The Portland daily press., 1864-06-07
Grants Movements.

COMMITTEE.


Grants Movements.
The rebel papers assert that sowing to the
singular configuration of the soil' the effect
of "Lees victorious advance" was to drive
Grant constantly towards Richmond" The
Chicago Tribune facetiously remarks that
such statements Of the rebel journals remind
us Of the account one phoenix" gives Of his
contest, who said ~ held my antagonist to
the ground by firmly inserting my nose be-
tween his teeth. and keeping it there for that
express purpose" At present advces it seems
that Lees victorious advance" has pushed
Grant and his forces almost to the doors of
the Capitol, where he Is knocking for admis-
sion, which he will probably obtain before
many days shall have passed. 1t really seems
to US that 1t would have been better policy for
Lee to have driven Grant in some other d.
rection, but then those thanking movements"
greatly interfered with such policy, and very
much disturbed Lees arrangements. To
labor many nights and days on entertainments
and Notifications, and then see his antagonist
avoid them and take another course, not
0ACaAHRt VIZ 40 oo1otdtSiJ NiSSOutd6ibS "
General. But as Mr.. Longhead said, "every
thing is uncertain" and nothing is more SO
than the fortunes of war.
TIE copperhead journals are continually
reiterating that Grant has now adopted Nc
Grahr mas pzsseu Over a route that Little Mac
declared was not practicable, and reached
point in twenty days which took Mcclellan
nearly three months to reach.
That Is one important fact, and another Is,
that Grant has not suffered SO much loss In
men and material as Mcclellan did. Besides
all this, Grant leads victorious army to the
very gates of Richmond, and not one discour-
aged with long delays and weakened by dig
ging in swamps and sleeping in mud-holes
But better still, Grant has whipped Lee in
several engagements, out-generaled him in
many instances, and demoralized his army to
such degree that Lees power Of resistance
grows less and less as Grant marches on. The
prestige OF victory is on our side, and our
army Is full of hope and good spirits. And
what has Grants army done beside all this
During all this time, has he not covered Wash
ington? Suppose he had taken the Peninsula
route and followed in the track of Mcclellan
stretching out his line some thirty miles across
swamps and morasses, and then retreating "on
compulsion," what would have been gained?
Lee might, In the meantime, have sent por-
ton Of his army In the direction of Washing
ton, but he dared not attempt such move
ment when. Grant could have followed, and
driven him upon ground where his whole army
might have been obliged to surrender Grants
campaign resembles McClellan's only in a sin
Gle point, and that is, he now has his base of
supplies at or near the White House. Why
all this harping on the Peninsula routea We
should think that the copperheads would be-
come absolutely sick Of playing so long on
single string, for it gives out no inspiring
music, and the people are heartily tired OF
such refrains. The more they invest in such
stock the poorer they will become. And Lit
tie Mac has abundant reason to exclaina, 80,
save me from my friendsl" He Is now con-
stantly receiving wounds in the house of bis
friends, and for his regulations sake he ought
10 seek out some expedient to silence them.
Nature never intended him TO figure as great
man on the worlds stage, and what nature
has not done copperhead politicians cannot
supply. They may rest assured of that fact.
aud cease from such arduous uphill labors.
1t Is too much like the work of Ssyphus
Shrewd politicians may set a popular current
10 motion, and place their favorte upon il.
who will float along apparently triumphant
for while, but, unless he has merit OF biz
own, and possesses qualities essential to great
ness, bis career will be short, and that cur
rent will become exceedingly slow and slug
gish. 1t takes strong wind to move a vessel
that Is badly constructed for sailing, and the
friends Of Mcclellan have already blown their
heaviest blasts. There is a lull now, and we
very much question whether politicians, or
even the Chicago Convention itself, will be
able 10 furnish wind enough to fill Macs sail,
ana give hun once more anything like fair
impetus.
In the last half of this nineteenth century |
the intelligence of the masses in tho frae !
States Is very troublesome to trading noIi,ic. |
ians. The people are too shrewd, and their
eyes and ears are opened too wide to be LONG
deceived by any false show of greatness
They have learned how to measure men them |
selves, aud will do 1t correctly when all the |
facts In the case are patent. Gen. Mcclellan
has been fairly tried and found wanting. No
power short of that which is absolutely crea-
tiue can make HIM a great man. He will all
the space for which Nature designed him, and
blow him up as politicians may, he must sink |
to his appropriate level, and there he must re- |
main in spite of all attempts TO elevate him
above 1t. We find no fault with the man
when, like tub, he stands on his own bot
tom, but the fault lies in those who would re-
move him from this natural basis and elevate
him to place where he does not belong. I'm.
der such circumstances he may well adopt the
language OF one OF Shakespeare's characters:
"Nay, thea, farewell!
have touea'c the highest Ioin of all my greatness
And, from that full meridian of my glory,
haste now to my setting r.