Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1862-10-24
EXTRAORDINARY LETTER-Is IT
GENUINEi


GENUINBi
Many of the newspapers are publishing a
very extraordinary letter from the late Gen
Kcarney II half Of it be true, the army
should be at once stripped Of its principal
Generals if not true, it is lbelous and vii
famous to degree that should either blast
the reputation Of the writer. or command for
him verdict Of absolute insanity Take
these specimens -
I'VE have no Generals. Mcclellan is the
failure ever proclaimed him. lie has
lost the confidence of all Nor has he a sin
gle officer about him capable Of lettering us.
sumner is "a bull in china shop, and a
sure enough bunderer. Porter
/. good in nature but weak as water-the pa
rent of all this disaster for his want Of goner-
alsbip on the Chickahominy. -- and
Franklin arc talented engineers as
iti. (as Generals they are dangerous fail
urcs' The only Generals Of whom he speaks
well are Pope and HIMSELF
Can this letter be genuine Can it be that
an old officer should so strangely violate the
rules Of the service, even in a confidential
letter. Is it possible that brave man like
Kcarney could also be ungenerous; 1t is
clear enough that this letter has been pub
lisbed by an enemy Of Mcclellan for while
other men we're shielded by the omission Of
their names, there is no such delicacy shown
90 the Commaudrr-in Chief Is the letter
the work Of 40 enemy-a forgery We
should rejoice could we believe that. We
regret that our conviction is quite the con-
irtry. The letter bears date Aug. 4, 1867
80, far from that date-within a monfEeof it,
Il NOT less than that--a member Of Congress
st-ted to as substantially the same opinions
OF Gen Mcclellan as contained in a letter
from Con. Kearney to his wife. That mem
Der was not friend of Mcclellan neyerthe-
less we think him incapable Of either a lie or
O. forgery We therefore think the letter is
genuine, and written, like the preceding one,
in splenetic it, Kearney complains that
boz, services have been overlooked, or forgot
Ten by the Administration. and that "they
have sent me him a Major Generalship, like
a those others dated from 4th July, mud
died. 10 batch Of new and very ordinary jun
on-ers" There was the rub. Mad be-
cause somebody beside himself was made
Major General on TIE An Of July II the
others had been appointed on the 5th, IL
would nave been all right The letter to Msr.
81. f.L tt.s D. ,.
o. tine 4th of July and We charge both let
Ger 20 Keamey's jealousy. Miserable and
m .st unfortunate jealousy. Kearney was an
excellent officer, and be has since died the
death Of a hero and patriot This letter
comes TO rob him OF his honor. IL was no
friend Of bis that gave it to the public
one fact as to Mcclellan. When the death
of Kearney was announced to Lim, he burst
into lesrs and exclaimed " What can / do
n. ,rney uas my hest General" Whatever
may Dee the fual verdict as 80 McClellan's
seaeralsbip, this aneedoto proves him to be
j'.' and patriotic man. Nay, more TO Gen
kcrncy be was generous The letter is
poison this anecdote is its antidote As
man. Mcclellan towers high above Kear-
ney. As General, let the result answer
Perhaps his task &, too great; it was too great
fr scott. Perhaps it is too great for any man
Certain IL is. that the President as yet feels
bound 20 retain Mcclellan in his high posi-
ton. We believe it is for good reasons
from no personal considerations, but rather