Year: 1862

gogucs, nave attached to them prac-
tical application to the present condi-
ton Of affairs, which it was never in
tended that they should bear. Thus
they have come to base upon them
false ideas, both as - the nature of
their own duties, and as to the conduct
of the war by the Government. We
believe that these falacies have even
penetrated to higher places, and have
injured the counsels and policy of those
from whom clearer insight into such
matters might be reasonably expected
Such phrases are, "this is peoples
war, ""thepeoplc are waging this war;"
"the uprising Of great people" !" "citi-
zen soldiery," "a great nation in arms,''
ETC., etc. Limited to their proper
sphere - which is certainly large
enough-these phrases are very proper
and expressive. This is war waged
by people. The heart of the nation
is in it. 1t is Undoubtedly the most
popular war since the beginning of the
world. The whole north has but one
mind, but one though, ,-men women
and children-and that is to carry on
this war. Moreover, it is the people,
who, speaking through their lawful
representatives, entered into the war,
and carry it on. 1t is the citizens of
tie Republic who have become its
soldiers.


All this is very true and just. But
there is class of persons who would
have the power of the people extend
Immediately and practically to every
detail, and every individual particular
of the warfare. 1t is not enough for
them that the representatives of the
people dictate the policy, and hold the
purse strings of the Republic that an
executive elected by the people ap-
points the officers, and organizes the
troops which fight for them. They
seem to be perpetually on the alert for
fear some imagined wish of the peo-
pie should not be fulfilled. The peo-
pie, we are continually tcld, demands
such and such a course. They wish to
know why such campaign is adopted.
They will not submit to such and such
measures, to the removal of such q
general, or the non-appointment of an
other. The newspaper correspondents,
must not be excluded from the army,
because this is the peoples war, and
they have right to know what is 60
ing on. 1t was but few weeks ago
that an editor of New York newspa-
actually had the impudence to
claim that he was speaking for twenty
millions of people, and to address the
President of the United States, and ask
him to alter his policy.


Such words and ideas as these can
not but lead to discord and confusion,
and must, if perscvered in, cause a
great deal of trouble to our cause, 1T
not seriously impede it. Let the peo-
pie leave the war and its conduct to
their generals--who are not only their
own fellow citizens, but who have re-
ceived their appointments mediately
from their hands. They are trained
soldiers, who have made war the bust.
ness study and business of their lives.
If they cannot successfully conduct the
war and bring it to a speedy termina-
ton, certainly no one else in the nation
can. 1t is the very essence ofall mil
itary strategy that there should be but
one head to plan, whilst there are many
hands to execute. Let the people
trust the war to their generals; let
them be willing to wait for a little
while, even if they do not understand
the meaning of this Or the other move
mcnt, and even if they do not have all
the latest news from the arnies they
may desire. We forget what old Ro.
man General it was who told the Sen
ate in very nearly these words, "that
if they thought they could carry on
the war better than he, they might try
it, but SO long as he was general, he
would not be interfered with" The
Senate were silent, and took his ad
vice. So will the American people, il
they are wise. The Roman General
was successful. Our destiny lies still
in the future.