The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-13

country permitted the granting OF fur
loughs on q large scale. Excepting on
lew pixies, movements were 1mpossl-
pie, and an army could no more
nave marched across country than
across New York Bay. Closet war
rlors,, in coy studies with smooth
McAdam roadways before their doors.
sneer ct the idea of military movements
being arrested by mud. I apprehend
these gentlemen have never served In a
bad country during the rainy season,
and are ignorant of the fact that in his
Russian campaign the clements proved
too strong for the genius Of Napoleon.
Gen. Johnston met the difficulties of
his position with great GOODNESS. tact
and Judgment, but his burden was by
no means lightened by the interference
| OF certain politicians at Richmond.
| These gentlemen were perhaps in-
famed by the success that had attended
the tactical efforts Of their Washington
peers. At all events, they now threw
themselves upon military questions
with much ardor. The leader was
Mr.. Alexander Fl. Stephens, of Geor-
ga, Vice President OF the Com
federacy, who is entitled to @
place by himself. Like the celebrated
John Randolph of Roanoke, he has an
meagre body. AS Was said by the witty
Dean Of st. Paul's of Francis Jeffrey,
| his mind is in state Of indecent expo
sure. trained aud skillful politician,
he was Tor many years before the war
returned to the United States House OF
Representatives from the district In
which he resides, and his device
seems always to have been Flat JUS
titia, ruat cDlum."
"When, in December, 1910, the Com
gress Of the United States assembled,
there was Wing Administration. and
the same party had very small major
ity in the lower house. Mr.. Ste
phens was an ardent Wing, and
member of the House; but he
could not see his way to support his
party candidate for speaker, and this
inability to find road-plain, mayhap,
to weaker organs-secured the control
of the House to his political rivals.
During the excited period just preceding
secession" Mr. Stephens held and
avowed wise and moderate opinions,
but, swept along by the resistless tor
rent surrounding him, he discovered
and proclaimed the fact that slavery
was the corners stone Of the Confedera-
cy." Granting the truth of this, which
is by no means admitted here, it was, in
the strong vernacular of the West,
rather piling the agony" on the hui
mantarians, whose sympathies were not
much quickened towards us thereby.
AS the struggle progressed Mr.. Stephens,
with all the impartiality OF an equity
Judge, marked many OF the virtues OF the
government north of the Potomac, and
all the vices Of that ON his own side
of the stream. Regarding the military
questions in hand, he entertained, and
publicly expressed, original opinions
which / will attempt to convey as ac-
curately as possible. The war was for
principles and rights. It was in the de-
Tense of these and Of their property that
the people had taken up arms. They
could always be relied upon when q
battle was Imminent; but when there
was no lighting to be done they had ]
best be at home attending to their fam
lilies and interests. AS their intelli-g
gence was equal to their patriotism,
they were as capable of judging OF the
necessity Of their presence with the
"colors" as the commanders OF armies,
who were but professional soldiers, fight
ing for rank and pay-most OF them
without property in the South. III
may be observed that such opinions
are more comfortably cherished by poi
litical gentlemen-tWo hundred miles
away-than by commanders immediate~{
ly in front Of an enemy.
At the close of the great war, in JULY
1865, ] visited Washington, in the SOLE
hope Of effecting some change in the
condition Of Jefferson Davi5-then ILL
and q prisoner at Fortress Monroe. Mr.
Stephens happened to visit Washington
at the same time, and Was the object OF
much attention on the part of peoples
controlling the Congress and coun7s
try. Desiring his cooperation, soughtg
and found him, sitting near IRE, ion
be is Of chilly nature, smoking hiF
pipe. He heard me in severe polita9
, ness, and, without unnecessary expe1a
dit11re of enthusiasm, promised hig
assistance. Since the war Mr.
Stephens has again been, and
is now, q Representative in CongTes5a
He has the satisfaction to know thats
unlike the "rebel brigadiers," his prest
ence is not rock Of offense to the loyas
mind. No gallery Of portraits, hoWeveS
humble, but should include that OF this
eminent person. who, for @ quarter OF
: century, has filled an important plad
in the councils Of his country. Pursl
ing "the even tenor Of his way" JONI |
ston rapidly increased the efficiencyf
his army. Furloughed men returneds l.
large numbers, and before their 'leaYes
had terminated, many bringing. new e
cruits with them. Some islands OF Oil
land appeared amid the sea OF mu
when the movement Of the FedeIs
forces in our front changed the theatrei
war, and opened the important CAP
paign Of 1862.
When overtaken by unexpected calaF
ity. African tribes destroy the idol IN
viously worshiped, and. with mul
noise, seek some new ''fetich," In viii,
they incarnate their vanities and hop T.
Stunned by the rout of Manassas, q
North pulled down great old vetera.
Scott, and his lieutenant, Mcdowell. al
get up Mcclellan, who caught the. pubs
eye at the moment by reason Of SOL
minor successes in Western virgin
where the Confederate commands
Gen. Robert Garnett, a promisf
officer, was killed. 1t is but fair TO
; nit that the South had not emuiated
, wisdom Of Solomon nor the modestyl
Godolphin. The capture OF Fort 81
{ ter, with its garrison OF fifty-six NJ
mas hardly AusterlitZ, yet it. wol