Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-02-03

tCTi0lS, local luleluSenCGt &c y ~
IN the days Of the French Convention, when a
4 General lost a battle the loss OF his head was
soon 70 follow This uu-easOning but impartial Jus
,ice no doubt cost the French Republic some good
Generals bur fl adorned her history with many tn
umpbs The vainest Of incapables would hesitate
70 accent 4 command in which disasteI would
s1ti.cuish his ambition in blood, and Presumptu-
Gus mediosrity would avoid a path bounded by the
yuillo.ine. The road to tame and TO glory was open
only 20 coasieut genius at time when misfortune
and. !ncapacity were equally fatal. Perhaps the
French Cciveut:ou carried their retributive expert
rneut too far il was certainly not way TO improve
a General 90 cut of his head nor was there strict
ipsti,e in So severely shng man for disasters
which 10 human forecast or skill could have ayerted
Ru, efer ALA disaster is disaster, from what
ever cause Il rignate; and as 70 the consequences
it's iuA rs had 70 be uulucky as to be criminal
The runlotjue had the effect Of saving the French
armies from presumptuous and incapable commau-
der,; and this was an indisputoble benefit. IT, on
the other hand the Convention, in the latitude of
It's indulgence, had amiably overlooked defeat and
reeoyapeused every surrender by promoting It's
thor. France niigrt have been overrlu aud con-
seems that only this Conftderacy can stand UP
sgarst this peculiar system which consists in care
fully -eprelsiug the usefulness OF fortunate and
sklJl officers and in rewarding the failures Of the
incapable ana Unlucky. The carelessness with
which we have regarded defeat the charity VIC have
SO layisbly sluaudered On cur unsucces5tul com
msnders. have operated standing premium 10
lncapaci,y All presumption 1t needs nc aTsumen,
20 establish the injurious consequences OF such
system. The facts OF the situation aud the events
Of tas wax axe a sufficient commentary.
We Lsve suffered many disasters in he course Of
this ccudr and mast Of them have falshed tbs jus;
sn,iciPat.ons Ct tie public. But, excepting the
svif. Executive di3pleasUre which overlook the
lucky officers commanding at Fort Pillow, We Dc not
remember salient instance Of rctribution for any
Ct The numerous defeats and disasters we have SUI
1sTe4. u some cases Courts Of Inquiry, resulting
IL tka jus. iacGticn q the officer trial have been
keli, Uv, in the most noted Cf these-that Of Gen
lovelI--the obstacle, % investigation we're inter
posed ty the authorities. it may be very true that
tde President IS perfectly competent Judge in such
matters and tia, the public should cont ingly de-
Ter 70 his opinion; bat nevertheless the people final
r. ges tred Of perpetual generations perennial
y unlucky officers, and would really like to know
whether something more than misfortune does not
attend them. They tired, Tor instance, Of see
IT, Q --au who presents himselfto them the very
genius = bad luck perSis,ently placed IN response
Bile situatiou5, aud entrusted with the defence Of
tsaoo5,aut aud vital points. General Bragg may be
az extremely able officer. We suppose he is good
General, or the Pre5:den, would not insist on con-
aS-- 20 lin tic direction Of m0mentou5 military
operations and in selecting him for bis military ad-
-ise~. The President knows him well and must
therNAA Ra>w his merits onjhis faults. The Pres.
idens ARJ doubt convinced that he just the
man 90 command the Array Of the West, that he
was us, the man 70 choose Tor Commanding Cen
eraI. that he was inst the 70 Fort Fisher
and Wilmington from the Yankees. The President
could, ouestionless, if he would only take the
trouble convince the public that General Bragg
never made mistake, that other people respou-
sbe FOX al his msfortuneS; that nobody could have
done better titan he diG N Kentucky, that anybody
else would have lost the army az Murfreesborough
that TO one else would have made more cut Of the
victory OF Cticamauga that 10 soldiers alone were
n flamo for the dSgrace!Ul rout Of Missionary
Ridge and tina, 70 power on earth could have pre-
~eBtes the fall Of Fort Fisher. Bat the President
ha- no. argued these points with the public, and,
consequently, the public can see nothing in General
B-a.rs military career but that series OF disasters
f.oln the Kentucky campaign to Wilmington, which
have almost ruined the Western army, and hare
culn;nated 10 closing against Us the most important
OF the Confederate ports. Is it strange that they
have little hope Of saving the city Of Wilmington
while !ts safety depends on the General who has
los, everything tLat he ever undertook 10 defend
Isitstrange that they Wow with aStonishment the
continued confidence repOsed IN man who has
lust encountered one Of the most extraordinary and
remarkable defeats Of this or any other war At
an other time or in any other country the fall Of
Fort Fisher would involve at least the suspension
of the officer primarily responsible for great
disaster. it is indeed, scarcely credible that he
shoud he retained in command after 80 grave an
event. and that lie should he entrusted with the
ssseree Of the ~ portart post Of Wilmington after
Losing one Of the strongest and most defensible
sorss in AZ world, without striking blow to save
It. General Bragg may DC free from blame in this
matter but the public do not bebeveit, and they
win not &c satisfied until the proper Investigations
are made A. long as without this due inquiry,
aud adequate Justification he seems to possess the
Executive confidence, tine President must SITTER in
the confidence Of the public, and other evil effects
must TOW from the Immunity and reward thus
seemingly offered 70 incompetent vanity and pre-
sumptuous meaiocrity.
Pass H1v ABOUND One Ut. X. v. Lemdlne, rep
re,epting himself to be Frenchman by birth aud