Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-02-01
Speech Of Hon. John A. ourIey.
His Views Of 'fNInsterly Inactivity"

4lOu' JOnn n, OuEley, m6mOeT OF congress
from this District, made strong speech in
the House on Wednesday last, in fayor'of o
vigorous prosecution of the war. We give
below an abstract Of his remarks:
He said it was use'ess to attempt to dis.
puise fact now almost every where rec
ognized, that we must have a more active
and practical war policy ia Congress, in the
Cabinet, but more especiaily in the field, or
we might prepare for a foreign and domestic
war Of several Jears duration. Proceeding
az at present with our military campaign, IL
would be no strange thing to have the
"Sou'bern Confederacy" acknowledged by
foreign powers, aud our Government would
then stand before the civilized world
humiliated and disgraced. Our army had
long been ready, and our soldiers were burn
ing with desire to strike at the traitors
and painting for the battle field. We had
earnestly cast about for bold and daring
leader for the great contest, and it was pain.
ful to confess, at this late day, that the
country had looked in vain for a
commander.in chief exhibiting the will
and The requisite enterprise and genius
to lead our forces on to action. He asked
what stood in the way of meeting the en-
emy2 Was it the fear that somebody would
be hurt or did the ghost of Bull Run hover
about the minds Of our commanding Gene
rals2 We had lost more men by disease
and sickness during the last five months
than we should probably have lost in half a
dozen general engagements, and hundreds
OF millions of money had been spent, and
one of the largest armies of the world gath
cred to remain comparatively idle, and be-
come weak and demoralzed by inactivity
II we desired the respect of our own people
% y
would strike out boldly for victory, and
trust to good powder, strong arms, to
we'll aimed guns, and TO God. 1t would be
better TO meet with occasional reverses than
to remain inactive. If we did not fght
with justice, right and human freedom on
our side, our people would become discour.
aged, the Treasury bankrupt, and the Gov
eminent brought into contempt. Did a
General stand in the way to hold in check
more than half million of men; take him
out of the way, give his place to anoi her, if
there be no other remedy. Generals, of
themselves, are nothing in this contest, when
thrown into the balance against the honor
ard Integrity of the Union. If the Angel
Gabriel commanded our forces aud failed to
march against he enemy, he wool petition
to the court TO which be holds al egiauce for
his instant dismissal. This war had rea ,hed
q point where kid gloves, pleasant words
and gided promises were of no use The
hour demanded hard words and harder
blows. This contest must close either in the
ruin of Republic that has been the admtra-
tion Of the world, and possibly the destruc-
ton of civil aud religious freedom in Amer
icn, or in the perfect supremacy of law
and order, and the stability of our institu
tions. He had faith in the latter result for
revolutions move the world forward, never
backward. He asked the clerk to read a
striking article from the Richmond Dispatch,
showing up our military buuders Its truth.
fulness, he said, could not be denied. We
had let slip golden opportunities for crush.
ing this rebellion and of achieving brilliant
victories. The great cause of dissatisfaction
among our troops was that they were moi
permitted to strike at the rebels He pre-
ferred no charge against the Commander in
Chief, bu', in his judgment, the mau did no
live who could successfully command 600, 0Ol
zen, scattered over territory of 2, 900 miles
Yet the destiny of this Republic had Ions
hung upon the volition of the will of single
man. No other Government invested il
Generals with such unlimited authority
No man had been found great en- lugh t
use the supreme command of even Jhret
hundred thousand soldiers. A fact of tht
tremendous burden thrown upon tn
shoulders of our young General should b
removed, and divided so as to call out tn,
best energies of the best officers, aud secur
| general unity of action. Thus far our com
i nanders have been victims Of some fixed
unalterable plan, the point of one mind
which plan had accomplished but one market
result. 1t had prevented five hundred thou
sand men from attempting precisely wha
they came together to accomplish; that wa
TO fight and whip the enemy. The yer,
men who must receive the shock of battl
were those who complained most of mac
tivity. He said that il the question were let
to them, ten out of twelve would say Their
had been no necessity for the delay of th
! past four months. He revealed no secre
when he stated that the great plan was t
strike at all points. 1t was simple impossi
bility that every arrangement was to be mad
in Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia, so that
as by q single click of the clock, all woul
rush upon the enemy at once, and crush tn
rebellion at single blow. Whatever on
army accomplished must be as our troops il
Kentucky bad gloriously done; not by sig
nal from Washington, but by striking boldl
at the enemy where they might be found
! Why should the great army of the Union
idle when soldiers and civilians every
where were imploring for action? East Ten
nessee bad asked for one hundred thousan
men for defense against the rebels Tn
prayer bad been answered by the announce
ment that no troops could be spared fro1
the army OF the Potomac. Yet there wer
absent from that army few days ago, aud
was about the general average, on busineS
or pleasure, or other objects nearly on
Thousand officers and seven thousand pr
Yates, an army Of themselves as large as wa
required to save Tennessee. 1t was nc
necessary to 90 tOTennessee for an ilustratio
of the want of enterprise and daring on th
part of the controlling manager of the army
He bad it from authority, and it could NJ
be questioned, that some three weeks ag
from 10000 to $4,000 Confederates, in th
neighboI hood of Romney, were virtually i
the power of division of our army number
ing about 10000 General Lander sent
messenger to General Kelly, saying in sui
stance, "Join me, and General Kelly, with
out the knowledge of such messenger, ser
one Of his own, bearing similar message
Meanwhile, one of these Generals telegraphe
to General Banks to advance on one sid
while be advanced upon the other; but, III
fortunately, they telegrsphed at the san
time 10 headquarters in reference to VIII
was going on, when an answer came in th
form of an order mot 10 advance" accon
panied with :eprimaud for even any SUI
gestion of the kind. That a battle wou
have sadly broken in upon some great pls
was quite probable. IL might have finishe
the great Anaconda" as the newspapers hs
expressed it. But it must not be torgOtte
that the mammoth reptile that was 10 dra
within his folds, aud crush the rebellion az
single sweep of his tail, had already sws
lowed up all onr contemplated vi
tories, and gorged himself with the su
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