The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-22
A Military Mailman.

VIM. Tecumseh Sherman, generalissimo
Of the Army Of the United States, played
the fool at the West Point alumni dinner,
on the 18th inst. In reply to the toast
uThe President Of the United States, he
spoke Of the investigation of the electoral
frauds BY a committee Of the House Of
Representatives and Its possible effect on
the title Of Mr.. Hayes to the presidency,
as follows:
ssMr. Hayes" he said, appeared to many
TO be a mild-mannered gentleman, and so he
was;" but the General gave his listeners TO
understand that Mr.. Hayes was also some
thing more. He said that IF the time should
come when he would be required to defend
his right TO the place he occupies he would
be found to have the requisite nerve and de-
termination; he knew his right and dared to
maintain Il, and what was more, the army,
sworn to defend the constituted authorities,
would see to il that he was sustained in the
effort
Gen. Sherman should understand that
the military is subordinate to the civil
power, in this country, and that when he
threatens the representatives Of the people
with the sword, he takes position, in
word, at least, which, followed up by deed,
would imperil his head as military out
law. If the aveHging sword Oe the civil
power did not speedily overtake him, there
would be thousands of patriot arms nerved
to the sacred duty Of his swift and certain
taking of. Let not this maudlin military
braggart deceive himself with the fancy
that he would be secure at the head of the
army Of which he speaks, aud of which he
is commander The army itself, of its
own volition, moved by its patriotic in
stincts, would ayenge his crime against
civil liberty. There is not a private sol
der in its ranks who mas not intelligence
enough to know that he would be violating
the constitution and perpetrating an out
rage upon the people, to obey the orders
Of his General in such service. Nothing
more fagitiOus than this speech of Sher-
man has occurred since Grant summoned
the soldiery around the Capitol to Oyerawe
Congress pending the Presidential contest.
Had that insensate soldier pushed matters
to extremity instead of a feint merely, had
he attempted TO have made the lives and
liberties Of the peoples representatives his
sport and pastime, he would have learned,
when too late, that the army would not
have availed him; aud that instead of
numbering his victims by the thousands,
he himself would have fallen one of the
earliest victims of his own rashness. No
fact was better understood than that, out
side of the circle Of the President and his
futuous following. Gen. Sherman could
net hope to fair any better, if, in mo-
meut Of delirious phrenzy, he should I'M
dertake to precipitate the army upon the
people. They would give his carcass to
the vultures Of the air. Let him, there
fore, dismiss from his heated and distem-
pered brain all false estimates of the plan
cy Of the army in the service of faction,
aud restrain his unguarded tongue from its
idle vaporings upon subjects of such grave
and momentous import. The people Of
this country arc not spiritless scrfs to be
hectored and threatened by a military
commander, WHO at best, is but one of
their servants, and whom, if he should at
tempt to play the role of master instead of
servant, they would grind into powder.
Some of Gen. Sherman's apologists have
attempted to excuse his very reprehensible
utterances at West Point as post prandial
speech. But this is not the first time he
has let slip sentiments of this character.
lie has uttered just such before, proving
himself 10 be utterly unfit to be at the
head Of the army. He has subjected him
self to much adverse criticism, on the part
of the press, which 10 the main is much
too mild, considering the fragrant charac-
ter of the offence. We append few of
these criticisms that our readers may see
in what light Gen Sherman's scandalous
lapse is regarded
Baltimore Moraiag Herald. Reptile
commencement exercises az West Point on
Thursday of last week, were as usual attend.
ed by numbers of distinguished visitors, Cab
met, Ministers, the Executive of the Nation,
officers of the highest grade, with their fair
relatives, besides goodly allowance of ladies |
and gentlemen unattached to diplomatic or
military service. The sun, in honor of the
fets, shone forth with unwonted radiance |
The surface of the majestic Hudson was bright
as a FURNISHED mirror; steamers and sailing /
craft, gaily dressed in flags and streaming |
pennants, glided by the rock faced palisades |
and the verdnrous banks. Ecu de joie re-
echoed in the defles Of the highlands, and !
strains Of martial music at intervals noated in |
The air. 1t was a gala day at the Military |
Academy. Forty-three cadets received their |
diplomas, emitting them to receive pay and |
rations from the Government, and wear laced |
uniforms, as recognized members of our great |
military family.
The exercises took place in a small grove /
fronting the Academy. Seats we're provided |
for thousand spectators, besides a platform /
or dais was reserved for the high officials, /
who had achieved honorable fame in the Cab. |
met or the tented field.
Conspicuous among them was President /
Hayes, the Secretary OF War, the Attorney Gen /
eral, Scho6eld, Sheridan and other statesmen
and heroes known to fame. The usual pre-
liminaries being observed, speeches we're made
replete with sage homilies, patriotic sentiment
and military ardor. But the most remarka-
BILE Of all the orations was an after dinner one
delivered by General Tecumseh Sherman at
the meeting Of the West Point Alumni. In
alluding 10 the possibility of an attempt being
made TO disturb the Presidential title, that
Mr.. Hayes would have the support of the
army, did the General forget that we claim
our own Presidents are elected by a majority
of votes and not by plurality of bayonets.
The tenor Of such speech was neither poll
tic nor conciliatory. Twenty-Five thousand
soldiers ought not thus be brought in antago-
nism with free suffrage. The General is
said to be remarkably eircumspect in word
and deed, but in this instance there was too
much of defiant boast in his discourse.
The rights of citizens are the rights of sol
diers, he is paid to be the guardian not the I
foe to their liberties
Due allowances have to be made for the
hour at which this speech was delivered.
The mind on such occasions is not remarka-
bly, clear or the enumeration remarkably dis.
tinct. SIN vino veritas'