The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1868-05-28
The Republicans Candidate for Prcsi'
dency.

Waving, for the present, the funda-
mental objection that the is
not adapted to the proposed use, and
that the Presidency, during the next
| term, will afford no scope for the exer-
tion of military talents, I've challenge
inquiry into the grounds of General
Grants fame as a soldier. We suppose
none of his friends will seriously main
tain that he is entitled to be called a
great general merely because he ha'
commanded great armies, much less be-
cause he has exposed and lost in battle
great multitudes of men. His repuat-
tien rests upon the fact that all his cam
paigns have been successful. But sue
cess against such adversaries as Pillow
or Pemberton in the West is no very
signal proof of abilities, unless they
commanded greater forces; which they
did not. General Lee was a more wpI-
thy antagonist; but General Lee was
not conquered by fighting him, but by
eXausting his resources. He stood on
tho defensive for nearly year after
Grant assumed command in the East,
although then, when Grant crossed the
Rapidan, tottering and we'll nigh spent
by three years exertion in a strenuous
and unequal struggle. 1t is certainly
Just to credit Grant with the capture of
Lee; but there is a debit as well as a
credit side to the account. What Cen
eral Scott called "the economy of life
by means of head work" will be sought
for in vain in the campaigns OF General
Grant. His successes have been won by
a prodigal expenditure of his soldiers.
In his last and greatest campaign he
pitted an enormous army against
small one, and sacrificed twice as many
men as General Lee had under his COM
mand. IL is not justice but adnlation,
to praise him as if be had conquered an
army as large as his own. 1t is not JUS
tice but an affront to humanity to give
him as much credit as if he had achiev-
ed the same result without such whole
sale sacrifices of men. The following
is an authentic statement of the reSpec-
tive forces and losses of General Grant
aud Lee between the Rapidan and the
James:
Grant on assuming command May 4,
1864, had of effective men besides the eTe
serve, when he crossed the Rapidan,
i25, 600.
Lee ut the same date mad an effective
force of 81, 600.
Grants reinforcements up to the bat
tie of Cold HarbOr, Juse 3, were 81
600.
Lees reinforcements, up to the same
date, were $4,000.
Grants total force, including rein
forcements, was 222, 900.
Lees total force, including reinforce
ments, was 10000.
Returns to their respective Govern
merits showed that when both armies
had reached the James, June 10, the
humber of Grants army that had been
nut hOrs dH combat was III 900.
Up to the same date, the number of
Lees men who had been put hOrs du
combat was $4,000.
The two armies then met in front of
Petersburg.
We have been at some pains to ascer-
tain and verify these figures, and we
vouch for their substantial accuracy.
We shall take good care that they do
not escape the notice, nor slip the recOl
lection of the country. We cheerfully
concede to General Grant the merit of
success; but it is right that the country
should know the terrible cost at which
that success was purchased.
The truest test of military genius is
the accomplishment of great results
with slender means. We can recall no
instance (unless Grant be an instance)
of a general who established his title to
be called great, otherwise than by sue
ceeding against great disadvantages
either superior number, or consumnate
abilities in the commanders opposed to
him, or formidable physical obstacles.
A man does not prove that he possesses
giants strength by overmastering an
invalid or cripple. A general does
not establish his title to be considered
great by subduing an army one third as
large as his own, and losing five of bis
own men for every one that he disables
of the enemy.
We have had some experience before
of running successful generals as candi-
dates for the Presidency; but their
achievements were, in this particular,
great contrast to those ofGeneral Grant.
General Jackson won his brilliant vic
tory at New Orleans with 1000 men
against a British army of 1900. Gener-
al Taylor had but about 5000 men at
Bueua Vista, and the Mexicans twice or
thrice that number. General Scott had
| $500 at CerrO Gsrdo, the MeXicans r.
900. The splendid victory of COntreras
was achieved by Scott with $500 against
| L., 900 MeXicans. General Scott, In his
report to the Secretary of War, speaking
of the battles in front of Mexico said,
And | assert, upon accumulated and
unouestionable evidence, that in not
one of these conflicts was this army OPP
posed by fewer than three and half
times its numbers-in several of them,
| by yet greater excess" If it be said
that Grant had disadvantages of ground
and position to encounter in advancing
through an enemv's country, the same
is equally true of Scott, who neverthe-
less with greatly inferior numbers ad-
vauced rapidly from triumph to
triumph, while Grant, operating with
superior numbers against q nearly ex-
hausted foe, required a whole year to
capture Richmond, which finally sue
cumbed to exhaustion rather than to
military genius World
a Stamford (Ct.) dry goods store was
running over with customers, and clerks
engaged, the other evening, SO the
tailor of the establishment came in to
help. Confused thereby, he clung to
the familiar inquiries Of his trade, and
shocked a young lady by asking, "what
kind of pants do you wear ?" But that
was only an anticipation of woman suf-
frage days.
J After long march, at the close of the
late war, captain ordered as santa
~ precautiou, that the men should
change their undershirts. The o. s.
suggested that half of the men only had
one shirt each. The captain hesitated
for moment and then said: Military
orders must be ebeyed; let the men ex-
change with each other"
From Springfield.
! SPRINGFIELD, Mass, May 2.-Volney
Winchell, the absconding broker of this
city, has made proposition TO his cred
itors through his attorney for settle
ment. He offers to give his notes for
=, IL C-.1l IL =,