r was the primary cause which finally led to
the impeachment of the President of the United States. The cause
of this trouble has seemed to be inherent in the form and character
of the government. An essential provision of the Constitution
makes the President commander-in-chief of the army and navy. It
is manifestly indispensable that the executive head of a government
be clothed with this authority. Yet the President is not, as a
rule, a man of military education or experience. The exigencies
of party politics also seem to require, in general, that the
Secretary of War be a party politician, equally lacking with the
President in qualifications for military command.

The art of war has in all ages called forth the highest order of
genius and character, the great captains of the world having been
esteemed as among the greatest men. So, also, and in continually
increasing degree in modern times, the military art has called for
scientific education of the very highest character, supplemented
by practical experience. It cannot be questioned that the military
profession requires ability, education, and practical training no
less than the legal or any other profession. A Supreme Court of
the United States composed of merchants and bankers would be no
more of an anomaly than a body of general and staff officers of
like composition. The general policy of our government seems to
be based upon a recognition of this self-evident principle. We
have a national military academy and other military schools inferior
to none in the world, and well-organized staff departments which
are thoroughly efficient in war as well as in peace. The laws also
provide a due proportion of subordinate general officers for the
command of geographical departments in time of peace, or of divisions
and brigades in the field in time of war. But no provision is made
for an actual military commander of the entire army either in peace
or in war. During only a single year since the adoption of the
Constitution of the United States has this not been the fact. In
pursuance of a special act of Congress and the orders of President
Lincoln, General Grant in fact commanded "all the armies of the
United States" during the last year of the Civil War; but at no
other time has there been an actual military commander of the army
or armies whose authority as such was recognized by the War
Department.

Why, it may be asked, this strange departure from the re