The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-10

OF our Government had left Tor poSterity.
Since then there has been no restraint
! upon American development and no bar
rler to American progress. The story OF
the revolution and the rebellion will be
read by future generations, not in the
narration of their causes or incidents,
but mainly in the lives of the master
minds who participated in those struS-
giles We now read the Revolution in the
careers and achievements OF Wash
ington. Jefferson, Hamilton, and Samuel
I and John Adams. and their compatriots:
Our marvellous material development and
the pace at which we have advanced in
every department of national activity
since 1865 make the great cisil strife seem
as distant almost as the classic tales of
( our student days. AS Washington stands
out in the first of our crucial contests. so
does Lincoln in the second. About Lin
coin cluster Grant, Sherman. Sheridan,
I Logan. Mcpherson, and a host of other
heroes.
In the crisis of our fatesas nation
God seems TO have raised up and pre-
pared men specially for the accomplish
ment of the wonderful purposes which he
had in store for the Republic. But these
wonderful intelligences. ready for great
occasions and the accomplishment of his
toric deeds, are inactive and undistin-
guished in communities like ours until
their country calls them TO duty.
The Mexican war at once fired the i'm
agination of the adventurous youth of
our land. 1t carried young Logan, with
a musket, as a private IN the ranks of
! his company across the Rio Grande. and
he won his shoulder straps in the bloody
battles under Generals TAYLOR and Scott
/ This baptism of fire opened the mind en-
larEcd the horizon, and pointed out
larger future than ever dreamed of be-
fore for himself and for his country to
this enthusiastic lad.
"A most difficult thing for anyone is TO
escape from his surroundings of neigh
borhood, traditions, provincialisms. and
family. IL IS more =er;GiiS task, if
born leader has discovered the errors of
opinion OF himself and his nsigiibors and
attempts to remain their leaoer by con-
verting them to his new born ID as. There
was no more unpromisins sec. on of the
United States in which u car Union
man and a Federal sold'-r Ian the an
cient Egypt of Illinois. hai been set
tled by shareholders, ar the sons of
Shareholders and its pecn'- from blood
relationship, sympathy. anss- association,
were in thorough accord with the slave
holding States from which they had come.
Young Logan became their Idol and he
was their representative i'm Congress. The
nearly unanimous vote by which he was
sent to Washington illustrated the close
ness and confidence between himself and
this constituency. He was "A tower of
strength for the reactionary views and
purposes OF the slavery leaders in Con-
gress: but underneath the sentiment and
principles of the party to which he was
devoted, there brightly burned spirit
Of liberty
When hostilities began. a weaker man
than Logan would have sided with his
South. Had he been with them. an in
surrection in southern Illinois. barring
the way of the Union army to Kentucky
and Tennessee, would have been a fright
full blow to the success of the national
cause. 1t was a conflict in which on the
one side he would apparently lose his
home and his political future to enlist in
cause which, at that hour and atmos-
phere. seemed well-nigh hopeless; while
on the other in addition to the hardships
and perils of war, would be ceaseless dan
gers from enemies both in front and rear.
Logan is the finest example of the vol
unteer soldier Around the nucleus of
| little army Of 5000 regulars gathered
million Of volunteers who formed in an
incredibly brief space Of time the most
magnificent and resistless body of sol
diery of modern or ancient times. They
demonstrated in the quicSness with which
the army was mobilized and disciplined
in the steadiness and endurance which it
exhibited as if trained veterans. and in
its peaceful disbandment nd return to
the pursuits of peace after the close of
the war, that the strength and reliance
of our country rest upon its citizen sol
Giery This experiment also demon
strated that while the citizen soldiers are
engaged in gainful pursuits and increas-
ing the wealth of the country. an ade-
quate army composed of those who select
| soldiers career, can protect the public
property, suppress instruction, meet i'm
mediate and eNigent requirements at
home or abroad, and that we need have
no apprehension OF militarism or of
Caesarism. The Regular Army is but the
pickets and the skirmishers OF that vast
host who, from the mountains and val
leys, from plains and cities, from ham
let's and towns, are ready TO respond to
the call to arms for the protection of
their liberties from within or the defence
of their country from abroad.
'Logan's brilliant career emphasizes
the necessity for a military education.
| In arms as in art. in the professions. and
the industries, the severest training and
the best education are the requisites for
success in our day of terrific compete
ton. We will not dispute Logan's claim
carried too far in his enthusiasm, of the
distinction Of the natural soldier; but
great as were The merits and the success
of our general, If his genius had been
trained, broadened, and strengthened by
the drill and discipline of the academy
the fort, and the field. he would have
stood in the front rank of the command
ers of great armies of modern times.
The magnanimity and generosity OF this
thunderbolt Of war We're marked as
his courage. When Grant became i'm
patient because General Thomas fingered
at Nashville instead of moving upon the
enemy, he sent Logan to supersede him.
When Logan arrived at Cincinnati he
learned that Thomas had started. He
Knew that he could reach Thomas army
before n battle. and that he had before
him that greatest temptation and oppor-
tunity for a sodier-a significant and de-
cisive vi, tory. But he knew Thomas, the
Rock of Chickamapga. He knew that
Thomas had made The preparations with
such care that failure was impossible. He
knew that the honors were due to the or
eanizer of the prospective triumph, and
he delayed plucking the laureIs that were
within his grasp. that they might adorn
the brow OF Thomas. So again In the
bloody battle of Atlanta, Mcpherson fell
at the beginning of the fight. He was the
idol 0. the army and one of the most