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

OF the Army Vi IhO Ont'SN ' r"
the fool at the West Point alumni dinner,
on the 18th inst In reply to the toast
ssThe President of the United States, ne
spoke of the investigation of the electoral
frauds by committee of the House OF
Representatives and its possible effect on
the title of Mr.. Hayes to the presidency
as follows:
aMr. Hayes,'' he said, appeared to many
to be mild-maunered gentleman, ana SO ne
was:', but the General gave his listeners W
understand that Mr.. Hayes was also some,
thing more. He said that ''if the time shoui9
come when he would be required to defend
his right to the place he occupies ne wo1lu
he found to have the requisite nerve and oe-
Termination; he knew his right and dareo W
maintain it, and what was more, the ariny'
sworn TO defend the constituted authorizes,
would see to it that he was sustained III 'he
effort"
Cen. Sherman should understand that
the military is subordinate to the civil
power, in this country, and that when ne
threatens the representatives OF the people
with the sword, he takes a position, In
word. at least, which, followed up by deed,
would imperil his head as military out
law. If the avenging sword of the civil
power did not speedily overtake him, there
would be thousands of patriot arms nerVeo
to the sacred duty of his swift and certain
taking off. Let not this maudlin military
braooart deceive himself with the fancy
that he would be secure at the head OF the
army of which he speaks, and OF which ne
is commander. The army itself, OF It's
own yolition, moved by its patriotic In
stincts, would avenge his crime against
civil liberty. There is not private SOL
dier 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 iagitious than this speech OF Sher-
man has occurred since Grant summoned
the soldiery around the Capitol to overaWe
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 MS
sport aud pastime, he would have learned
when too late, that the army would not
have availed him; and 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
not hope to fair any better, if, in mo-
ment 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,
and restrain his unguarded tongue from its
idle vaporings upon subjects of such grave
and momentous import The people of
this country arc not spiritless serfs to be
hectored and threatened by 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 reprehenslble
utterances at West Point as post prandial
speech. But this is not the first time he
has let slip sentiments of this character.
He has uttered just such before, proving
himself to 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 in 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 Morning Herald, Reptile
commencement exercises at 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
fete, shone forth with unwonted radiance.
The surface of the majestic Hudson was bright
as FURNISHED mirror; steamers anu salnng
craft, gaily dressed in flags and streaming
penpapts, giIded by the rock-faced palisades
and the verdurous banks. Ecu de JOE re-
echoed in the defles of the highlands, and
strains of martial music at intervals foated 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 small grove
fronting the Academy. Seats were provided
for thousand spectators, besides 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 Cen
erai, Schofield, Sheridan and other statesmen
and heroes known to fame. The usual pre-
liminaries being observed, speeches were 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
abiding to 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 majority
of votes and not by plurality of bayonets-
The tenor of such q 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 circumspeet in word
and deed, but in this instance there was too
much of a defiant boast in his discourse.
The rights of citizens are the rights of sol
diers, he is paid to be the guardian not the
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 enunciation remarkably dis