Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1880-07-09
Statesman or Soldier.

Statesman or Soldier.
If there existed no material differ
ence in the political history, doctrines,
tenets, and the modes and manner to
carry out and verify the difference be-
tween the two great parties of the
country; if it were entirely immaterial
to the development of the country
whether the North or the South exer-
cised the power of the Federal Govern
ment; if the Civil War, with all its de
facto and de jure consequences, could
be expunged from the pages of history,
and the people had only to choose in
the coming Presidential election be-
tween the two men, Garfield and Han
cock, there would still remain in the
foreground the all-absorbing question:
Shall soldier or a statesman be the
Chief Magistrate of the Republic?
Hancock is a soldier, but not in that
sense of the word as hundreds of thou
sands of citizens were soldiers during
the war. He was not q volunteer who
tore himself away from his peaceful
home avocations when danger threat
ened his country; who stood ready to
sacrifice his blood and all to save it,
and who, after faithful performance of
his duties rs a soldier and patriotic
citizen, retired into private life again.
He is not one of those hundreds of
Generals who, before the war, were law
yers, architects, artisans, merchants,
etc., and after the war resumed again
their different professions. He is SOL
dier by trade, who never was ANYTHING
else since the days of his youth; one
of those West-Pointers who, like the of
ticers of the Prussian Guards, are proud
of the fact that they never followed
any civic avocation in their lives;
proud of the fact that they
do not understand anything of
the business-thrift of the citi-
zens of the land, and proud of the fact
that they never paid any attention to
political affairs. 1t is very improbable
that Mr.. Hancock has but for moment
troubled his brain with superficial ex-
animation of all those important ques-
tions that interest the Nation, and
formed an opinion relative thereto; at
least he has never given any proof that
he has. The officers of our little Amer
lean army live, as is well known, in a
little world of their own by themselves,
keep apart and away from civic life as
much as possible, and are imbued fully
as well with that pride of military caste
which the European officers possess in
such an eminent degree. Hancock is
the first candidate for the Presidency
who has been selected from this narrow
circle of professional soldiers. Even
Winfield Scott was originally lawyer,
and consequently educated for civic
life. Zachary Taylor was farmer up
to his twenty-fourth year, when he was
appointed a Lieutenant in the army.
Jackson, Harrison and Pierce were citi-
Zen-soldiers, like Hayes and Garfield.
Grant received his education in West
Point, and advanced in the army to the
rank OF Captain, but resigned and ap-
piled himself to different, even very
modest, business ways and avocations,
until the rebellion called him again into
the military service. Before he was
elected President, be passed in his
official capacity as secretary of War,
through q school in which he had ample
opportunity to study the administration
of public affairs. In contradistinction
from all those mentioned, Hancock is
the first who, in European sense of
the word, has ever been anything else
in his life but soldier by profession,
and who is as such deemed competent
by political party to guide the des-
TIMES of the Republic.
But the Southern Democrats know
what they want. They know too well
that Hancock's mental training, his
views and habits of life acquired by
II iS a1,r a
der those preliminary conditions neces-
sary to direct and guide the ship of
state with a firm and unerring hand.
They are aware of the fact that he lacks
any and all experience in matters of
State, as well as the all-important
knowledge of men and judgment of
characters. But this is the very reason |
why they desire to make him President,
because they intend, under him and his |
name, to rule themselves. They hope |
to find in him a very respectable nom
entity. Whether they Judge him cor
rectly; whether he might not become |
just as troublesome to them, perhaps, !
as Gen. MacMahon sometimes acted |
towards the reactionary elements of
France, we will not investigate. The |
main points to be considered are: the |
reasons and intentions which governed |
the Democracy in the selection of their
Garfield is no more a soldier by pro-
fession than the citizen who assists in
extinguishing a confagration can be
a fireman. He began his ca
reer as common labOrer ut pitiful |
salary of $40 a month. BY his own ex-
srtions he acquired a high scientific
and elevated himself to the
position of leading statesman. AS
with Hancock, who from his
stood in the regular military
service of the United States; who never
knew priyations and hardships; who
never was compelled by the force of
TO gain subsistence by
the sweat of his brow during the day
lime and his education during the
silent hours Of night, Garfield Is a !