The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-02-14
The Crop of ChieftalnS.

plentiful crop OF cnleltalns, aHo eno "AA
furthermore, established the military age.
1t would take a reign Of peace OF longer
duration than we have any right to antici-
pate to weed out the men Of military fame
and until they are passed from the stage OF
life they are to be the rulers of the coun-
try. All nations have had on infrmity in
this line, and have never failed to advance
military leaders much beyond deserts,
while they submit with wonderful meek
ness to military usurpations.
The next President will be General.
No party can now elect civilian in this
country. At present General GRANT has
the inside track and unless some move
be made on the chess board which no man
can Just now foresee, he will keepit.
An anomaly in the political history Of
this country for the last three years is the
fact that there has been no developed ri.
valry-no open, active conflict of the chief
tains for political distinction. The General
of the Armies has had no one who belongs
to the army to dispute his advancing pros
poets for the highest office in the country
Naturally, and according to precedent, he
should have had rival, and in his case the
reasons for suspecting that he had one were
the strongest. There was man his supe-
rior in attanmenas and in genius-a man
who hurt the Southern Confederacy more
than did General GRANT, man who stood
high in the army at the beginning OF the
war indeed, had he been at Richmond
instead of General GRANT, he would have
been where General GRANT is now. That
settled the question. These were good
reasons for his promotion to tho highest
place in the army. These things were
known to him and his friends, and 1t would
be altogether illogical to suppose that ne
and they were satisfied. If they were not
satisfied, following the general dictates OF
ambition as well as human nature, the
first opportunity for presenting claims thus
set aside would have been seized upon
with alacrity. But there has been, most
singularly, no indication of discontent-no
movement of an aspiring nature-where the
world knows it exists in decided manner.
How is it that there is this exception to
what almost universally happens in coun-
tries whose condition has at all resembled
that Of this country!
There is one solution which may or may
not be true. 1t is at least rational. The
Office Of General of the Armies in its exal-
tation is barely second to the Presidency,
and in lis liberal compensation and life
tenure is, to o sensible as we'll as ambi-
tious man, far preferable to the Chief Ma
gistracy. Now, it would be no great trial
GO q man to waive his claims to the Pre-
sidency to become the General Of the
Armies
If in this way the only two men who
could probably be presented to the nation
as rivals in military achievements were &C
commodated, the case is easily understood.
Passivity and reticence are explained, and
the exceeding harmony ofreiations amongst
the most distinguished chieftains is &C
counted for.
We are O. mere "looker-on here IN
Vienna" and speak with no personal pre-
JUDGES or preferences.
From General GRANT-imaginlng the
next in rank to be resting on his promotion
TO the highest dignity in the army-down.
ward in the list no one can be counted on
as entertaining any sentiment unfavorable
to his elevation to the Presidency until
YOU reach HANCOCK. (For we consider
MCCLELLAN out Of the question: being q
beaten horse, and not a strong one.) That
officer has been spoken of as nominee
for the Presidency. He is gallant soldier
and honorable and accomplished gentle.
man. Yet in the canvass, so far as mere
military eclat goes, he would be thrown
into the shade; and the contest will be
probably on this ground chiefly.
In political view, we must contem,
plate party in power taking up the
highest officer of the army-that thai
party will take control of the ten southern
States, and introduce them in time for the
election as Radical States to vote fol
their nominee-that they have the entire
force of office. holders, whom Mr.. JOHNSON
cannot remove, at their command-thst
they viii carry on the campaign upor
mere Generalities, leaving to the localities
to raise their own issues-here "green.
backs"-there "the white mans govern.
ment," etc. Now, every man can form
his own opinion of the prospects of a party
thus fortified and strengthened in parti
san and political sense with the added
force Of nearly the entire army to back it
The philosophy and the facts of these
remarks are such as We should not shut
our eyes to. They justify, in our mind
the conclusion that we shall not only have
an era of military rule of this Govern
ment, but that the signs are strongly in
dicatiye of the result Of the first trial Of
military claims to ciua promotion. Whether
military despotism may be- the next fruit
age to the crop Of military chieftains
or not, remains to be seen. Ia