The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-06-20


reat many more than the actual veterans.
leading chieftain, who fought "all
through" such as General Hancock, is put
p against him.
The truth is, the popular instinct is right
,hich prefers men of military pretmincnce
or the Chief Magistracy. 1t is great con-
ervative tendency which intrusts the guar
lianship of the nation and the execution of
he popular will to leaders tried and true ON
he field of battle, the hour of supreme need |
% the Republic. This is because the two
,reat traits or qualities needed in the high |
,st station, responsibility and obedience, are
developed AMI made manifest most especially |
in army life. A President must he ready to
shoulder the weight of great accountability,
and at the same time to curb and temper his
will TO those who are above and behind him
the people and the laws. The general has
his army upon his hands, he must decide
quickly and finally on measures which may
and at the same time he can be no arbitrary
tvrant. but must bend at once to the stern
code of military law, and the order of any
superior. This irmness and poise of mind
make up what is so valuable in the EXecu-
tive chair.
Furthermore, the charge:.ot an army, men
in their most immediate and concrete state,
is by far the most valuable education for the
charge of great country. In fact, this is
the only school for government that exists.
For mere administrative functions there may
indeed be experience in the civil bureaux,
but who would think of promoting clerk
by regular steps to the Presidency A per
petual series of competitive examinations
running up to the summit of affairs, or any
thing like it, produces simply paralysis, as
we see in China. Progress can only be made
under man of vigorous and Independent
mind.
What are the duties of commander
Above and through all, he must enforce
discipline. His camps are his state OF
| city, of which lie is the only governor.
| They must be guarded against attack from
| without, mutiny and disorder within. Po
| lice and sanitary duties go forward only
more vigorously than among peaceful citi
zens Emergencies arise more sharply
and must be met with greater activity anc
industry than by any ordinary civil ad
ministration. Then comes the great branci
of commissariat, the feeding and quarterinl
| of great host without running into ruin
Gus expense on one hand, or cruel eXactioi
on the surrounding population on the other
raised, as We may say, to greater power, tn
square or cube of their usual intensity.
is virtually relaxation for the warrior t
pass to the quieter sphere of the Executiv
Office. The actual brute fighting of an arm
is very small part of its life, although
is in this, of course, that purely marti;
genius scars TO the highest pitch.
! II this course of argument seems rathf
abstract, it is easy to descend to particulars
, save that the general public will not rea
. historical parallels, and We have no DESIRE
lombard them with the biographical dictioi
= ary. Let every one appeal to his own rea'
ing and knowledge. Eminent men has
been in the council and ON the chair of sta
Just what they have been in the field. I'll
geniuses and born directors of events, C;esa
Cromwell, Frederick, Napoleon Bonapart
have shone with exactly equal lustre in bot
aspects. The great and good and disinte
ested, who have won affection and esteem
have done so alikein field and forum. The r.
proach that attaches among lovers of liberi
10 usurpers like the first named, is easiI
cOunterbalanced by instancing such soldier
statesmen, and patriots combined as for il
5 stance, Agricola and Germanicus The poil
G we wish to make above all is that the Il
: velopment of these minds to the full graz
deur of their duplex station was no mel
i coincidence and not something that wouI
! have happened as of course but, II we wi
4 examine their histories closer, their earl
= schooling and strengthening was in arm
II their civil prominence followed as the =
a suit of it.
y 1t is no depreciation of General llanco,
to say that he is not the Roman, English,
" Corsican dictator, when we can add that
f is Of the stuff of the wise, honest, and bra
i consuls of Britain and the Rhine. II Il
"a name of Washington himself had not been
as cheapened by bringing it into every discu
, sion, even so low az a comparison with Il
" sordd qualities of Il Grant, We would con
"a IDENTIFY appeal TO that as the best instance
:, point. We do not defend General lianco
In from the charge of being soldier" only
0s loldier" as some choose to put tive &C
At fidently claim the nomination and the ell
= tion for him, If only on that ground alone