Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1862-01-24
CAuERON,s REMOVAL.

The Burlington Daily Times of Monday NOR
ming has a letter from Washington, of Jan.
l6,-we venture to presume from the Ed
itor. now at the seat of Government in
we find the following remark
q" The great topic of conversation in this city at
present Is the recent removal Of Gen. Cameron
from the War Department. The papers, see.
raw the Secretary resigned, but the resignation,
from all 1 can learn from reliable persons, fam
iliar with the quirks and politics here, was
forced one, resulting from the fact that the Pres
ident and Gen. Mcclellan were both at swords
point with Cameron. The question at issue was
mainly in relation to the conduct of tho war,
Secretary Cameron being for a vigorous policy,
while Abe" and Mcclellan were determined, tor
while 81 least, on a " mastery inactivity or
in plain words " tender-footed" measures OF mill
tsry action. Then Cameron couldn't agree with
the Executive and the commsnder-in-chief about
eonfscation and emancipation; he advocating
crushing out slavery if necessary to put
down the rebellion, while they demurred, beng
committed To the border state policy, which
keutucky bias initiated
Per contra, the New York Tunes Of Mcn-
day gives the FLOWING socornr t.! the
matter
More recent and reliable information from
Wa hington leads US TO believe that, in common
with the Public at large, we have been misnform-
ed as to the real causes which led to Mr.. ,amer-
ons constrained retirement. They related entirely
to his administration Of the War Dep ment,
and not at all to his views upon Slavery.
: . Mr.. Cameron's own course has been so incon-
si.tent as to command but little respect, either
from the President or the public at large. At the
outset be was intensely /" conservative, going
far beyond any other Republican in the senate
while 4 member Of that body, in his concessions
to the South and returning fugitive slaves. after
the war had commenced, upon his own order,
without a pretence OF a Judicial Inquiry.
His early orders to Gen. Butler on this subject
we're so clearly and strongly in the interest of
slave owners, as to call out a very strong remon-
STRANGE IRON that officer. He opposed very warmly
Gen. Fremont's proclamation on this subject. and
became aus advocate Of TIE same policy only when
be found that Fremont out of the field, an
that very powerful public sentiment sustained
the General whom he and Adj't-Gen. Thomas
had succeeded in displacing. 1t wss then that, in
violation Of sll military discipline he Endorsed
political hsrangre made by a colonel of infantry
to bis own troops, and advocated the policy Of
freeing the slaves and arming them sBinst their
masters.
"The simple truth is, the War Department has
been for the last two months, the most serious
obstacle in the way Of vigorous pros .cution Of
the WAY Unless we are entirely misi1formed,
Gen. NJ cCleiian has been thwsrted in every pos
sible way, and deprived of the power to cary into
effect the hostile operations he mad deviseG lie
has had cordial support from the War Dsp part
ment since that Department succeeded in its effort
TO crush Fremont.
And more OF the same sort. The resCsr
will observe that the two opinions, both
Irom reliable sources" of course, are ex-
actly opposite in almost every particular
Which Of them is the true one, or farthest
from being the true one, We are unable to
decide. Our readers must determine that
for themselves. We can only say to them
as the Snowman did to the boys who inquired
which was the rhinoceros and which the
ring tailed monkey: jest vich you please,
my dears, you pays your moneys you know,
and YOU takes your choice.