M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-08-15
who Is 70 Blame for the Manas-
sas Misfortune.

There is now but one expression,
tina. the movement upon Manassas
was great blunder-a wretched mis-.
fortune-one that not only imprints
upon the pages of our history a last
ing disgrase, but Il has shaken what
little confidence our people had left
in the ability Of the Administration
to successfully meet the requirements
OF lis position.
General Scott utterly repudiates it,
and there is no evidence that any one
OF the old officers of the Army favored
it. So far as the evidence goes the
order was given by Lincoln himself,
as Commanders Chief of the Army,
conferred upon him by the Constitu-
ton. No one doubts his authority to
give the order, but the universal opin.
ion is that it was an Inexcusable act,
and unworthy of any one in his posi-
ton. 1t is well known also that the
Fort Sumter affair was got up in op-
position to General Scctt, which pre-.
Icipitated the country in this most ru-
inous and unfortunate war.
But We are told that Mr.. Lincoln
was influenced to both these acts by
men in his Cabinet and their hangers
on out.side-men who have taken ad-
vantage of the Presidents weakness,
if it is weakness, TO fill their pockets
by contracts, and to procure appoint.
ments in the Army for which they
are incompetent to fill-thus triAing
with both the lives and property Of
the people.
These are grave charges, but they
come from Republican quarters and
those who have every opportunity of
knowing what they write about, be-
ing in the secrets Of the Washington
mysteries. The members Of the Cab
met named in this Presidential con.
clave are Mr.. Cameron, Secretary Of
War, Mr.. Wells, Secretary Of Navy
and Mr.. Blair Post Master General.
These men were all at one time Dem.
ocratS, who turned traitor to their par
ty and its Eprinciples, and will no
doubt be leaders in the "all one now"
"Do party" that is about being inaug.
urated. BY this new turn in the
"wheel Of fortune" they expect to hide
tEeir crimes from the world, and
draw new prizes in the political lot,
terry ofunprincipled tricksters.
1t is now admitted also, that they
were wholly ignorant of the strength
and even the plans ofthe Confederates
at Manassas-only some t,ceniy: :1ve
miles. from the CAPITOL This is the
strangest story Of all. But why ig,
uorant9 Were not the Republican
papers filled for months with details
OF the true state Of the Confederate
Army3 Were these all lies9 So it
seems. Had not General Greeley a
dozen runaway negroes who told him
all about iti But we suppose it nev-
er occurred to such Generals that
Beaufegard might have sent them
across the line to give the information
and probably sent prosecuted rCna-
way Union men north for the same
purpose-who knowsl
General Scott it appears was not
satisfed-General Mcdowell it ap-
pears was not satisgcd-Generai Pat.
terson looked upon the movement as
rid.culous under all the circumstan.
ces, but General Greeley and his Cab.
met staff, and Commander Lincoln,
beloved the negro stories, and went
Forward to Richmond"
Unfortunate as the affair was, it has
resulted in some good it has opened
the road to truth-exposed the imbe-
cility of those who were controlling
matters through weak Executive,
and knowledge though dearly bought
may be worth its cost though many
doubt even that Crisis.