The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-06-04

l p csentstioA swords.
Notwithstanding the great and immediate
excitements Of the war. and although the public
ments Of our armies in Virginia and Georgia,
We are still every day In receipt Of contribu-
tions towards sword for General Mcclellan.
II we were to accept description of the human
family from the cynical satirists, we might sup
pose that the heroes of the hour were the only
heroes Of whose existence the people took any
note. We might suppose that while such Illus
trious and magnificent soldiers as Grant md
Sherman, Hancock, Warren, Wright, Thomas
and MCPHERSON were every day achieving the
most splendid successes over the enemy the
people would hardly consider that there were
any other soldiers in existence but these But
we have the practical evidence Of nice little
sum OF money that this is not So We get dol
lars from sailors, afoat and ashore; from sol
diers in camp, at home or in the hospital; from
old men and boys, women and children, and
even from Flooding, busy civilians little Offer
ings. making earnest the simple expression that
comes with each Of admiration and love for
General Mcclellan, and all showing how deeply
the popularity of this hero has taken hold of
the national lile
And all these offcrIngs-earnest expressions
OF love towards man who has served the
country-are for the purchase OF a sword.
Massachusetts has given twenty-five thousand
dollars worth Of sword to Gen. Banks, Califor-
mia has given six thousand dollars worth to
Gen. Hooker and the people of this city re-
Gently paid about hundred thousand dollars
for swords for several heroes. Now, perhaps
the best practical sword for service that man
can get is the ordinary line officers sabre
Very good copies Of that weapon can be pur
Chased for fifteen dollars. Swords that cost
immensely more than that become baublcs
Unquestionably they are still the expression Of
the noble admiration Of the people for noble
acts; but we are Of opinion that If the people
want to express their gratitude towards great
man by the gift of an article Of value they
might choose better article. They might
make their expression sore practical, and
therefore better In Europe especially in
Eugland-this is done. Popular he-oes are
there rewarded very practically. 1t seems to
be assumed by stolid Bull that mere express
rions of admiration and honor must always be
plentiful to great men, and he therefore
does not lock up his appreciation of
service done in golden compliment that the
recipient must hang upon The wall. John Bull
provides for tho man he admires house. OF
the money to buy one with, and fund that
shall furnish his hero with an income. He
assumes an Inevitable association between
genius and mutton, and argues simply and
clearly that if a man gives to the service Of the
people all those years of his life in which other
men earn the money that they are TO live on.
it is the business Of the people to see that that
man shall never experience SO mean u want as
the want of money. Nelson, Wellington and
Golden are instances of men who have received
from the British government and people such
an acknowledgment of their services.
We are not by any means SO practical AL
though not one Of our great generals is wealthy,
though they are all dependent upon their pay,
we subscribe thousands Of dollars at the mere
mention Of their names, and give them these
dollars in way that compels them not to use
o dollar. We tantalize a man who may have
need of money with the gift of ten thousand
dollars that he cannot spend-that are Of
no more use as money than ten thousand
barleycorns would be. We put our money
in form that associates It with q
soldiers honor, and to spend the one is to tar
nish the other. We do not believe that the
people contemplate or intend this solecism, and
we suggest change in the manner Of these
popular expressions. Let the money be de-
voted to the man IN some other way. We have
now received four hundred and sixty dol
lars for the purchase Of sword for Gene
ya Mcclellan. This is 80 far spon-
taneous expression Of the admirers Of that SOL
dier. There has been no Organization to solicit
or raise money; but if there were large sum
would be brought out, and We would hope
that il might not be spent on the goldsmiihs.
General Mcclellan probably does not want
any other sword than the one he wore at An.
Getam.
MuA1c the Park.