The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-04-01
COEEJMBI.Ai1,
Thrrsday Morning, April i. 1883.
The military Tcntssncy. q n

OF General tfants adm1nlHfr9tlon, begin to
excite criticisr,, even AMONG the radical
chiefs. Gene. Is Schenck and Butler, who
take far more pride in their civic and politi-
cal, than In their military achievements, are
both reported as discharging their satirical
bolts atthe assumptions of the President.
The +recollections of the Vienna and Will
mington illustrations of ths9 military attain
ments of these two civilian generals are not
calculated to give them a very exalted idea
OF the art OF war, or of its legitimate ex-
Founders and Disciples. What Gen. Grant
thought Of the strategy Of Schenck's great
movement of running q railroad train into
the camp OF the enemy, and dumping his
brigade in front of their earth works; or of
Buffers scheme for blowing up tie fort at
Wilmington, by exploding powder ship in
the bay within half d mile of the enemy,
Butler and Sohenck probably think OF the
capacity and mode Of administration thus
far displayed by,General, Grant. In other
words, in their view. Grant is greater fail
ure, as President, athan they were as gene
rails. "a 5nat.What In he'll profanely exclaiims
Seheuekg t'does he mean by sending mes
sage to Congress by one Of his staff P". And
Butler is reported az desiring information
as to the Article of the Constitution, or the
Act of Congress, which creates. a military
staff for the President an Whilst we do not
altogether sympathize with these complain
ants, seeing that they were such ardent sup
porters of General Grant for the Presi-
dency, with full knowledge of his strong
military tastes and inclinations, and Of his
declared hostility to politicians and their
modes of administration, we cannot, as the
New Orleans Times says, but concur in the
general repugnance. and protest against the
sudden and entire change in the character
of the Government, which the new Presi-
dent appears to be intent on effeoting. The
prediction Of General Blair, during the last
canvass. that General Grant would gradually
convert our constitutional and republican
form of Government into military auto
cracy, appears to be already in fair way of
being fulfilled. The new President instals
himself in the White House with Brilliant
staff, composed s!together of Brigadier-
Generals--his ministers abroad are all
generals-and Washington City, we hear,
is SO resplendent with gilded shoulder straps
and glittering insignia of war, that an
ancient foreigner, happening to be sojourn-
ing therein, writes that it reminds him of the
scene which Erfurt exhibited in 1912, when
Napoleon had assembled there the military
chiefs and princes of France and Germany,
on the eve of the great expedition to Rus
sie MaaaaOaa ora rapt To Ir ~, Il;
tary officials. Memorials to the President
are endorsed, as Sheridan endorsed all ap-
peals from his decisions on the qualification
OF persons claiming to be registered as
voters in this city, respectfully referred
to" some subordinate official, and the report
thereon is adopted and orders are issued in
the usual military form, 'by order of the
President" and signed by Horace Porter,
Brigadier-General of the United States
Army, and Secretary of the President"
We are not surprised that these symptoms
OF rapid tendency to military organization
and usurpation should awaken lively
anxiety in thoughtful minds. What would
have been thought of such pretensions at
any other period of our history. from the
Inauguration of the Government down to
that OF the present Administration Even
when the Father of his Country, who ruled
in the hearts of all the people, and COM
manded the implicit faith and idolatrous de-
votion of his countrymen. was called on in
supposed great crisis of the Republic to
assume military command and the powers
OF adictator, with what patriotic earnest
ness was it opposed by the patriot founders
of the Government, and with what lofty