The New York herald., 1862-08-12

SENATOR WILSON'S PosrHUMoUs DEFENCE
| The Senator from Massachusetts, should have
rested satisfied with the mortuary disposition
that we had made of him. Dead men, but es-
pecially defunct politicians, are not expected
to vindcate their past actions IT, however,
they will get ont of their cofins and canvass
the opinions of the world in their regard, they
must make up their minds to hear things that
are not pleasant. Thus, the communication
which we published the other day from the
Massachusetts, Senator has ELECTED much in the
way Of comment that might not have been ut
tered if he had remained quietly where we had
put him. Even the republican organs deal un-
sparingly with bis explanations Referring to
the impropriety Of his bringing in Senator Fes-
senden's speech to his aid in the enlistment con-
troversy, one of them says
n any man in the Senate should have known the true
numbers and condition OF the Union armies II was Senator
wilson, and MT Fessenden as Chairman oi tne SaCc C
Wilson his grossly exaggerated ideas OF the number OF
solderin in the held If We give 70 Senator wilson, hen
the full benefit Of his asseveraton that he was deceived
and that be thereby deceived Congress and the country
and Instrumental in the adoption Of measures that
weakened the army and well nigh destroyed the naton
the question up, who Is guilty Of the deceponS
and is Senotr Wilson, Dho easily deei,ei Ut man
to be chairman of so important committee Of CongresS
This is pretty hard; but it is surpassed in Sc
verify by what follows. Commenting on Mr.
Wilson's statement that his "opinion and ac-
tion were based upon the report of Secretary
Cameron, the assurances Of Paymaster General
Larned and the estimates Of Quartermaster
General Meigs, that we had from seven hundred
to eight hundred regiments and seven hundred
thousand men, the same journal adds
There has long been suspicion that stupendous con
spracy 1r de.raudng he government was covered up in
fictitious muster rolls filed in the War Department, but
10 The lanes on which men ever answered in the
field Senator Wilson says he had tthe ASSURANCE Of
Paymaster iarned (paymaster General Of the United
state that hundred thousand under
Pay OF the government soldiers. Now, Paymaster
Ia ned deals with figures which frequently said not
to e Certainly might lay something Of Canleron's
poest = even hulereu tnousahu men 70 taD-s gasco
made but when 1t comes TO aliotng the money to pay OIL
The soldiers enrolled said to be enrolled there should
be an approximation to certainty in the ''assurances OF
the oicer performing that duty. Will Senator Wilson
and Paymastcr Laned anticipate the public demand and
explain the discrepancy that is manifest and 50 start
linpf
The difference in cost to tho government between the
Numbers reported and those actually in the field
about thirty millions Of dollars month"; and this margin
is too lcde 10 hare escaped honest 0te,pat,on daV
much less tor months.
Nothing that we have said of Senator Wilson's
conduct on this question has approached the
above in its sweeping imputations. Nay, when
he came forward with letter endeayoring to
reconcile his speeches, we regarded it as an act
of repentance, and dealt with it accordingly.
The organs of his own party, however, appear
to think that If he preserves bis character for
consistency he proves his official incompetency,
while, if be loses it, he on the contrary estab-
fishes his fitness for his position. We leave the
contradiction to be settled between them.
The Senator may we'll say, defend me from
my friends