The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-07-09


RSF For many months violent contro-
versy has been raging between the friends
aud admirers of Gen. Mcclellan and those
denominated as his opponents. The oPpos-
ing factions are quite fairly represented by
the Cincinnati Gazette and Commercial
The Gazette can discover no merit in any
of General McClellan's movements; the
Commercial can see no error. The one in
sists that he does nothing right The other
asserts with equal pertinacity that he does
nothing wrong. One ridicules his maneu-
vers as military blunders, the other praises
them as the essence of strategy. The Ga
zette can not say enough in his disparage-
ment, the Commercial is equally at less
for words 10 his praise, Both these papers
represent opposing opinions that prevail
throughout the country.
But is it not time these chickering's should
cease 2 If there can be no confidence placed
in the men who are at the helm, we had as
well cease to labor and TO hope. The Only
effect of this elimination and recr mination-
is to paFalyze the efforts of loyal men, dis
courage the volunteers, prevent enlistments,
and insure the establishment of the South
ern Confederacy. Why not trust this
whole matter with the PRESIDENT Has he
lost the sound Judgment which has gener-
ally characterized his official acts, and ap-
pointed a man to command his finest army
who is incompetent Or has the President
become so timid and undecided as to no
longer dare to remove an officer who he is
convinced, is not qualified for the position
TO which he has been assigned
1t is unfortunate that the result of the
recent battles before Richmond is of that
unsatisfactory character calculated to add
fael to the controversy. The Gazette
charges that the incompetency of the Com
manding General very nearly eliminated
in the overthrow of his army and the de-
struction of his government. The Com
mercial maintains that the army was de-
serted by the Secretary of War, who neg
Iected all warning, and turned a deaf ear
to every cry for e-enforcements-and was
only saved from humiliation by the supe-
rior generalship of its young commander
The former points to the great loss of life,
the loss of guns aud munitions of war, and
nothing gained The latter charges the dis
asser to the Administration, points to the
splendid fighting of the men as the result
Of McClellan's training, and boasts of the
unlimited confidence reposed in him by
r.
bestowed where it was undeserYed2
We frankly confess we have never dis
covered so much in General Mcclellan to
admire as somei neither have we seen so
much to condemn as others. If President
Lincoln has so much confidence in General
McClellan's capacity, that he is willing to
stake the reputation of his Administration
upon that officers success or failure, we
think the people might in like manner give
him their confidence. The President has
had better opportunities of forming cor
rect opinion as to General McClellan's abili-
ty than any other man in the nation his
own reputation as an efficient and success
full Executive depends in a great measure
upon the correctness of his judgment in this
particular, aud why not trust him. We
must trust him. The adoption of any other
course shoves US out to sea without compass
or sail anarchy will prevail, and the lib
critics of the people be lost.
If the President is convinced that Gent
Mcclellan is unfit for the position he occu-
pies. he would be traitor to himself, and
traitor to the people if be did not remove
him at once II, on the other hand, he is
convinced that Gen. Mcclellan is fully COM
petent for the great work assigned him, the
President would be faithless to the conf
dence reposed 10 him and disgrace to his
position if be yielded to the demands of
factious opposition, SO far as to disgrace
brave and capable officer.
The President bears the responsibility, and
we are content to let him act according to
his own best judgment