Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-05-19
MurABILIrY OF MILITARY REPUTATION.

The Boston Daily Advertiser, in alluding to the
sudden changes in the popularity Of our political
and military chieftains, remarks as follows:
" The sudden changes in the popularity of political
and military cheftans lead to the almost mournful nqu
ry, What is lasting distinction T. sss#Gt a Is
There are for instance not many people to-day in
Boston who TO recoect the part they bore In the
spontaneous triumph which overwhelmed Gen Banks on
his last visit here On that very day that avorts of the
people was congratulated by friend the hold he bad
upon the public favor Yes, madam, said he, with his
grave smle and the 6rst mistake make they will forget
it ALL His prophecy proves tr0e. ssaa H.as
The brilliant political regulations to fare little
better To talk to Young America of the achievements of
Dexter and Amss, of Pnknsy Henry lie to rouse an
uOus smile with an nsnuation that hatering
an age which has gone by. Who is this Hamilton the
talking about groaued weary reporter Of one Of
onr contemporaries, faithful member of the House
eted Alexander Hamilton in support If his theory OF
finance 1t but illustration Of the poweessness of
the greatest achievements of statesmanship to
maud an enduring place in the memory of man"
There can be no doubt as to the fact which our
contemporary recites The " Young America" of
our day is equally remarkable for its Ignorance Of
the great men who have lived before it and for the
conceit of its own self suficiency. Difference for
"great names in our own history or in the
history of other nations has been weakened
by both these causes, until, what with the shall
lowness that obscures and the vanity that ig
nores "the wisdom of our ancestors" there are not
few who seem to act on the principle that states
manship and the conduct of armies are among
the things as to which, ignorance being bliss, it
is folly to be wise Hence the sudden emer-
gence and the equally sudden disappearance of
Fictitious regulations sure index Of sciolism and
crudeness in any community that produces such
mushroom growths. For what are the frequent
changes made in the command, for Instance, of our
armies, but the confession that the appointing
power has not been able to find in the whole ooun-
try military capacity adequate to the wants of
the times, or, If such capacity exists, that the ap
pointing power has not the sagacity to discover it
or the will to employ It'll The military prestige of
the National Government has suffered more from
no one cause than from the verdict it has so fire.
quently rendered against itself by the quick
ring changes made in the command Of our armies
and in the conducts Of the war. And the evil grows
by what 1t feeds on for where these changes are
frequent the fruits of experience squsndered
in each individual case, except SO far as it leaves
the painful impression on the minds of the army
and Of the people that each antecedent choice was
a blunder. ss aa
In the beginning Of the war we all remember
the conceted cry that raised in certain quarters
against g West Point officers" and "Wcst Point
tactics" "Young America" with characteristic
shallownes, and presumption, was swift to dcspisc
" military education prerequisite to the COM
mand Of armies or army corps. Three years of
bitter experience have, we believe pretty cectua
corrected this crude fantasy. u#