The New York herald., 1864-03-16

Genersl Grant as Prfscipaly BIiiitary
ftA N@ Manager. t... rss
General Grant made very short stay at
the capital; but, as is usual with him, he ac-
complished a great deal in that short time. We
hope it Ia not "tresson in new form" to say
so. He was guarded very closely while in
Washington by formal fellows In uni
form, with muskets and bayonets, but in that
civil and polite way in which accomplished
politicians can always guard men from the
dangerous conversation Of other mon whose
opinions the said accomplished politicians may
not like. He was attended Cup stairs and
down stairs and out Of doors" by special
friends of the administration. We are glad
that he was thus attended, and We hope it is
not "treason in new form" to speak Of it.
We are glad Of 1t because, though he may thus
have lost much agreeable conversation, he
had more time to talk to the President, and it
is the President that the country most requires
that he should talk to. We hope that this is
not "treason in q now FORM" He seems to
have talked earnestly, and has, In fact initiated
q reconstruction of our military affairs. He sis
assigned to the command of the armies OF the
United States" and General HAleck is relieved
from the same command cat his own request
and assigned to an indefinite and newly created
position in tho War Office, where he will always
be handy to point out to the Secretary anything
that he may suppose to be weak point in the
plans of the man who has "pushcd him from
his STOOL" We hope that this is not "treason
in new FORM" By this most satisfactory
change, and by the adoption Of the changes in
the Western army that were recommended by
Grant, he is, as far as the public can see, ac-
cepted by the government as the real head Of
our armies. We hope that it is not "treason in
new form" to have heard this or to consider
1t good news.
Grant is now In the position occupied by
General Scott at the commencement of the war,
and later, for some time, by General McClel-
Ian, and Is to conduct the active operations
of the war for the future That is as it
should be; for no one else can do it with any
hope of success. We hope that this is not
"treason in new FORM" Mr.. Lincoln has
given his own abilities fair trial, and even he
must be sickened and disgusted at the 'impo-
tent conclusion" that every one of his attempts
has ended in. We hope that this is not "treason
in new form" Within two years the Presi-
dent has checked the forward career of great
people determined to put down wicked re-
bellion. He has dampened and well nigh de-
stroyed that noble ardor with which the people
were animated to sustain the laws. He has
brought the war to standstill. He has
drained almost to exhaustion the resources of
a rich and populous country and the spirit of
a brave and proud people. he has done all
this, not in legitimate pursuit of the objects of
the war, but to foster q miserable faction and
to put the objects of the war farther from the
reach of the people than they were when the
war began. We hope that this is not "treason
In new FORM" And now, without even the
virtue of choice, compelled by the expressed
wish Of the people-by the utterance Of the
popular will-the President places the whole
direction of the war in the hands Of the man
in whose abilities to take us through the
wilderness the people have entire faith. We
hope this is not "treason in new form"
From this trust there must be n0reservation.
Grant must be sustained to the utmost. When
General Scott was Comman der-in-Chie the ad.
ministration eagerly sought Ills counsel, lis
tened attentively to it, and then followed the
counsel of some one ese-some radical mad
man who wanted to 60 to Richmond by "the
shortest way" scott's plans were heard and
those Of the radicals pursued. There must be
xo,,o &c th;o NTH Grant. NOR mn cf fhoro ho anv
of those mean maneuvres by which the admin
istration, while it pretended to assent to Gene
raj McClellan's plans, defeated them all. We
hope that this is not treason in q new FORM"
Upon the consideration Of General McClellan's
plans the President approved them heartily and
fully; but when General Mcclellan had left the
capital the President withdrew step at one
place, Influenced by the radicals on his
right-a step in another, drawn by the radi-
calls on his left-and SO, step by step,
until hardly vestige was left Of the origi-
nal plans, and the General was left utter
ly without the support Of his government,
and so hampered that he could do nothing.
Then he was removed in the face of the enemy.
We hope that this is not treason In a new
FORM" But we warn the administration that If
1t attempts these tactics with General Grant 1t
will soon exhaust the small modicum Of pa
tience that the people have left, and that it
must sink into the deepest disgrace as the most
contemplate government ever known.
Let the hero Of Fort Donelson, of Shiloh,
vicksburg and Chattanooga have q fair chance
for the exercise Of his abilities; let the Presi-
dent listen no longer to the timorous and
baneful counsel Of those who, through him,
have ruined SO many plans, and the country
may now fairly hope for satisfactory prosecu-
tion Of this great struggle.
TIE LAST GREAT ACHIEVEMENT or THH SECRE-
rARY OF THE NAvY.-A great deal has been said
about the activity Of the Navy Department in
blockading the rebel cruisers on the coast Of