Democrat And Sentinel

Bad Appointments.

The disastrous result of the action at Great Bethel, between the U. S. troops and the Secessionists, should teach the National Administration a valuable lesson. According to all the accounts we have received, the defeat of our troops was attributable to the unsoldierlike conduct of Gen. Pierce, who lost his self possession at the very time when it was imperatively demanded. This illustrates the evil effects which will flow during the present war, from the War Department making appointments not fit to be made. Brave soldiers cannot accomplish anything, if commanded by ignorant, inexperienced, rash or cowardly officers. No man is a military officer by intuition. A knowledge of the profession of arms can only be acquired by careful and patient study; but this will not make a perfect and accomplished military officer, unless nature has been liberal in furnishing the talents necessary to reduce the theoretical knowledge acquired to practice. It is nonsense to suppose that because a man is an eminent Lawyer or Statesman, he will make an excellent General, Colonel, Major or Captain. The reverse will generally hold good. Nature and Education must combine to make a good military officer, and when they fail to do so, a very inferior article may be looked for. The Secretary of War in making appointments, seems to pay little or no attention to the abilities or qualifications of the persons whose claims are submitted to his consideration. It is sufficient for him to know that they are his pets and favorites and prominent politicians of the Republican Party. Men have been appointed to high and responsible offices in the army, who probably never shouldered a musket in their lives, and would not have cut a respectable figure as Captain of a militia training in the olden time. This is a matter to which a stop should be put to at once. Lawyers, Doctors and Editors are the class of men from whom the enlightened Simon, who so long presided with much dignity over the destinies of the Middletown Bank, seems disposed to make all his selections for military appointments. The graduates of West Point and the Veterans of the Mexican War are decidedly below par. They are nowhere when a lawyer or a politician presents himself, and solicits an appointment. It is said that one of the editors of the New York World, who knows just as much about a sword or musket, as a hawk does about a hand-saw, has been commissioned as a Brigadier-General in the army. This thing must be stopped immediately, if the Government desires to avoid a series of disastrous defeats of our army in the present war.