The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-08-26

PITTSBURGH, many persons tnougut IL
was the only 4verell they had ever
heard Of. and repeated inquiries have
induced the General to write this letter
declaring his position. tits sufficiently
explicit; clear and ringing as the notes
Ola cavalry tbugle. His terse and
vigorous jstyIe shows that d man may
bea good soldier and a clear thinker'ss
the same time: He calls to mind the
objects fof which our northern troops
went into the army, the obstinate fight
for and final triumph Of true Republic
can principles. He deplores, as
must all brave and magnsnimops nen,
the unfortunate failureo of the Republic
can party and General Grant at its head
| to so shape the conduct Of affairs as to
bring the war to an end and restore moi
only the national supremacy but friendly
relations also betweenthe people of the
different sections. Instead Of the re-
stored and purified Democracy which
should have grown up on the soil where
slavery and rebellion had been leradi-
Gated, We have seen established lot Of
odious oligarchies, whose ,robberies
prevent the return Of prosperity, and
whose tyrannies preclude the participa,
ton Of decent citizens in their own a.
fairs. To cleanse the Southern capitals
from this pestilent horde ofblood-suck-
ers is one of the first duties Of the hour,
and there is no hope that this can be
accomplished by re-electing the Adj
ministration which has fostered them
and for which they are laboring in re-
turn.
Another point is excellently touched
by General. Averell, and that is the evil
system of banding together the soldiers
of the army, to revive for political pur-
poses the fierce and vindictiye passions
OF the war. Army associations, social
organizations of comrades TO keep alive
the memories of tolls and adventures
shared in common, are OF course entire
ly unobjectionable. But no true soldier
can regard with anything but contempt
the efforts Of demagogues to herd them
by banners and catch,words, and drive
them solid to the polls, This is a
practice which should be denounced by
every one, but there is especial
fitness in the condemnation of it
bv soldiers Of character and eminence.
A few days ago an admirable letter
from General Charles K. Graham was
published, in which he characterized, as
it deserved, this effort to make political
capital out of the burned powder and
spilled blood Of the war, saying that he
should vote as citizen and not as a
soldier The letter of General Ayerell
breatbes the same spirit, and both must
exert great influence among the COM
rades Of those gallant and able officers.
There will be, Of course, a meeting at
Pittsburgh, consisting mostly of those
soldiers who have made their epau-
lets support them in office since the
war closed. Some will be there who
never smelt lead, and vino therefore
posture for heroes on all occasions and
some who are simply so constituted
that they cannot stay away from any
place where they can sit on a platform
and have their names printed. The
expenses will be paid by the Grant
Ring at Washington, and the office
holders will have leave of absence
to 90. But when they have come,
and talked, and resolved, and gone
back to their post offices and custom
houses, it will be seen that very few Of
the honest fighting element Of the army
was among them. The best soldiers
are those who fought until the end Of
the war and then betook themselves
resolutely to the pursuits Of peace. The
camp-followers, who expect to trade in
politics all the rest of their days on the
strength of their buttons, are usually Of
the class who are not very dangerous in
war or useful in peace.