New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-01-20
GEN. MCCLELLAN'S POLICY.
INTERESTING LETTER FROM THE HON. A. s.
OWEN.

OWEN.
Tie Elmira Press publishes the following
letter. written to one of his constituents BY the
Hon. A. S. Owen:
WAsHNGTos, Jan. ~, 1862.
DEAR Sin: AIN in receipt Of yours Of the 9th.
sn not astonshed at your anxiety about the advance
Of our army. / sm quite satisfied az you are that
whatever risk may attend it land, depend upon it, il
is very great, it has become, not a military, bnt a
political necessity. As mere military operation it
Is of very doubtful expediency. Moving so large a
force of undscipllned troops against enemy in
trenched, must be attended with great risks. There
IL no doubt tie rebel Generals are anxiously waiting
and hoping for the experiment on our part There If
all TIE difference in the world between advancing a
great army on an intrenohed enemy, and the srne
army resisting an attack. la the case the Gene
rails have leisure TO place their men and give them
their Instructions when sll il cool and their orders
are comprebended. Ia the other, men mnsi
he moved amid tho excitement Of battle.
ard ore mistake dsarni ges the whole order of
battle, il it does rot lead 10 general palic. Tbs
difficulty just as the army inceasos in size.
Wih q regiment, tattlo0, or even a division,
YOU can 20 overlook end change plans, march and
courtennarch, as circumstances may arise while in
4 grand amy without experienced officers and dis
eli lined troops confusion would be Inevitable. The e
is no doubt OF success If the eLemy were To At
tack ia or ii they toCOne out OF their nrench-
rnepts and meet Us Oh equal footing. But when W
come 10 attack them. small accident may throw ne
into confusion and rOut. ihe enemy have tired 10
provoke th.s atla,k. The blockade OF the river is
meant for nothing Ella, and j. 20 well understood by
military men. NotSit standing all this we must
fight: there are iiues wnen we must incur one REX
~ essare smother. viii risk h. life b very
fail ltder % esoaye ron q burning chamber. And
now such IS the state o. feeling IN C0nprcss and
ont OF r. that fale must bo declined by the cast
OF a die. Il ought not To be- 90, but Il IL %. Pa
si,nce and confidence, loug-fufering and thcIiice,
would logCer our success eerialn. Bat our people
lack there ellmeutf, and tie Government mist
ircur the rifk If battle. or break down hLnn-
emily Tor lack OF support from the PEOPLE.
think the Government Comprehend thu, ana
~ soon poesible Wi. gralify the public
demand fr "A great battle. It viii be a sys.
ten OF battles commencing, / think, IN the West,
with Cairo for bases the east from Fortress
Monroe, or perhaps by Bprnstes expedition from
Roanoke; aud tie gmnG battles on the Potomac.
This IL pjec'ure. But the intention 10 fight il MOI
conjecture with me. ! know it. Now, about ouI
LieuteDani-G eueral-l am sorry there shogld De
waning confidence IN HIM. lie has brought ~
arsy Hat, Elk months ago, was really nothing but
an armed democracy 10 state OF oi-ci Line, that 81
fur as mere field mAucuyers are concerned, Is GER
t,iuly a creditabe army. lie himself has conGoeu q
IN II. lie has performed wonders IN preparing
oquipuents rLd putting is army IN condition, fli
what he knows Is now ireyiiablc-an attack upon
the enemys d-enees. II u gathering from al part
OF the country all the regulars, and conoenuatinl
them here, Tor n duty th.t hone but veterans eau
perform, and the ore | study his piars tie more
believe in him. II no loses the battle ho is about ',
fight, shsll not change my oriniOn Of him. have
not time but will try aud lind tine soon, II facts
not made luolc 10 satisfy you that be Is ~ 10 sese
| H. blame for the Ball Bluff disaster.
! Now about what the Government shall DO relative
I O tn. negro question.
! You ray, first condecate the slaves Of Rebels.
How on going 10 couiscate negroes any thing
esel We must irst establish courts where gials
can be had. II we coniscHte by authority Of law.
cur Constitution l. wonderfully specific In saying
that no man shall be deprived Of property without
due process OK law. All that We capture by our
army may be said 20 be trophies o. war 30 all that
iull into our hands in onr military operations. We
have IL cHuse In our Constitution for dispcsing OF
prizes ara captures by hand and sea- but our rglt
dis, oe OF them grows ont Of their capture. All the
WAY IN which we can dlslOfe Of Rebel property,
then consists in its capture aud appropriation by the
unagcs Of war, until shall retslhbllsh civil an
lhoriiy. when we can try men Tor treason and con-
h.cste their estates. We might as well, II AT waI
with England, talk Of coniscatng her cotton-mill.
before we had possession OF the island as 10 comic.
cate the property Of Rebels before they are con.
quered.
, You say prohibit military officers returning run
away slaves. Now, ii by this you mean that oul
military officers shall not become slaye-cachers OF
executors of the Fugitive Slave Law. am witt
YOU. but ii You meau that our army in Kentucky
Tor instance, shall be employed to deprive loyal mer
of heir slaves, am not with you. We have alarg,
army I'm Kentucky, and We have in keutucy mos
loyal supporters OF the Government who are slave
owners. A very large majority Of the people of Til
State are loyal YOU or l. Now, suppose our ann,
enc amps among tie plantations OF Kentucky, woul,
YOU uso the camp a means Of depriying the mas'e
Of every slave who could yet in It, II You let slave
in tie camps and don't let the masters in to tax,
them by virtue of the laws Of Kentucky, then |
must he plain that you your army 10 overthrow
the laws OF Kentucky, and to deprive Ken
uckans Of their slaves, however loyal they may
be. That certainly is not what our army has beer
created for.
3. You ray, DO something at once 70 carry ont The
| Presldents plan of colonization. Amen, with my
whole heart. Make prize aud capture of just a.
many OF the enemys slaves AS we can, and colonh,
them or dispose Of them in any way consistent WIZ
humanity. That il my whole slave policy. con
think this demands that we should purchase prov
ince or support colony.
llayti Will take aud provide for every negro We
can send her. IL is better for us, beuer 10, 'uS
negro, to send him where he will be governed py
ruers OF bis own race.
have made THE long letter. Bot am a'way'
gratiled to communicate with constituents, ana All