The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-11-08

Sic WdN Ut tahtu dDdCk, NIlilOut udilllS u
cry out to the man at the helm either TO
port" or "starboard 1t is not, | swear
both profanely and religiously, pleasant
sight to see. while to windward of US is
long, low, black, piratical craft, all right and
tight, her men at her quarters, her sheets
well home, her guns well shotted, steady
eye on her sails and compass, and strong
hand at the wheel.
lake case in point, the event Of to-day.
l happen to know that Gen Stone said about
week since, to an officer high in rank in
his division, that there would be no fighting
along his line for twenty days. Within half
that time a force subject 10 his command
goes out against one about three times their
number TO meet with defeat so disastrous
that We are only permitted to learn the truth
plece-meal, and at its head falls one, senator
and general, whose life the country could i'll
afford to lose, dead on the field of battle
How long are We to be led by such general
ship? How often are We TO repeat this ex-
pertinent OF being overwhelmed By superior
force
Take another instance: Gen Fremont IS
to be removed from the head Of the western
department when in front of the enemy, and
when such an act cannot fail to dishearten
his own army. and encourage that opposed
TO him. Il he is so incompetent or dishon
est as to justify a step so hazardous, the gov
ernment knew it fortnight ago as wel! as
they do to-day, and his removal should have
been made before he took the field. Not to
have done it then shows one OF two things
either the administration wanted the courage
TO do the right thing at the right time. or II
ha, DELAYED doing wrong thing because It
wanted the facts TO justify il. on which to go
to the country. When the facts shall come
to be published when Gen Thomas's report
of his own and Secretary Cameron's visit TO
the West shall be given 10 the world-if it
ever is-there will be some ground. a. least
for believing the latter dilemma to be the
one in which the administration found itself.
/ 1t will be remembered that Col Blair's charge
/ OF lncOmpetency. extravaganza, and pecula
ton against Gen Fremont was first made IN
( a letter to the postmaster general. At a
subsequent date he was called upon 10 make
that charge good, the specifications were
published. Those specifications recountted
certain alleged facts which occurred subse-
quent to the date of the original charge
! They proposed to find Kim guilty on an er
post tuct" Indictment. When Gen Thomas's
report, all Of which have seen, is published.
it viii he found TO be liable 10 the same OBJ
jec,ion. Mr. Secretary Cameron carried
with him 10 Missouri an order tor Gen Frc-
mont's removal. This Lnow to be true
Ine order certainly should have been based
on evidences of Frcmont'S incapacity and
dishonesty which has already trarspired.-
But he is not removed till Gen Thomas's re-
Hor. i made TO the cabinet, and in conse-
quence Of il. Yet that report, consisting
partly OF hertsay evidence winch would not
justify the removal OF a hoy-reeve from office,
is made up. in i great measure. o. acts COM
nltted by Gen Fremont since he left - Lou
is. and OF which Cameron and Thomas knew
nothing when thy let Washington. | Go
not mean here 10 go into any discussion Of
this Fremont business. but it is idle to denv
there are some millions Of people who hon
estly believe that il IS 4 case of sheer perse-
cution. and that for some reason or other he
is to be punished, without trial, on accusa-
tons merely Of crime and incompetency,
which other men are known 10 have commit
Ted with entire implniiy. As ours is 4 gov
eminent Of the people, and as the people
have hitherto led rather than followed the
administration in the conduct OF the war. is
i; well. a; such juncture. and on such sup
posed facts even as these, to toreso our
right Of criticism and ofjudgment?
Again: it IS fact which it IS useless COR
US to try 70 wink out Of sight. that all that
We have Yet done toward suppreS>ing this
rebellion is to withhold the little state OF
Maryland from in>urrecii0n and y protect
Washing ston-W ashington. Ju.i:td and threat
ened on one side. for weeks together. by
battery Ct stoye-pipeS and wooden guns. To
protect the capital Is good thing, ana Hea-
ven preserve Us from any more advance
movements Ike the mlSler-1i-id at Bull
Run. But will no charge o: in,fiiciencv
stand against the government | don't
forget the ready answer: We Were with
out an army and without a navy, and in sev-
en- months We have done wonders in the Gre
alton or reconstruction OF both. True; but
who did it? Was il the energy of the peop-
!e acting on the government, or the energy
OF the government acting on the people p
Mr. Attorney General Bates answered that
question, when he sad, I've Che admins
tratlOn) are like bees, liable to be smotherei
in cur own honey" And neither DO forget
that other TACT, that great as our efforts have
been, the insurreclionists, without cur re-
Z sources. without a naval vessel, with less
than halt our population, with an internal
enemy to look after, have compelled Us to
concentrate nearly all our forces at one point,
aad have not permitted Us to gain single
advantage over fhrm. Of any nnrnent NM