The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-06

tho Confederate commanders report Of
the baltic that no ordered Longstroet
to him, or blamed him for tardinees
but no thinks Loo quietly took tho
responsibility for his subordinntc's errors on
his own broad shoulders. Our author has no
patience with the recent article communicated
by Iongstrect 10 the public press. in which the
failure at Gcttsyburg s charged to Lees mis-
takes. against which he UongstrocU in vain
demonstrated. " Thatnny subject" says Con.
Taylor involving the exercise OF intellect
should be clcar to Longstrcot and obscure to
Leo. is n startling proposition to those having
knowledge OF the two mon. We have biblical
authority for tho story that tho angel In tho
path was visible to the ass though unseen by tho
seer. his master; but suppose. instead OF
shifting tho honest stupid animal Balanm had
carcssed him. and thon been kicked by him.
how would the story read 2"
Gen. Taylor concurs with most competent
students OF the contest. that the issue OF the
battle OF Shiloh was a profound. almost an
irreparable misfortune to the Confederate
cause He does not doubt that one short hour
more OF life TO Sydney Johnston would have
completed Grants destruction. And there IL
much significance in our authors curt allusion
to Beauregard's assumption OF command. A.
=. Johnston. 1t will bo remembered. had
can war at the capture OF Monterey
and the writer's father. Gen. Zachary
Taylor. more than once declared him to be the
best soldier he had ever commanded In the
authors judgment he brought to the Southern
side civil and military experience. surprising
that OF any other leader. and was prominently
fitted to command Western armies. with him
at the helm. there would have been no Weeks
burg. no Missionary Ridge. no Atlanta"
We are further reminded that Johnston
was in no sense responsible for tho construc-
ton Of the forts on the Cumberland, or for the
assignment to their command Of certain politi-
cul Generals who. with a self-abnegation
worthy OF plutarch's heroes. were anxious to
get away and leave the glory and renown OF de-
fence 10 others" II was certainly no fault OF
his that his line Of communication was uncov-
cred by the fall Of these i-conceived fortresses.
and that he was compelled to retire to the south
ern bank OF the Tennessee River. although
howl OF wrath came forth against his
act. Like pure gold however. he came
out Of tho furnace tho foremost man
OF all the South. and the writer adds that had
II been possible for one heart. one mind. and
one arm 20 save her cause she lost them when
Albert Sydney Johnston fell on the field Of
Shiloh"
Several chapters ofthis work are devoted to tho
successive experiments in reconstruction and
they contain some Of the most effective writing
in tho book. His caustc portraits OF the Repub-
lican politicians. who have filed conspicuous
roles during the past fifteen years will be easily
recognized. though in many cases tho names
are suppressed. President johnson. whom he
met soon after the collapse OF the Confed-
eracy. and whose permission he sought TO visit
his relative jefferson Davis is handled with Sc
vat - wit al I
Johnson. he tells us. always postponed action.
and was of an Obstinate suspicious temper.
" Like a badger. one had 10 dig him out Of his
hole. and he was ever In ono. except when on
the hastings addressing the crowd" Tho
writer admits. however. that Johnson had ac-
quired considerable knowledge Of the principles
OF government. and had made himself fluent
speaker but that while he well understood q
few subjects lahorously studied he affected 10
despise the side lights thrown on a particular
topic by instruction in cognate matters and
evinccd n fear that others possess ing such lights
might take advantage Of him. Neither does Gen.
Taylor forget to record IN JohnsOns honor that
he never made dollar by public Office. or
abused his opportunities by nepotism. or
sinnned tn accent prasents or nnhad roGuas in
high places but ne suggests that these are hum
bic qualities. after all. to DO boosted Of by
President Of the United States. As well claim
respect for woman Of ones family on tho
ground that she has preserved her virtue. Yet
all " he continues. whose eyes were not blind
ed by partisanshp. whose manhood was not
emasculated by servility. would. in these last
years have welcomed the least Of them as
mamma In the desert" Il seems that President
Johnson was reluctant TO give the writer access
TO Jefferson Davis unless some OF the Radical
leaders could be induced TO recommend tho Pc
tition. Accordingly Gen. Taylor called to see
Thaddeus Stevens. who received him. It seems.
with some ciyility. De:ormed in body ana
temper like Caiban." says the writer this
man was the Lord Hategood Of the fair" Ho
had. We are told. the irankness OF utter cynic-
ism. wanted no restoration of the Union
under the Constitution which he called
worthless bit OF old parchment. and he
did not shrink from declaring that the
white people OF the South must never
again be trusted with power. for they would in
evitaby unite with the Northern Copperheads
and control the Government. In Stevens's
judgment. the only sound policy was TO eoniis-
cate the Southern lands and d wide them among
the negroes. to whom. sooner or later. suffrage
must be given. Touching the matter in hand
he thought Johnson was a tool 10 have captured
Davis. whom il would have been wiser to assist
in escaping. Nothing would be- done with
him, rs the Executive had only pluck enough to
hang two poor devils such a. Writ and Mrs
Surratt Had the leading traitors boen promptly
strung up. WELL but the time for that had
passed" He concluded by saying that it was
silly to refuse Gen. Taylor permission to visit
his brother-in-law. but no would not say so
publicly, as he had no desire to relieve johnson
OF responsibility
The account Of Gen. Taylor's interview with
Mr.. sumner is exceedingly curious. tngcd rs 1t
is with a satire not the less incislve because
good natured We nre told that in the Senator's
eyes. his visitor being an ex-rebel, an cx.slave
driver. and, IN destitute of the culture OF Bos-
ton. necessarily ignorant, WAS an admirable
vessel into which might be poured the stream
OF an eloquence which. 1t is limited. was largely
second hand. Il was delighted says the writer,
to listen to beautiful passages from tho classic
IA well as modern poets, dramatists. phloso-
pliers and orators. hut II was difficult to suppress
the thought while Mr.. sumner was talking, that
is Burke. or Howard. Wherefore, BrOugham.
Macaulay. Harriet Beecher Stowe. Exeter Hail.
&C." On the whole. however, the General seems
to have failed to get down 10 the particular sub
iect that Interested him. the nearest approach
to tho practical being "A disquisition on negro