Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1862-10-25
GEN, McCLELLAN,S ORDER.

Gen. McCLrLLAN's timely order No. 1853
will be purused by our readers With the
liveliest satisfaction. 1t il but another
step towards bringing all that is loyal in
our government and country, into the
most effective cooperation for crushing
out the rebellion. The plan pursued for
the last year has been found Intellectual.
aud the present policy Of the government
has, at last, been adopted as circumstan-
ces have demonstrated its necessity.
Gen. MCCLELLAN labored earnestly and
faithfully to suppress the rebellion without
the resort to extreme measures, and he
even may have believed the plan to be
feasible but whatever adverse sympathies
he may have cherished at an earlier day
have beer all dissira.ed by the stern ex.
perience Of the past year. 1t has taught
him the necessity of change of policy
in the conduct Of the war, and he gives
his support as freely and unreservedly to
it as year ago he undertook to carry out
the plan that exp erience now compells
him to abandon. In this order he defines
the relations of the army to the govern
mens, in clear and precise language, and
intimates to those under his command that
the purposes and objects of the war are to
be settled not by them, but by the govern.
ment, thus impressing upon the minds of
his officers and soldiers the peculiar COM
position of our Federal institutions. He
reasons upon the Presidents Proclama-
ton with an eye upon the Constitution of
his country saying that it is the duty Of
the military to obey implicitly every order
OF the civil authorities in the conduct and
prosecution of the war. He declares that
any deviation from this policy would en-.
danger the existence Of our institutions,
and be is clearly born out and sustained
in the position by the Constitution itself.
Whenever circumstances render it ueces.
sary that large army should be main
tanned for national defense, il is of the
most vital Importance that officers and
soldiers have scruEulo1s regard for and
obedience to the supremacy of the law
There may be difference Of feeling as to
the operation and efficiency Of particular
measures, but that opinion should be ex-
pressed temporarily, delrero.tially, and
with profound respect for the authorizes
Of the nation.
1t may not be presuming too much to
say that President Lincoln Proclamation
was no. issued until after Gen. McCLEL.
Ian bad sisnitied to him that, in his iudg.
meDt the time had come The close aud
intimate relations tha: have always existed
between them induces the belief that such
might have been the case. Since he was
first raised to the Commander in Chief of
the Union armie. the Presidents conf
dense in him has never changed or aba,ed,
and today, be enjoys larger share Of
Cot uueHce ana trusk DOtn WITH the gov
ernment and the army, than any man in
the country, 1t is to be hoped that al
patriots, everywhere, will follow his exam
pie His order is expressed in clear and
concise language, beautifully setting forth,
and illustrating the Constitutional power
OF the civil authorities in expoupding and
executing the Federal laws, the duty that
both citizens and soldiers owe to their
couutry by relisiousiy maintaining and
unfolding the Federal authority. Those
who would disregard these sacred obliga.
tons are as much traitors TO their country
as those in open rebellion agains, it, Gen.
MCCLELLAN's example is noble, patriot
ic and manly one, and we hope it may
have beneficial influence On the popu.
lar mind. ~