The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-11


of the district commanders have sullied the
good name which commended them to
large portion of the American people. During
the progress of the bu>ine of reconstruc-
tion there have been the following COM
JOIN NJ Schofield
\ Hs' Dis'rlc ''''''''''' | Ge tge n. Stuneman.
iSooo,,, Di,,,,ot Dan E SickleS,
Secono DIs'' lc'''''''"' E. II :. Candy.
nj, ,i5 Dte,r,o, Jotn Pope,
Ahii" D'S' wv ''''''''''' &c ,Ige q. Meade.
Il o. y Ord,
Fourth Dlstrlct.......l Irwin Mcdowell,
A. g Gillem.
=. II Snerioan,
1,,s,, Dis,r,ot w. ) Hancock,
fhUn Dis'lie''''''''''''' A. J. Mower,
Robert C. Buchanan
OF these men every one won distinction in
the war except Sickles, Pope, and possibly
Mcdowell. OF the whole list every one has
acted discreditably and tyrauically except
Generals Buchanan, Gllem, Schofeld, Han
cock, and StOneman. Thirteen in all, eight OF
the District Commanders have brought them
SELVES ano Uno 1orVioo into dis-oPata, aud have
tarnished in peace the lustre they achieved in
war. TO specify all the acts which each of the
fallen ones did, and which brand them, would
take too much space. The principal offenses,
however, are as follows:-Sckles and Cauby
have suppressed courts, suppressed papers,
and preferred to appoint the worst men from
the most ignorant and criminal class of blacks
and whites to Offices in North aud South Caro-
| ina rope anu Meau0 nave uOD6 Ln6 SdLnbj
also have certified to false election returns; and
notably the latter has had more innocent men
imprisoned and put to the torture on the pre-
| text of having been concerned in murder of
which even a military commission organized
| to convict could not find them guilty. Ord
was guilty of the petty absolutism and infinite
meanness ofimprsoning editors for presuming
| to criticise his administrative acts, and he
played the personal tyrant to degree as
ridiculous as it was rigorous. Mcdowell in
herited from Ord the same programme, and
overturned the whole governmental machinery
of State, not because the incumbents were
| Objectionable, but because few staff favorites
had been promised the places.
Sheridan is the only commander whose mis-
management eliminated in blood and expired
in insubOrdination. He wears the radical
rebel riots of New Orleans in his crown, aud
learns now that the bursting OF the bubble
which his administration was leaves him one
of the fussest and smallest objects that blur
the daub of reconstruction. Mower equalled
his predecessor i'll malignity, but could not
match him in pretentiousness. He consorted
by choice with negroes aud adventurers, and
prevented free and fair election in Loui-
siana. . n. -...
| We will not follow these men into that re-
tiremept in which life is not long enough for
them to lipger until their eXcesses can either
be forgotten or repaired. They have acted
ineir part, slrHIIeu tnelf ILlle hOur, anu they
can stand aside.
1t is what led to their course, and what that
course teaches which ought to claim attention.
What led to it proceeded in the first place
from the laws, and in the second place from
the men. The laws We're cruel crude, and
despotic The men were either political cour-
tesans, like Pope and Sickles; wooden literal
lists, like Meade, Mcdowell, and Candy; in
fiated popinjays, like Ord; or impetuous in
subordinate men, like Sheridan and Mower.
Bad as the laws were, they had humane side
which these men were too stupid to see or too
hardened to regard. Hence the suffering Of
the South, and hence the reproach under
which these eight generals writhe.
Their career surely teaches that military
men are the last in the world to be trusted
with the work of civil organization. TheiI
genius is opposed to it. Give them power
and the sequel is despotism. Their habits
are the other way. Force is their weapon
force their argument, and force their ustifi
cation. And yet the American people. are
asked to go under the rule of the same KIND
of man as those who have strangled liberty
and wrought horror and desolation in tel
States.