Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-06-05

The Worcester Spy follows up the Tran
scripts defence of secretary Stanton, and in
the same dogmahcal style. Both articles evil
IDENTIFY emanated or were inspired from the |
same source, and both make assertions which
are entirely irreconcilable with well known
facts, and ask the public to believe them upon
the mere 81 say So" Of the editors.-BoSton
Journal.
Our article, which was written before we
saw that of the Boston Transcript, was in
spired by nothing but our conviction of the
atrocious injustice of the assaults on Mr..
Stanton. We had taken pains to make in
quiry in the proper quarter, and we repeat
that our statement was based on the contents
dispatches and other communications that had
the endorsement of the highest authority. The
Journal is very unhappily embarrassed by a
delusion in regard to what it calls ''well
known facts" There are no ''well known
facts" that disagree with our statement. The
journal can not mention and authenticate
one. Neither the gossip of newspaper COR
respondents, the loose whisperings of rumor,
nor the inventions OF malice, are facts; nor
can they be made facts by repeating them ten
Stanton have nothing else to support them.
We say this confidently because we know
what can be learned by inquiry in the proper
quarter at Washington.
The-Journal does not let its readers know
what we said in regard to the authority for our
statements. 1t merely quotes impelttctly
what we said concerning the authorship Of the
dispatches sent to the governors of the sever
al states after Cen Banks was driven from
Winchester, and then says:
''We do not choose to rest our positive
contradiction of the above upon mere asser-
ton. The dispatches sent by secretary
Stanton to Gov. Andrew, and which have
been published speak for themselves. These
dispatches were similar in tenor to those adj
dressed to the other governors. The first
three, relating to calling out the militia, are
signed by the secretary of war, and make not
the most remote reference to the president.
The secretary directs what shall be done. The
fourth dispatch, ordering the release of the
militia, in marked contrast commences, The
president Directs &c. The fact is the sec
rotary of war got up the panic-the president
did what he could to allay it."
This inference drawn from the wording of
the dispatches is all it has to support the pos
tive contradiction" Of statement which we
made on the best authority. Does it really
amount to anything more than ''mere asser-
tom" A more natural inference would be
that only the last named dispatch was written
by Mr.. Stanton, he being much more like
ly to use the words "The President directs"
than the president himself He probably did
write that dispatch, but we know on authority
that cannot be mistaken that the first three
were written or dictated by the president him
self after consultation with lis official coun-
sellers, and in accordance with their iudg-
ment. We hope the journal will not repeat
its positive contradiction until it can show
sufficient warrant for doing So
Nothing but our sense of the great wrong
done to secretary Stanton by his a>sailants.
could have drawn us into such discussion as
this. Some of those who assail him so tero-
ciously surprise by their lack Of candor.
They are not usually so unjust. and we are
constrained to believe that they are controlled
either by a most unaccountable infatuation.
or by motives which we do not under
stand. lie has done nothing to excuse
their assaults. On the other hand. no
man in the country has more abundanty
earned a right to different treatment. III be
unwise, (and we certainly think it is, to nfct
unnecessary criticism on Gen. Mcclellan or
Gen. Halleek, or any other commander who
is by the presidents order in the field before
the enemy, is it not still more improper to
make understandable attacks on the head of
the war department, in whom the president re-
poses so much confidence, and who deyotes
himself with such earnestness and fidelity to
the work of crushing the rebellion?