Wyoming democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Wyoming Co., Pa.) 1867-1940, 1868-05-27
The Republican Candidate for President

of sickle, because the axe had rendered
good service in telling the forest that stood
upon the same ground the preceding year
nobody would be apt TO think well OF his
Judgment in the selection ofa utensil. AS
| we are not to have a war, there 10 less
fitness in the selection of general, than of
! q statesman, as candidate for President.
General Grant has been nominated solely
in consequence of his military reputation.
Waving, for the present, the fundamental
objection that the instrument is not adapt
ed to the proposed use, and that the Pres
iden:y, during the next term, will afford
no scope for the exertion OF military tai
ents, we challenge inquiry into the grounds
of General Grants fame as O soldier. We
suppose none of his friends will seriously
maintain that he is entitled to be called
great general merely because he has COM
manded great armies. much less because he
has exposed and lost great multltudes Of
men. His reputation rests upon the fact
that all his campaigns have been success
ful. But success against such adversaries
as Pillow or Penbcrton in the West is no
very signal proof of abilities, unless they
commanded greater forces which they
did not. General Lee was 4 more worthy
antagonist but General Lee was not con-
quored by fighting him, but by exhausting
his resources. He stood on the defensive
for nearly year after Grant assumed COM
mand in the East, although the CoLfedera-
cy was even then, when Grant crossed the
Rapidan, tottering and well-nigh spent by
three years exertion in a strenuous and
unequal struggle. 1t is certainly just to
credit Grant with the capture Of Lee 4; but
there is debit as well as a credit side to
the account. What Gen. Scott called "lhe
economy of life by means of head-work," !"
will be sought for in vain in the cam
paigns of General Grant His successes
have been won by prodigal expenditure
of his soldiers. In his last and greatest
campaign be pitted an enormous army
against a small one, and sacrificed twice as
many men as General Lee had under his
command. 1t is not justice but adulation,
to praise him as if he had conquered an
army as large as his ow-. 1t is not justice
but an affront 10 humanity to give him as
much credit as if he had achieved the
same result without such wholesale sacri-
fees of men. The following is an authen-
tic statement Of the respective forces and
losses of Generals Grant and Lee between
the Rapidan and the James
Grant on assuming command May A.,
1864, had off effective men besides the
reserve, when he crossed the Rapidan,
l25,OOO.
Lee at the same date had an effective
force of $1,000.
Grants reinforcements up to the battle
of Cold Harbor, June 8, were $4,000.
Lees reinforcements, up to the same
date, were $4,000.
Grants total force, including reinforce
ments, was 222 900.
Lees total force, including reinforce
ments, was 10000.
Returns to their respective Governments
showed that when both armies had reach
the James, June 10, the number of Grants
army that had been put hOrs du combat
was 11S,0O0.
Up to the same date, the number of
Lees men who had been put hors da CON-
bat was 10000.
The two armies then met In front Of
Petersburg.
We have been at some pains to ascertain
and verify these figures, and we vouch for
their substantial accuracy. We shall take
good care that they do not escape the no
lice, nor slip the recollection Of the coun-
try. We cheerfully concede TO General
Grant the merit of success but it is ri eht
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 slen-
der 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 succeeding against
great neutrality-suspicious. superior num-
bers, or consummate abilities in the COM
manders opposed to him, or formidable
physical obstacles. A man does not prove
that he possesses a giants strength by
overmastering an invalid or a 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 his own men for every one that he
disables Of the enemy.
We have had some experience before of
running successful generals as candidates
for the Presidency; but their achievements
were, in this particular, great contrast to
those of General Grant. General Jackson
won his brilliant victory at New Orleans
with 1000 men against British army of
$4,000. General Taylor had but about
5000 men at Buena Vista, and the Mexi-
cans twice or thrice that number. Gen.
Scott had $500 at Cerro Gordo, the Mexi-
cans $4,000. The splendid victory Of Con.
treras was achieved by Scott with 4,50O,
against 10000 Mexicans. General Scott
in bis report to the Secretary OF War,
speaking of the battles iD front Of Mexico
said, "And assert, upon accumulated and
unquestionable evidence, that in not one
of these conflicts was this army opposed
by fewer than three-and-a-half times its
numbers in several of them, by a yet
greater excess" If it be said that Grant
had Disadvantages of ground and position
to encounter in advancing through an enc
my's country, the same is equally true OF
Scott, who nevertheless with greatly infe-