Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-09
From the New York Express.
GEN. WadswOrth. &c.

The New York Times, in a somewhat elabo-
rate defense OF the Washington administration of
this gentleman, who frequently sets himself up
above both the laws and the Constitution of the
United States, says:
"Gen. Wadsworth is bound by the obligations
of his Office to see that slave is restored to
rebel owner Marshal Lamon conceiyes himself
bound to that every rebel is supplied with a
slave out of the fugitive herd concentrated at
Washington. 1t is easy to understand why the
course of the latter is preferable to the slave
hunter"
Marshal Lamon is as much bound "bY the OBJ
legations of his Office" to execute the laws, and
the more bound, the Marshal is the executor
of civil law, which, in Washington, is superior to
Wadsworth law, until the President supersedes
civil law there, and declares the District und, r
martial law. Nordoes Marshal Lamon-the Gre
alton of President Lincoln, as much as General
WadswOrth-"co conceive" any such thing as the
Times imputes to him. There is a law for the
surrender of fugitives, and he obeys it-while
Gen. Wadsworth doubtless for pure political
purposes, in orGer to strike under, and win some
10000 to 900 exclusive Abolition votes in the
State) subverts that law.
Then, the Times continues:
"With regard to Gen. " adsworth's influence in
procuring the retention of Mcdowell before
Washington, we have the best reason to believe
the story entirely incorrect. 1t was the PreSi-
dents own caution which suggested the poSsib-
ty OF return of Johnston's army and the capture
of Washington, should the entire force of Nc
Clelan be withdrawn. The danger operated so
forcibly on Mr.. Lincoln's mind, that at the last
moment, he stopped the embarkaton of Nc
DOwell's CORPS in time to retain twO-thlrds of it,,
and placing that body of troops on the lower
Rappahannock, summoned the division of Gen.
Shields from Gen. Banks's column to protect the
upper RappahannOck. There was in truth no
little hazard of the COnfederates taking advan-
tage of the open railroad communication between
Richmond and Manassas, to turn back upon the
national capital undefended, and possess them
selves of that splendid symbol of success. 1t is
needless to say TIE seizure of Washington by the
insurgents, whatever the means by which they
gained it, would have turned the entire current of
foreign opinion in favor of the Confederacy. 1t
point to which the President properly
looked with exceeding care. 1t would have dero-
gated not at all from Gen. Wadsworth's fine mil
tary reputation had he engrossed the entire credit
of this prudent foresight. But the credit, we
happen to know, belongs exclusively to the Pres
ident''
Shutting off once more all the responsibility
upon the President The President, led to be-
lieve that Mcclellan had twice as strong a force
as he needed, to take Yorktown, and that no real
enemy was in front of him, may have diverted
McDowelPs corps from hm-an error he soon
atoned for, in part, with Frankin's division-but
who, save the WadswOrths, and the like. about
the President insinuated such errors, such blum
ders, into the Presidential head?
But the facts are-and they are obvious to ev-
erybody in and about Washington that will seek
after truth-that ten days ago at least there were
from 10000 to % 900 men about Washington,
exclusive of the Mcdowell corps on the Kappa
hammock, who, previous to the restoration of the
Aqua Creek railroad, would have been of very
little service in repelling any sudden dash via
Manassas, such as Jackson has made down the
Shenandoah. Washington, since October or No
vember last, has been as safe from the enemy as
New York Boston. Ben. Perley Poore, who
has just been appointed to position in the army, !,
telegraphed to the Boston Journal from Wash
ington last Monday, thus:
Washington is as safe from invasion as Bos-
ton is"
McDowell's corps was taken from Mcclellan
for political, not military purposes-and the Pres
ident, if he acted the part the TimGs mputes to
him, became the instrument of others infOrma-
ton and ambition, he being the early, original
and abiding friend of General Mcclellan, while
the Wadsworths and the like were in every way
intriguing against him, just as they have been
intriguing there against ''the enforcement of the
laws"
History will record, we venture to say, when
the history of the Washington intrigues all
hereafter written out, that, in order to prevent
the possibility of General Mcclellan becoming a
President IAN idea that seems never to have en-
tered into his head, juuge by his outward
acts) caballerS in Washington were willing to
sacrifice his whole command, while to Mcdowell,
Banks and Fremont were to be given the honor
of taking Richmond. To this cabal, in which
we have no idea that Banks and Fremont were
parties, the sacrifice OF Banks on the
Shenandoah, and two or three weeks delay in
the occuna tion of Richmnnd