secretary Of War: and
III addition to this experience General Butler
possesses the political sagacity and tact IA
we'll as the general scutcness and decision that
are the other requisites Of the. position For
fhcsa hn ahour ss
one.
But there is yet another point upon which we
may congratulate the country in this business
Upon the capture Of yicksburg, and when it
became apparent that the administration had
attempted to make such changes in Grants
plans as would have prevented the fall of that
place, We rejocsd that the country had found
general who knew how to overcome at once
the politicians and the enemy. There Is abun.
dant occasion for tbs same expression now.
How many gallant general have we sent into
the field for whom the rebels we're no match.
but who were finally compelled to succumb to
Stanton. Mcclellan was the most pro
minent Of all these Bat now Stanton
also goes down before the conqueror of
Siuney JOHNSTON. or Reauregard, Bragg.
Buckner. Polk and Pembsrton. 1t is the union
In one Of military and political ability that has
made all the trauscendently great men Of his
tory. Had ii not been for his political abilities
Alexander would never have been the com
mander Of that expedition which he so glorious
ly led to the conquest Of Persia But for their
political abilities Cesar and Napoleon. accom-
plished soldiers as they were, would have proved
to be fellows of no account: they would have
been relieved from their commands by some
assemblsGes Of politicians, and 50 have passed
away. But they knew how TO deal with poll
ticians also, and hence their success. And it
it is in the union OF these abilities in General
Grant, il ia ia the possession by this one man
Of the ability TO deal both with armed enemies
and politicians, that We SEQ the best'promise OF
triumph for our cause
GRssr AND McCiEtLkS.- Mcclellan knew
how to manage an army but he did not know
how to manage the administration politicians.
Grant has proven that be knows how TO do
both: for he has won more victories i'm the field
than anv other general! and will now reorpab-