Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-14

coins previous term his Secretary Of state and other
Cabinet officers held grave question as to the expeden
cy or even "0onsttutonalty Of attempting 20 prevent
by military force the secession Of any soyegn state
from the Union They fused and dawdled over this FOR
more than month, many prominent rpubllcans being
openly in favor Of an unrestte ted separation But az last
by the mad folly Of some few Southern leaders Fort
Sumter was fired upon and then at once, with mag
nihcent unanimty. our whole people arose in their
might, brushing aside as cobwebs all technical oppos
ton to their will and iercely demanding of the author
ties they had placed in power and organization Tor
the Ieasseron of the supremacy OF the ballot over every
square mile, and foot and inch OF their ndyssble c0un
try How little the regular machinery Of govern
ment appreciated the gravity Of chat crisis or the intense
earnestness of people in their resolve to maintain
popular authority in all sections the first ridiculous call
for -seyenty-fve thousand 20 three months
may sufficiently illustrate Trained only in the routine
of party chicane and deception the mere politicians
who then formed so-called governing class could
not realize that call for million men to fight and
il need were all to persh in this would have been
az instantly and fully answered
And what has been the history OF our struggle, so
fraught both sides with heroic events since that
hourl Has it not been, the part OF the NORTH
continual pushing forward Of laggard and hesta
ting authorities by the accommodating forces Of the pub
lie will All former calculations Of finance have been
set at de nee by Lavish p;oItness OF the left great
All the generals given TO Us BY government IN the early
days Of struggle proved failures and not one OF them
/. now in eminent command. /; was our people who
furnished the fighting material OF our campaigns By vol
unteering-tOr the draft proved "a a0ortiYe measure
all the other special agencies OF our government and
when the soldiers thus brought together IN vast
families OF armies, Il was they-armed children
of the people. on behal. of the people
who discovered and raised TO command Their
proper generals. Grautour own glorious and votori'
Gus Grant whose vii live ia history one OF the
worlds noblest soliegGrant, say, Joined the yolun
teers OF Illinois the plain Of company OF infantry
and the only direct action Of the government in his case
was an order TO remove him from command just previous
to his capture of Fort Doneson-an event wAIch re-
tanned him the service to become as he is to-day the
military savior Of his country. sherman declared, IN
the first year OF the rebellion that he would require TWO
hundred thousand for the operations which even at
that early day fell within the scope of his iarseng ge-
MUS and forthwith he was relieved and pronounced IN
sana by Mr.. Secretary Cameron. What part had the
government proper in Sheridans eevation-the match.
less worth of greatest cavalry having been nrst
discovered by the troops who fought under him, and the
successes they enabled him to achieve scompelling his
recognition by the authorities, IL Is OF public record
that il was in contemplation 20 remove General Thomas
during the very hottest hours OF the contest which hur
ed back into Alabama the shattered divisions OF HOOD;
and if chose to extend this article and enter upon
details il might We think, BE- demonstrated that in
single has military officer originally selected Tor
high command by our government proved equal 70 the
responsibilities OF his position Il people who
furnished the armies an the armies then selected tde
own commanders-the Northumberland himself hay-
ing been imposed upon the government by vote WhIc1
the voice OF the army compelled the elected representa-
tyes of the people 20 cast in favor Of their most trusted
chief II Is the people also, who have furnished all the
requisite finances material and powers for the
conflict their lnQestFuctlDe OF
popular institutions overcoming every obstacle and even
defying the worst msmanagemen of Secretary Chase to
bankrupt treasury which had rs best basis IL their
faltering resolve.
To the people therefore and 10 or gaaa. armies
headed by Grant Sherman Sheridan and their brave
socates-s the glory Of the present moment belongs
and should properly be left with them to decide on
what terms OF permanent pachcson the vanqu.shedi IN
this contest TO be reacceptec citizens OF the Union
That those terms will be generous, weass1red
for armies true representatives. Of the people and
the Americans most generous people while as TO
the injuries inflicted upon in the e'rer days O.
struggle by the failure Of the English and FreaCh Gov
ernments TO carry out their treaty Obligations with
friendly government and TO enforce the law OF nations IN
our interest well Affords before reEarked-to
leave time and the powerful example of our success TO
bring about day of reckoning for their conduct. II
Ireland for instance, should again rebelas Ireland has
had habit of doing for six hundred years-with what
face could the British government ask TO prevent the
Fenian Brotherhood, for example from sending over
arms and munitions Of war for two hundred thou
sand men with from five to thousand veteran sol
ders and officers trained in battles of the past four
years and only painting to assist in organizing on lrsb
soil the nchoate valor and sinew of Irish army Or
what plea could the French Emperor advance against
our recognizing whatever popular movement may here
after make head against his throne, or the throne OF his
Mexican protege in the soldiers Of Gen. Lee should
see fit TO emgrate in that direction, or the selling and
sending by merchants OF armed ships and nj! the
munitions of 'bellgerency" to any country people
with which either he or Macmillan of Mexico shan
hereafter be engaged in hosttities Our surest mode
of securing satisfaction ard indemnity for all
wrongs We have received from Europe will be in
our reunited capacity to become hourly and daily
more prosperous, benefcent and powerful under our
popular institutions, thus setting before the oppressed
masses of France and England bright example and
beacon Of which the prolearian elements in both conn
tries will not be slow to take advantage. The elder Ma
poeon spoke most serious and solemn truth when he
declared that within fifty years from his death all Eu;
rope must be Cossack republican. The triumph OF
the American democracy in this war for the supremacy
of the institutions under which all previous progress
has been achieved is an assurance that his prophecy VIII
be fulfilled and not in the Cossack alternative. Less
than year ago the popular assertion of American self
knowledge, which took shape in the phrase I'VE are a
great people" furnished continual theme of sneering
laughter to all the malignant tory journalists and bitter
imperiasc wits of London and Paris What have these
gentlemen now to say they read the intelligence which
nay be found in another cepmnl