Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-12-29
WHEELING, Dec. 2e, 1862.

EditoTs Lntelti0eHeeT
Much as dislike public controversy,
and deep ss is my reluctance for dragging
before the public the name Of such good
man as Gen. Burnside, l cannot refrain
from taking up once more the Wheeling
PresS, on its issue of TO day. inasmuch as
he calls me one of the "sly sneaking wolves
whose whole hopes lie in keeping the pop
ulAr mind always drunk on falsehoods ~
It 10 not we'll IN times like these; when the
popular mind is chafed and iuflamed, when
IL lies Ikea slow smouldering Ere, to add
that slight breath which will fan 1t into
a fierce raging fame. 1t was for this,
l replied to the Press flaming attack on
Burnside. could not set idly by and see
given to the public. even in so few words,
what was an evident intention TO weaken
the Administration and make enemies for
an honest, self.denying man, who has
placed his life on the altar of his country,
willing to give It at any moment for the
defence of the cause in which he is en-
gagged The late report involved in these
remarks, has been termed " species of
dirt-eating never before equalled." Let us
see. And in order to ge: a comprehensive
view Of what We will nrge as the best rea
son for calm judgment ON the matter, we
will take the records from the past few
months, as they will show themselves on a
review. e'n -L.H Ei Hsi
Tho mind of almost every personis per-
haps fresh with the defeat of our arms uu-
der Pope. Now, when the broken, shattered
columns our army were leaving in disorder
toward Washington, the President aud CabI-
net were at a loss to Tx on him who should
lead back to the lost field the disOrdered
masses. Geo. Burnside was twice impor.
tuned, and twice refused, saying there is
but one man who can lead them success
fully, he is Mcclellan. Out from chaos
that young General again brought order,
aud lead the innumeFable hosts again to
victory. A few weeks from that time, q
peremptory order was issued from Wash
iugton, relieving Mcclellan and placed
Burnside In command. We all know of
the reluctance with which he obeyed; the
stern discipline OF the soldier gave him no
other choice but to obey orders. He took
the command, as he says, incompetent
for the great trust. he moved rapidly on
ward with the finest army the world has
ever seen. Soon he was in front of Fred
ericksbug. With skill he crossed the river
and was soon engaged in terrible battle.
| Who shall accuse him of false motives when
we can so readily imagine the feelings of
that mau, when he was leading such a vast
host to scenes of peril aud death, and felt
incompetent to marshal them as their brav-
| cry deserved He tonight the battle: He
was defeated, as his own feelings must
have told him he would be, and slowly and
weariIy he led the shattered columns back,
mourning the loss of thousands of brave
men who had fallen through his inability.
What must his feelings have been. Soon
as he had placed his great army in safety,
he wrote that report that has caused all
butIernut sbeets to wonder and feel sorely
amazed And Why2 Because they saw
nuother chance TO use Influences to weaken
the Administration-ac chance they never
lose moment to make the bestof.
how much in keeping is the letter in
question, with the conduct ofsthe writer
From the first to the last he has said he
was incompetent to conduct that great ar
my as it should be, and now, will the
country lethim be the best judge of his
own merits2 No. That part of il which
is opposed to the administration, and whose
covert Sympathies are with the enemies,
who lose not n chance to weaken its pow
or, and to distract and divide public senii-
Inent in regard to it, shamefully aud menn-
~ attack him for his own good Judgment,
and charge him with trying to relieve the
authorities at Washington from public
censure. The report of the War Com
mittee on their Investigations OF the
causes of the disaster at Fredericksburg
will sustain me 10 the arguments have
used, aud that report goes to show, that
letter was not an administration nsceSSity,
but on the contrary. it was but another
frank, soldier like, and gentlemanly avowal
of the writer's conscious inability. Will we
malign and falsify further, for such n frank
avowal2 Nay, let US rejoice that he has
the courage to own it, aud that he has the
manliness to speak it. He will rest easre,
he will be happier even if It does for the
"a G..1 l. 1t
was lby no display of false attachments
that he WAS raised to the high command,
aud he certainly has to experience no great
fall if he loses it. for he will have no sOhip-
pet to bark In scorn at his heels, moro for
midable than the Wheeling Press, and GER
taiHiy they cannot do him much karg. = =
MAZE, TIE UNDERSIGNED COMMISSIONERS
W. named in the act OF the General Asso Dbiy On.
ntlod AAntett to Incorporate the Rrankin Insurance