The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-02-06
Speech Of Hon. y. A. GurIey im
Congress.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 80, 1862.


the last campaign. 1t was useless, he
said, to attempt to disguise a fact al
most everywhere recognized, that we
must have more active and practical
war policy in Congress, in the Cabinet,
but more especially in the field or we
might prepare tor foreign and DO
nestle war Of several years duratlon'
Proceeding, as at present, win our
military campaign, it would be no
strange thing to have the " Southern
Confederacy" acknowledged by For
eion Powers, and our Government
would then stand before the civilized
world Inundated and disgraced. Our
army had long been ready, and our
soldiers were burning with desire to
strike at the traitors, and painting for
the battle field.
We had earnestly cast about for a
bold and daring leader, ready for the
great contest, and it is painful to con
TESS at this late day that the country
has looked in vain tor a Commander
in Chief, exhibiting the will and the
requisite enterprise and genius to lead
our forces on to victory. He asked
what stood in the way Of meeting the
enemy? Was il the fear that some
body would be hurt, OF did the ghost
of Bull Run hover about the minds Of
our commanding generals? We had
lost more men by disease and sickness
during the last five months than we
should have probably lost in half a
dozen general engagements, and hun
dreds of millions of money had been
spent, and one of the largest armies OF
the world gathered, to remain compar-
atiyely idle, and become weak and de-
moralized by inactivity. If we desire
the respect Of our own people, and the
moral support Of the world, we should
strike out boldly for victory, and trust
to good powder, to well aimed guns
and to God. 1t would be better to
meet with occasional reyerses rather
than to remain inactive If we did not
fight with justice, right and human
freedom on our side, our people would
become discouraged, the Treasury
bankrupt, and the government brought
into contempt. Did a & eaaera1 stand
IN the 1Ny 10 hold IN check more than
half q million Of men, take him ait Of
the aOay, give his place to another, If
there be no other remedy. Generals,
of themselves, are nothing iii this
contest, when thrown into the bal>
ance against the honor and integrity of
the Union. If the Angel Gabriel com-
handed our forces, AMI failed to march
against the enemy, he would petition
TO the Court to which he holds allegi>
ance for his instant dismissal.
This war had reached point where
kid gloves, pleasant words, and gilded
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 admiration of the world, and pos>
sibly the destruction of civil and relI,
gious freedom in America, or in the
perfect supremacy of law and order,
and the stability of our Institutions
He had faith in the latter result, for
revolutions move the world forward
never backward. He asked the clerk
to read a passage from the Richmond
Dispatch, showing up our military
blunders. Its truthtulness, he said,
could not be denied. We had let slip
golden opportunities for crushing this
rebellion and OF achieving brilliant
victories.
The great cause of dissatisfaction
among our troops was that they were
not permitted to strike at the rebels.
He preferred no charges against the
COMMANDMENT Chief, but in his judg.
ment the man did not live who could
successfully command 100000 men,
scattered over territory Of two thou
sand miles. Yet the destiny Of this
Republic had long hung upon the will
of single man. No other govern
ment invested its generals with such
unlimited authority. No man had
been found great enough to use the
supreme command of even three hun
dred thousand soldiers. 4 part Of the
tremendous burden thrown upon the
shoulders of our General should be re-
moved and divided, SO as to call out
the best energies Of the best officers.
and secure greater unity Of action
Thus far our commanders have been
the Uictin1S of some fixed, unalterable
plans, the fruit of one mind, which plan
had accomplished but one marked re.
suit. 1t had presented fUe Hundred
Thousand men from attempting pre-
cisely 9oh0t they came together to &c
c0mpljSh, that was to fight and whip
the enemy. The very men who must
receive the shock Of battle were those
who complained most of inactivity
He said that if the question were left
to them, ten out of twelve would say
there had been no necessity for the de
lay OF the past four months.
He revealed no secret when he sta>
ted that the great plan was to strike at
all points. 1t was a simple impossible
ity that every arrangement was to be
made in Missouri, Kentucky and Vir-
ginia, so that as by single click OF
the clock all would rush upon the enc
my at once, and crush the rebellion at
single blow. Whatever our army
accomplished must be as our troops in |
Kentucky had gloriously done not by
signaltrom Washington, but by striL |
ing boldly at the enemy where they
might be found. Why should the
great army of the Union be idle when
soldiers and civilians everywhere were |
for action? East Tennessee
had asked for 10,000for defense against
the rebels. The prayer had been ans
wered by the announcement that no
troops could be spared from the army !
Of the Potomac. Yet there were |
absent from that army few days
ago, and it was about the gener-
al avesage on business Of pleasure, or
other objects, nearly 200 officers and
1000 privates, al army of themselves
as large as was required to save Ten