New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-07-10
RnRNSLDHS CONTENTION.

Gen. Burnside, who has made about as
much out of his uniform as any one who ever
served in the army, has issued circular call
ing upon the soldiers to meet in September,
at Pittsburgh, and organize for Grant. The
names appended to this cal are neither
numerous nor distinguished. With few ex-
ceptiOns, they are of men who passed through
the war without glory, and have subslsted
since the coming of peace by holding Office on
the strength of their war record. We are in
clined TO regard mercifully the violence of
some of them, for their daily bread depends
upon their keeping the President in good
humor. But the great majority of the officers
and soldiers who survived the war are able
to take care of themselves, and DO not care to
lay their personal independence at the feet of
any self-cOnstituted leader, even one so ele-
CANT and well-nOurished as the late Governor
of Rhode Island. There were better and worse
commanders in the army than Gen. Burnside,
but it is hard to believe that the service ton-
tanned any one more ignorant or more reck-
less of the simplest principles of republican
government than he appears in this circular.
Gen. Burnside evidently regards Gen. Grint,
and expects his comrades to regard him, as an
inviolable and superior being. He speaks of
him as a Russian peasant might speak of the
Gar. 1t is he who has reduced the debt In
Gen. Bumside's opinion. 1t is he who hascar-
RED ON our foreign relations with such mar
velous skill and success. His faithful adhGent
seems to think it triumph of statesmanship
that we are not now at war with any foreign
nation. But would it not be difficult for Gen.
Burnside, in view of the occurrences of the
last few months, to indicate what combination
of circumstances could possibly endanger the
peace which we are now happily enjOying7 a
non-resistant is always reasonably sure of never
having a fight. Gen. Grants foreign pdicy
consists in yielding everything that any oiher
nation demands. The result is peace, though
it certainly shows more meekness than st5tes-
manship.
But the quality which Gen. Burnside ap-
pears to admire most in Gen. Grant Is his
self-denying patriotism He seems to be Dst in
wonder at the fact that Gen. Grant ever
allowed the army to be mustered out of SER
vice without making him Emperor. These
are the words in which this humble admirer
expresses his establishment at the moderation
OF Ills cultl. lldu ut ltlb ulHpOstu W tA'i-
"cise his power as personal governor, he
"would have done it while nearly million
"of men were in arms, and under his COM
"mand." This is either fiat and unmeaning
seryility or something infinitely worse. Does
Gen. Burnside believe that Gen. Grant had 1t
in his power, when at the head of the army,
TO change the form of government and take
it into his own handsi If he does not believe
it, why does he talk such twaddle about it J
If he does believe it, We venture to say he
will find few soldiers to agree with him. Gen.
Grants opportunities for violating the law and
usnrpng power are vastly greater now than
they ever were, and yet no intelligent man
believes there is any danger of his attempting
TO alter the form of government. What he is
doing is grave enough. He knows 30 little
and cares so little about the law, that his
daily violations of it are lowering and cor
rupting the tone of official conscience through
out the country. He treats the Civil Service
with rude contempt. 1t is true 10 patrop1ea