The Portland daily press., 1862-12-24
Maiignity ahead of Truth and Facts.

Masses by any means-Were nlled WIN u us
loyal spirit, were exercised with deadly hatred
of the administration, and were ready to bar
ter their country's welfare for party advant-
age, and to appeal to the basest prejudices to
create party capital, that doubt must now be
removed. Not success achieved by our
arms has called forth their admiration and re-
foicing, except it has been accomplished by
some commander whose fame they have sought
to make tributary to their party aggrandlze-
ment: not a defeat has been suffered by other
commanders that has not evidently afforded
them satisfaction. Think of the all but de-
moniac spirit with which they received the
news of Pope's repulse at Manassas. 1t re-
quired no far-reaching penetration to discover
the satisfaction it afforded them when, as they
averred the administration was reduced TO
the necessity of calling upon Mcclellan to
save the capital and to drive the invaders from
Maryland. Not a note of rejoicing was heard
from them at any of the victories in the West,
the Southwest, or along the Atlantic coast,
but every reverse and every successful guerilla
raid, were magnifed into the most convincing
proofs of the invincibility of the rebels, the
weakness of the government, and its inability
to carry on the war to a successful issue. 1t
has been only the successes OF Mcclellan that
have received from them warm word Of ex-
ultation, and they have not been slow to mag
nifty even his signal defeats and disasters into
the most triumphant exhibitions of military
skill and strategy.
When Burnside-an able, tried, and sue
cessful commander-took the field at the head
of the army of the Potomac, endless and num-
berless were their prophecies of evil. There
was no opportunity lost to assure the people
so far as their efforts could assure them
that by the substitution of the new for the old
commander, a great loss of precious time had
been the result; and though il was asserted
that Mcclellan was all ready, and had actu-
ally commenced his great march upon Rich
mond no sooner did Burnside have charge
than allegations became thick, indignant and
frequent, that he could not move because OF
the neglect OF Quartermasters and other Off
cials, to meet the pressing demands OF his ar
my.
But he moved, and this put an extinguisher
upon such accusations as those referred to.
From Warrenton Burnside moved toward the
Rappahannock at Fredericksburg, and there
he made stand. When he deemed it proper
to do go he crossed the river, and the results
we need not recapitulate.
But what was the impression sought to be
created all over the county? that he was
warmly and cordially supported at hcad-quar-
ters? By no means,-but that he was embar-
rassed, not only by short supplies, and by ne
glect to supply him with means to cross the
river, but that he was actually forced to cross
the rirer in the face of an enemy against his
oun judgment! 1t will be remembered that
even the Argus published an extract from a
private letter from an officer in Howard's div
ision, that Burnside is crossing the river con-
trary to his own judgment"
Who does not know how often and how per-
sistently it has been asserted that he would
have CROSSED the first day of his arrival op-
posite Fredericksburg, but for Halleck's ne
glect to furnish the pontoon bridges? In the
Advertiser yesterday morning, in villanous
article, evidently in type and worked off before
the contents of Burnside's official report were
known, entitled 1.-The Blunder Of the War;"
the editor INDUCES in such filings and malig-
nant words as the following:
His subsequent necessary delay to cross the riv-
from the fdrdg supply Of pontoon bridge material
his crossing the river nevertheless with certain
time to receive him i'll front their invncibe breast
works, with largely reinforced army TO hold them
his aborve attack upon those breast-works and SUBJ
eequent necessary retreat across the river; under
the stealthy cover of the night.
Such events, conducted and occurring immediate
ly on the removal of the most popular and from
Aught appears TO the contrary the most able GeDer
q in commando General who yet lost a bat
cannot but be regarded as blunder that reflects
Washington.
For heroic daring against the dictates of common
seqse. and against the most skfuly opposed
dsgers, yet excited in obedience TO the orders of
superiors
Thatat was the headlong work of mere politicians.
bindly plunging the executive and his most incom-
petenf and sef-snfficient Secretary OF War, whom
they most unfortunately control and subjugate to
their radical policy, isscarcely disputabe fact.
The spirit of bragadoco in which il was ordered to
be conducted, adds shame and Ieproach TO the whole
calamity. Il is well ascerained. that it the sole
work or civilians IN the Government Influenced by
the advice and threats of radical abolitionists and
that they aud not the Generals in the field, are re-
sponsible to the country and to the world for it.
We cannot but characterize this catastrophe to the
army aud to our cause, as blameworhy in the high
est degree the part of the administration WASH
ington. The nation cannot but be proud Of Medr1ny
or fhe Potomac and Of all lis Generais-sa,e only
the Genera-inchief HALLEcK, who not upon
the field.
We don't say the President ought to replace Gen.
MCCLELLAN: and yet we do say, in judgm Mt,
such act would refec more credit upon the Ad-
minstration than aught beside the alton of Mr.
Secretary Stanton could. Neither Haleck nor STAN
ton easily regain any considerable degree
of the national confidence Call il mbecility, or i'll
luck, whatever else you may, each is degraded in
the esteem of every sympathizng friend of the army
His obvious ignorance or disregard of them all
bespeaks his utter incompetency to m longer the
sition of gener al-in-chef of the army of the Un-
ion and next TO tn President. whatever may have
been expected of him heretofore. With such a dis
aster occurring under his immediate direction, the
world might well demand hsp prompt surrender of all
further Command of the national troops.
The malignity of the attempt here made to
stimulate indignation against Gen. Halleck,
Secretary Stanton, and the Administration
generally; to charge them with forcing Burn
side into difficulties against his own Judgment,
and to encourage the demand for recall of
Mcclellan and the restoration of do-iiothing
policy, is too obvious to require word from
us to render it more apparent.
In keeping with all this is the recent move
ment of the New York City Democracy head
ed by such men as O'Donohue and James
Brooks-curious coaltion-an Irishman and
the high priest of Know N Nothinism-to take
advantage of the disaster to our arms for the
basest political effect. Before the groans of
the wounded had died upon the ear, they sum-
moned party tribunal, to blow party blast