The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-06-20

it be borne in mind, but as a civilian, The
Presdcn, is titular head of the army and |
navy of the United States; but his office is
not military or naval. AS if to exclude all
question, he is cassed by the Constitution
among civil officers" Therefore, asa civ
lian he is to be seen Then, perhaps, may
we learn the secret Of the policy so ad'
verse to Republicanism in which he perse-
vercs.
To appreciate his peculiar character as
civilian tits important to know his trl.
umphs as n soldier, for the one is o natural
complement of the other, The successful
soldier is rarely trained to the successful
civilian. There seems to be an lncompat-
ibilty between the two, modified by the eX-
ent to which one has been allowed to eX-
cludcth other. One always soldier cannot
late in life become statesman; one always
n civilian cannot late in life become sol
der. Edncntion and experience are need
ed for each. Washington and jackson
were civilians as well aS soldiers.
In the large training and experience OF
antiqnity the soldier and citizen were often
united; but in modern times this has been
rare. The camp is peculiar in the inilu-
ence it exercises; it is in itself and educa-
ton, but it is not the education of the states
man. To suppose that we can change
without preparation from the soldier to the
statesman is to assume that training ana
experience are of less consequence tor the
one than the other-than man may be
born statesman, but can fit himself as a
soldier only by four years at West Point,
careful, scientific study the command o,
troops, and experience in the fleld' ANA
is nothing .quircd for the statesman? Is
his duty so slight? His study is the Nation
and its welfare, turning always to history
for example to law for authority and to
the lotiest truths for rlues of conduct. No
knowledge, care, or virtue, disciplined by
habit can be too great The pilot is not
accented until he knows the signs OF the
| storms, the secrets of navigation, the rocks
of the coast, all of which is learned by
careful study with chart and soundlngs, by
coastins the land and watching the crest
ed waves But can less be expected OF
that other pilot who is to steer the ship that
contains us all. -.
The failure of this modern soldier as
statesman is exhibited by Mr., Buckle in ms
remarkable work on the History of Civil
ization" Writing as q philosopher devo
ted to liberal ideas, he does not disguise
the fact that in antiquity "the most emi
nent soldiers were likewise the most eml
nent politicians" but he plainly shows th'
reason when he adds that "in the midst
hurry and turmoils of camps these soldier
cultivated their minds to the highest pom
that the knowledge of the age would allow.
[Ibed The judgment OF Marlborough
more pointed. While portraylng h,m n
"the greatest conqueror of the age, the ne
70 of hundred fights, the victor of Bleir
helm and Families the same phllosophi
cal writer describes him as "aman not onl
of the most idle and frivolous pursuits, bu
80 misera5ly ignorant that bis deiicencle
made him the ridicule of his cotcmpora
ries," while his politics were compounde
, of selfshness and treachery. Nor WA
Wellington an exception. Though shinln
in the field without a rival, and remarki
, BILE for integrity of purpose, an unfllnchin
. honesty, and high moral feeling, the col
:, nucror of Waterloo is described as "neve
theless utterly unequal to the compicate
, exigencies of political life lbcd.l Sue
!, are the examples of history, each with Il
4 It would be hard to find anything in II
e native endowments or in the training
n our cbieftain to make him an ilustrlo'
+ exception; at least nothing Of this kind
y recorded. Was nature more generous WI
J. him than with Marlborough and Wclln
o ton Gustavus Adolphus or Frederick ca
5 cd the Great? Or was his experience
n life n better preparation than theirs? Al
0 vet they failed except in war. 1t Is II
Known that our chettain had an eXpe
t. ence as civilian until he became IRE
le ident, nor does any partlzan attribute
y him that double culture, which IN antiq
l. tv made the same man soldier and stat'
tie man II has been often SAID that he to
N no note of public affairs, never voting ,
r once in his life, and then for James /
le chanan After leaving West Point he
II came Captain in the army, but soon
1r forwards he abandoned the service to res
& pear at later day as q successful He'
IT, ro] There is no reason TO believe that
10 employed this intermediate period IN a
Is way calculated to improve him as stat
re man One of his unhesitating supporte
~ nv colleague, (Mr. Wilson, in a spec
n, intended to commend him for re-elecu
he says:
"pe,ore the war we knew nothing of Grant
was earning ew hundred ao'"rs" 'o'' :"
7. | ming hides In Galena.
MI Rv the war he passed to be Preside
ct and such was his preparation to govern
Sc Great Republic, making it an example
20 20 mankind Thus he learned to deal W
ID, oil ouestions domestic and foreign, W
in thor of peace or war, to declare const
m. floral law and international law, and
~ administer the vast appointing power,
nj ot;np Cabinet officers, judges, foreign II
Inv ;s,ers and nm uncounted army OF oil
q holders.
in To these things must be added that wi
Ills this soldier first began as a civilian he
nj already forty six years old At this mat
he ace, close upon half a century, when
ire it's are irrevocably fixed, when the IN
nd has hardened against what is new W
no. the character has taken its permanent it
ns' and the whole man is rooted in his
or;ri nality, our soldier entered abrul
Tho mon the untried life of civilian in
;mn ;n most NOS exalted sphere. Do not be surprl
M ,bot % like other soldiers, he failed; the v
:yds der der would be that had he succeeded. /
tho vow w was accustomed to say that mob
'nJ Of over @ forty accepted his discovery OF
tor. W. circulation of blood but he is not the
'of r.ra nnrson who has recognized this perlo
de. lfe as the dividing point between
that which WI, it is difficult to learn new thing
sess s to Something Some like this is embodied ,d,d IN
" French saying, that at forty .. man
d. g;ven his measure, At least his voca
moi. e settled-how completely this IS SCI
we suppose the statesman, after trayer
the dividing point abruptly changed .o n
a1er i,Sd, soldier. And yet an age nearly e
's lie. le. Years later our soldier was prec'plto
hem; changed to the statesman,
yso, ',ho, This sudden metamorphosis csnho
sn." .' forgotten when we seek to eompreh,sn'
strange pretensions which ensued'
IN Is easy to see how some very moderate
nay. & renee in civil life, involving of cours,
hout lesson of subordination to Repub,
'iore nr;nciples, would have prevented ind
- sible acts. >,r,
,tloh NEPoTIsM OF THE PRESIDENT
ton L., ,,vo tynicoI insta