The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1880-04-11
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q national Affairs during an important
war. In former times the military
chieftain, who led the army, occupied
the most prominent position, and was
then the chief actor in the drama. as he
l. now the grand central figure Of the
period in which he lived, As recorded In
the pages Of history.
AT the present time all this is changed.
The statesmen who conduct national
Affairs in the time of peril, and not the
general who leads the amy, is the hero
Of the occasion. In the late Franco
Prussian war, Bismarck. the great Ger
man statesman, and not Won Molkte.
the Prussisn general. conducted the
war 10 q successful issue, and justly
receives credit for the judicious meas
ures that conduced 70 such wonderful
results. In the same war, on the French
side, not one single military man ae-
quired permanent celebrity; but Thiers,
the eminent politician, by his skiliful
management and well considered plans,
In a degree Ieutralized the blunders Of
the French generals, and saved France
from the full effects of their yer
whelming defeats.
Abraham Lincoln Is the grand cen
trail figure OF our civil a IL Is true
that eminent names appear among the
leaders OF the armies, anne Of which
the entire nation Is proud, ond justly
proud. Grant, sherman, Thomas, Sher-
ldan, and many others, by their deeds
have gained abiding reputation and n
permanent place in the history Of the
nation. But great rs are the names Of
the above mentioned generals, that Of
Lincoln Is greater still. His Is a much
brighter reputation, and his a more en-
during fame. The mann Of Lincoln
to-day inspires greater enthusiasm than
that Of any man who lived during the
late rebellion.
Gen. Grant became the hero OF the
civil wal after Lincoln's death, but not
until then. Hs was elected TO oil the
place Of his lamented predecessor; and
we but repeat what the events Of his
administration proved, when we state
that Gen. Grant was not a worthy sue
cessor Of Abraham Lincoln. Gen.
Grant proved himself TO be n great SOL
der; but he was not a Bismarck, moi q
Theirs, nor a Lincoln. His proper
sphere was at the head of the army, he
wa fitted for military life, and that
only. Better would II have been for his
fame, and far better for the country, II
he had been satisfied with the command
Of the army. and the people, undazzied
by his military reputation, had left him
IN his proper place. In all this we mean
no disrespect 10 Gen. Grant. With the
exception Of Washington. no military
man has made n good president. Gen.
jackson, perhaps the ablest soldier that
America has v produced, while pres
ident introduced some Of the worst fea-
lures Of our government, which may In
the course Of time cause Its destruc-
ton. Among other innovations that
date from his first term, Is the doctrine
that to the victor belong the spolls.
The removals from Office before his
election were exceedingly few. and were
In every, OF almost every instance, for
cause. He first introduced the system
OF n wholesale change Of government
officials, on the Inauguration OF q new
administration. His action in regard
to the currency seriously deranged the
business Of the nation, and perhaps gave
rise to the panic Of 1887.
Gen. Taylor and Gen. Harrison both
died during their term OF Office, SC that
u fair criticism of their administration
Is impossible.
OF Gen. Grants two terms, we will
initiate the example OF his admirers,
and say nothing, rs we have no desire to
stigmatize the character Of q man to
whom the country owes much, and
whose eminent services during the war
more than counterbalance the errors OF
his administration, and the evils that
must justly be charged to them.
With the exception Of Washington, a
great soldier and a greater statesman.
military presidents therefore have all
proved failures; and the remark made
by Daniel Webster, after the nominal
ton of Gen. Taylor, applies to all: