Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1861-08-02

] That the movement on Bulls run was
made when the odds were greatly in the rc-
bels' favor, no one now doubts Too little
was known Of the condition and number of
the rebels forces !; and instead Of having the
combined action of McDowell's, Patterson s
and McClellan's divisions brought against
them, not half of the force under Mcdowell
alone, was brought to bear upon the enemy.
Good may come out of the failure but the
failure is none the less real Inc impression
is strong that Lieut.. General Scott himself
let the public clamor, and the pressure from
members of Congress and some mem bers of
the Administration, warp his Judgment, 50
that he gave the ORDER for the movement,
sooner than he had proposed to do. If the
conversation reported in the remarks of Mr..
Richardson of H., in the Houac, ON We'd
nesday is fairly stated, we have the declara-
tions OF General Scott to that effect. Mr..
Richardson charged the Republicans with
urging on the battlo before the General was
ready for it.
Mr.. Richardson said repeat that Gen.
Scott had been forced to hght this battle. |
will tell you what occurred Yesterday morn
ing. My colleagues (Lcsln and Washbulne)
and myself were present with the President,
the Secretary of War and General Scott. In
the course OF our conversation General Scott
remarked: - ! am the biggest coward in the
worli." rose from my seat. "Stay." SAID
Gen. Scott, " will prove it. | have fought
the battle against my judgment. and think
the President ought to remove me to-day for
doing it. As God Is my judge" he added,
after an interval Of silence, 81 did all in
power to make the army efficient, and |
deserve removal because did not stand up
when ] could and did not.
Mr.. Washburne-As my colleague has &c
ierrcd to Gen. Scott's remarks he might also
allude to what the President said.
Mr.. Richardson-I will do So. - Your
mpliec.' stid the President to
Gen. Scott. :" that forced you to battle
To which Gen. Scott replied " have never
served under President who has been kinder
to ne than You have been But Gen. Scott
did not relieve the President from the fact Of
the latter having forced him to fight the
battle. Gen. Scott thus paid a mpiImcnt
to the President personally. | desire to say
Of the President that nave known him from
boyhood. Ii you let him alone he Is an
honest man. Laughter But am afraid
he has not tirnnesS to stand up against the
politicians around him.
1t is no new thing in the history Of cim-
paigns hit Generals Of consummate rru-
Ience and skill, sometimes have Their judy
nents biased by an overwhelming pressure
IF public sentiment and if this sentiment
prevails in legislative bodies, and among ofh-
,ials of high standing, it is So much the
II ore difficult TO resist its effects great
many conditions enter INTO the question. By
constant repetition and enforcement
some Of these conditions have dir
weigh: given to them, and
,thers quite as important, receive less consid-
,ration than they deserve. One of the
worst defeats of Washington himself came
rom his yielding to the carping and clamcr
,us spirit of Congress and of the public
generally lie had to determine which risk
Vas the greatest t. run, that of losing
,attlc or that Of losing the public support if
lie did not yield to the public demand. lie
hose the former and lost the battle of
3randy-winc-a far heavier loss to tie
Americans then than our losses at Bulls
Run are to the Americans now.