The Portland daily press., 1868-02-18
PRESS.
Tuesday Morning. February le, 1853.
A strange Characteristic of the Army,
PORTLAND,

Strange Characteristic of t.sc Army,
Some hard-hearted people may treat with
levity the unsuccessful wooing ofmilitary men
to which Democracy has latterly become
much addicted. But with us it excites COM
passion for its utter failure and hopelessness,
and we feel in like melting mood as when
we read of Sappho jumping from convel-
lent headland into the sea, mad with the tor
lures OF unreciprocated passion, or Petrarch
writing immortal verse In celebration of the
Charms and virtues of an unattainable Laura.
Yet, 0 purblind leaders, you might have
known your suit was hopeless. 1t is too
| great task for even Shakespeare TO recon-
cile us to the probability of Anne's final sur
render to malformed Richard, when he ex-
tends to her hands red with the blood of her
dearest friends, though he speaks to her fiat
tering and seductive words. You assumed a
Tar more difficult work when. Snrepentant.
with all the sins of the black years 81, '62,
'65, "a and Give enumerate them all, for
each is a terrible fndctment-stilI unatoned
for, and with hands red with the best blooi
ever spilled, you sought an alliance with the
men who thwarted your plans but could not
prevent your treason.
Itwas natural that the Democrats should
wish TO call to their aid the strong arms OF
military ehiettains to carry them through
contest in which they could not in any case
have much hope of triumph. They dreaded
the popular hatred if they ventured to de-
fame, or even to ignore them. So they tried,
for season, to stop the mouths of some of
the black sheep of the party who would bleat
about "the Butcher" Grant, and Sherman,
the "Bummer Chief" But the matter hos
ended in almost complete unanimity of
feeling on the subject. The conflict between
the principles to which the Conservatives
still adhered and those which were dear TO
the army was too great not to occasion a
general alienation. So the pretended admir-
alton and respect for Sheridan has become
open and shameless abuse. He was not their
man. His sword was still too ready to lop off
any heads of treason that grew from the
trunk Of the dead monster, Rebellion. But,
Sheridan being impfacticable, they turned to
Grant In the absence of any express de-
claratlons on his part, they hoped that he
might be induced 10 lend the weight of his
great name to the support of principles to
which, in the nature of things, he must be
hostile. They are now heartily sick of this
dalliance with Grant. So he is under their
ban and the object of their hearticst curses.
But never despair. g There is Sherman .
say these hopeful Mark Tapleys,-@ he has
always been conservative. His military
:. record Is second to that of Grant alone in
brilaincy. He, maybe, will serve u.s. So
PRESIDENT johnson is instructed to seduce the
man who marched to the sea, with pretty
little sugar plum in the shape of a nomination
as brevet General. The result is an explo-
sion. Wrath unspeakabIe fills the breast Of
Sherman, and he is not at all "reticent'
aboutit So Grant, Sherman and Sheridan
the three, great military names of the coun-
try, become unpleasant to the Democratic
ear. When to these are added Meade, How
ard, Logan, Thomas and Sickles, very few
prominent military men remain from whom
the Democrats may select leader for their
fainting cohorts. Hancock is decidedly the
most famous of the soldiers who are
still nominally in sympathy with Democrats,
and they begin to distrust him. He doesn't
manage Texas to suit them. As in case OF
all his predecessors, New Orleans begins to
make him Radical. After Hancock there
may be mentioned Gen. Steedman, good
soldier during the war but not an especially
prominent one, who has shown SO little skill
and discretion as a politician that but little
use can be male of him. Gen. Custer, too,
was brave and skilful soldier, but has late
ly sunk under cloud. An unfortunate hab-
it of shooting his ON men and waiting upon
his wife when he should be hunting Indians,
has caused his trial by court-martial and tenn
porary removal from command. And here
the list OF Democratic soldiers ends; for the
Democrats will hardly mention Rosseau with
pride.
The army, then, is practically unit for
justice and equal rights. Heaven pity the
party that can claim the support of only one
in hundred of those who have done axd
suffered most for their country and mankind.