New-York tribune., 1868-05-27
THE NEE- YORK woRIDS OPINIONS
IT'S OPINION or THE re
PUBLICAN CANDIDATE.
1rANT ~ 1853

Ak Go cut lis crOpOf gram,
instead Of a sickle, be-
cavse the ax had rem
dered vDal service IN teI,,
ling the forest that stood
npon the same ground the
preceding year, nobody
would be apt TO think well
of his Judgment in the Sc
lection OF a utcnsil. As we
are not 20 have a war,
there is less fitness in the
selection of q general
than OF a statesman
Rs a candidate for Prosi-
deut. Gen. Grant has been
nominated solely in con-
sequence OF his military
reputation. Waving, fOI
The present. the fundamen-
tai objection that the in
strument Is not adapted to
The proposed use. and that
The Presidency, during the
next term. Will afford 10
scOpe for tho exertion OF
military talents, we chal-
Ienge inquiry into the
grounds OF Gen. Grants
fame as a sOldlel.
I've suppose none o.
his friends will seriously
maintain that he is 'en-
titled ~ be called a great
general merely because he
has commanded great az
mics. much less because
he has exposed and lost Ia
battle great multitudes of
men. His reputation rests
upon the fact that all his
campaigns have been sue
eessiul. But success
against such adversaueS
as Pillow OF Pembert0n in
the West is no very signal
proof OF abilities, unless
they commanded greater
forces which they did
not. Gen. Lee was a more
worthy antagonist; but
Gen. Lee was not con-
uuered by fighting him,
but by exhausting bis re-
sources. lie stood on the
defensive for nearly aycar
after Grant assumed COM
mand OF the East, although
the Confederacy was even
then, when Grant crossed
the Rapidan, tOttering
And weli-nigh spent by
three years eXertiOn III a
strenuous and unequal
struggle. 1t is certainly
lust t0 credit Grant with
the capture of Lee; but
fhsre is a debit as well as
"a credit side to the ac-
count. What Gen. Scott
called "the economy Oi
lie bv means of head
work" will be sought 1Ol
in vain in the campaigns
Of Gen. Grant. HIS sue
resses have been won by a
prOdigal expenditure OF
lis soldiers. In his last
AID greatest campaign he
bitted an enormous army
ugainst a small one, and
sacrificed twice as many
men As Gen. Leo had un-
der his command. 1t Is
not Justice but adulatlOu,
30 praise MIN as If he had
conquered an army as
large as his own. 1t isnOt
justice but an atirOnt &c
humanity to give hin
As much credit rs If ht
had achieved the same re
suit without such whole
sale sacrifices of men
The following is an au
thentIc statement Of thl
respective forces an1
losses OF Gems. Grant anC
Leo between the RapidaI
aud the james:
Grant on assuming com
mand May 4, 1864, had Ol
effective men besides the
reserve, when he crossed
tho Rapldan, 125,000
Lee at tho same date
had an effective force o.
5000.
Grants re9nforcements
mp tO the battle of Cole
HarboI. june 8, wor'
$1,000.
Lees re6nlorcements NJ
TO the same date, were
1900.
Grants total force. in.
GLIDING reenfOrcements,
Has ~. 900.
Lees total force, includ-
ing re6at0rcements, was
10000.
Returns 10 theirrespect-
I've Governments showed
that when both armies
had reached the James,
June 10, the number OF
Grants army that Lad
been put kOrs da combat
was Il7,OO0.
Up 10 the same date, the
Hmnicr OF Lees men who
had been put kOrS da com
DIT WAS 1900.
The two armies then
piet IN trout Of Peters
burg.
Wo have been at some
pains to ascertain and
Verify those figures, and
will YOuCh for their sub
sf8ntial accuracy. We
shall take good care that
they do not escape the no
tice. nor slip the recOllec-
lion OF the country. We
cleegful,y concede to Gen.
Grant the merit Of success;
but it Is night that the
country should know the
terrible cost at which that
success WAS purchased.
The trueSt test of mill
tary genlns is the accom-
plisbment of great results
with slender means. We
eau recall no instance tam
less Grant be an instance)
of a general who estab-
iished his title TO be
called great. otherwise
than by succeeding against
great disadvantage
either superior numbers,
Or COnsilnmate abilities
in the commanders Op-
posed to him, or fOImida-
Bile physical obstacles. A
mau does not prove that
he posses 5ses a giants
strength by OYerInasteT-
ing an invalid or q Grip
pie. A general does not
establish his title TO be
considered great by sub
DUNG au army One-thiTd
as large "a his own, and
losing tive Of his own men
for every one that he dis
ables of the enemy.
We have had some ex-