The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-05-16
TIE FzIE FORKS LNQEIRI J,

The style of eXamination-in-chief adopted
by General Waren's counsel, Mr.. Stickney,
in putting questions to General Sheridan,
fully justifes The SUNDAY HERALD's position
that this Court of Inquiry ought never to
have been convened. The attempt is obvi-
Gus to make this n trial of General Sheridan,
and not except indirectly means of setting
General Warren right. The methods adopted
by criminal lawyers to badger witnesses
whose testimony they are seeking to impeach
have characterized the whole of Mr.. Stick
ney's questions. As it is evident that
General Grant had some doubt whether
Warren would prove such subordinate as
would satisfy as energetic commander as
Sheridan, it is pity he did not relieve him
before the movement began. But a. there
was no conceivable motive to actuate Sheri.
dan except his obvious interest in having the
most efficient service possible, the attempt at
this late day to persecute and annoy the
general under whose command the most
brilliant and above all the most fruitful,
victories of the whole war were won, for not
shrinking at what must have been disa-
greeable duty, will only react upon those
who set about it. The New York Herald
correctly says;
General Sheridan performed IN that act relieving
General Wairenl part of the necessary function Of
commander. The act could not have been Agreeable
to him, and he is assure1y not TO be swayed
great concerns by any mere spirit OF spite lie found
the Fifth Corps handled his satisacion he be-
ieved Warren was TO blame tor 1t and he removed
him. General Warren may be able to show facts that
will soften somewhat the bad aspect Of for
him, but a court Of experienced commanders cannot
disregard the great point of sherIdan's responsibility
When this inquiry was first ordered The Sun
DAY HERALD said it could do no public good,
- while it will be a most mischievous prece.
" dent" which If the same " vindication 4"
were - accorded TO every officer similarly ag-
"grieved would open a lmitless series of
" pickering inquiries, fruitless Of anything
" but bad blood aud insubordinate rancor,"
and We pointed out that the subject of the in
QUESTION "was a simple exercise of the abso-
" Lutte power which every general must have
" over the force he is directing, II was an act
" of command not of discipline and the only
" appeal was 10 General SherIdans own
" superior III command. The proceeding
" just instituted is in the nature of trial of
" the superior officer for exercising his law
" ful authority over his command. Sheridan
+" is to have his reasons for relieving Warren
" "inquired into. Nothing could be more
" pernicious to the morale Of the service or
'' more likely to instill the spirit Of insub-
" ordination into the minds of young on
" GERS. The true principle is this;
" tie subordinate should feel hGt he must not
" only do his jul duty but must make his supe-
" riOr. feel hat he is doing II. TO fail may NOT
+" be a fauit, but is misfortune for whieh there
" can be no redress.'
The reports of the proceedings of the past
two weeks on Governors Island confirm to
the fullest extent the profound impression of
the mischievousness of such Inquiries under
which the above was written.