Brownlow's Knoxville Whig. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1866-1869, 1868-03-25

accepted Sighting as her everyday busineFs only to
establish her freedom But the power she created
DESTROYED her. The young Corsica1y who ran slP
all tho grades Of tho army til be became the Alex
sndeF Of the age was no sooner the hero OF france
than he made himself her Emperor /. IS with nR-
tions as with women--those whom they love they
long 70 serve, snd are often not content I'll the
vooeT becomes the master. Military ambition Is
not 90 dangerous % q monarchy, because when
general wins too many victories they manage 70 get
Thscdsas stevens said .be other day that the
military would rule this country for twenty-five
years. He accepted Grant IS the inevitable next
Preiident. IT may be 80. The Mexican var made
Zeebsrv TAYLOR our President; and it was Of no uss
10 talk 70 the Wing party about the long services
Of Henry Clay and Daniei Webster while tee bat
lie smoke Of Buena Vista was stall ia the sky
When Zachary Taylor said Give them q little
more grape Captain Bragg, be uneonscioGsly or
dsrcd battery 70 annhilate his future Presidential
rivals. General Grant wss equally fortunate when
he wroio that be meant 10 fght il out on this line
II Il takes all aummer.p Every man can under
stand courage, and every one admires soldier
But It is not every one who understands states-
nan. The moment you publish an opinion on Na-
tionsl finances, or make speech on reconstruction,
you make one party or the other your enemy. and
half your friends begin to doubt your political
souDdness. General Butler may explain and ex-
plain but people l5H ssy be is In favor Of repudia
n v
speech out West and tc the end Of bic life thoas-
ands of his countrymen viii denounce him as an
Agrarian. What an AgrArian is II is not neoessa-
" for them 70 know; tat the word Is very good
word FOR Democratic orator. Chief-Justice Chsse,
when Secretary Of The Treasury, found 3 way 70
get the money to carry on the var a. stinls wher
it was hard 70 get money 70 carry on anything -
What has happened to 8Ir. Chase in consequence
Every man who hasn't . Eiye-Twenty bond, and
who envie every other man who has, is inclined to
consider Mr.. Chase bis personal enemy. General
Grant has escaped al shsse little enbarTassments.
BE was in command Of The armies that put down
the rebellion; be qusrreled With Andrew johnson /;
The people believe 10 his honesty and patriotism
and these broad facts push aside all inquiry into his
opinions Of negro suffrage, and tho finances and The
tariff. But If General Grant wants 70 DO success
ful candidate LET him maintain his Silence, never
make speech about agrarianism, or propose any
plan for the resumption Of specie payments No
thing is more common than for politician TO COM
nit suicide by cutting his own throat with bis
tongues fact which shows what great thing il
is 20 DO eloquent.
Bus whether Gen. Grant is 10 DO tho next Presi-
dent or not we do not al present inquire. We are
interested in Mr. Stevens speculations about quar-
ter Of century Of military rule. Surely there are
generals and heroes enough TO furnish half-a-dozen
countries with frst class rulers There are Sher-
man, Sheridan, George II. Thomas, Siekles, MeGSa 2.
After Grant goes out OF the Presi dency-of course
we assume that be goes in--is esch of these Gene
rails 20 have his turn There are SIX Of them alto
gether; and, if we give them four years of Office
oach six fours are twentyfouT, which il near TO Mr.
Stevens estimate. This is a state of things which
is likely TO throw a gloom over the sspiring souls
enough TO seek the bds,ble Presidency az the can
mons mouth.
Bat, to return to the worst aspect of the case so
far we have pyoof that the Republic is in dsnger
from the army. The army is dispersed in the va
rious barn-yara factories and stores Of the conn
try All the brave man who commanded II show
The most dutiiul obeeiencs TO the laws None of
them betray the ambition Of Napoleon, OF even Of
q Cromwell. Grant surrenders the War Office At
the bidding OF the Serate. Only Lorenzo Thomas
shows an ambition to overturn the Constitution and
seize the supreme power. IL may be prudent TO
keep close watch upon him, but It is hardly mecca
sary for US 70 look out for Grant or Sheridan
Everywhere, the military power is ruled by the civil
law. Tho very military govsrnments in the South
are the creatures of Congress and perish when Con-
gress chooses. There Is no soldier In the army OF
the United States who dares to draw his sword un-
less the Republic gives him the ORDER or who would
dare refuse 70 sheatha il when the Republic COM
naands. Precisely the same elements which make
II apparently impossible for military usurpaton 20
succeed IN tha United States VIII n time diBprove
Mr.. Stevens theory. -Four years hence, unless wo
vastly mistake new Issues WIN bs determined in the
generals who commanded armies In 1854 viii com-
mand conventions in la72. The President who ia
then 20 be elected may have served in the war Of
the rebellon but not because Of that service will
be be chosen. ~
The desire Of the people OF the United States is
Peace. They honor the army--not as the French
honor their armies for the glory won~but for TIE
peace Il established We cheered when Vicksburg
was taken and when Sherman marched to the sea
not merely because these were splendid triumphs o.
war, but because they were steps to peace, and
brought Us near to the happy time when the terri
bic drum should cease 10 roll its muttered thunder
through the land. Long before the war ended, the
heart Of the nation yearned for peace; and, now
that she has come, with freedom for all her com
panions, we have no fear Of war wRged in the In
teresi Of despotsm. This is not q country fit for
Napoleons purpose. 1t is q country where th'
erester the lew-breaker may be- the greste- holC
the crime. When We End President who woult
play Napoleon, We imPeseh him.--N =. Tribune