Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-22
STANTON AND MCCLELLAN.


The Boston Daily Advertiser "can no long
er doubt the existence of disagreement of
policy between the secretary of war and the
leading general of our armies" That Joarnal
finds evidence of this disagreement in the sec
retary's letter to the New York Tribune ia
ken in connection with his order thanking
Gen. Lander for his gallant and successful
march on Blooming Gap in defiance of "the
worst weather and the worst roads, and
says Ut is our duty to express our regret
at the publicity which the secretary has
himself given 10 a disagreement, which the
country must regard as so unfortunate This
is no case of merely rebuking an officer for in
action. 1t is an intentional disclosure of
radical difference OF opinion, and has some of
the CHI racte ristics Of an attempt to force the
officer into conformity by public taunts Such
is not the method in which the warminister Of
the republic should control the policy OF lis
department"
This seems to us very unjust to Mr.. Stan
ton. 1t is not right to find in every manifest
alton of his powerful and magnetic character
deliberate purpose to "rebuke" somebody.
1t is plain enough that he is different kind
of man from Gen. Mcclellan. He is prompt,
downright, greatly in earnest and brimlull
of sympathy for heroic warfare against the
rebels, because lie can not help being So.
One may as well talk of coolly calculated
----s-Ss- -sTsre1tstorE rrDurre- sruy ooIJ- rl
his ready approval of the daring of Lander,
and tho denis hebovior ~ Cor
the capture of Fort Donelson. That he did
not mean TO have it taken as evidence of "a
dis agreement in policy" between him and
Gen. Mcclellan, is plainly indicated by The
terms in which he spoke of Mcclellan at the
convention of railroad officers.
There is probably difference in ability and
power between the two men, without any lack
of confidence. Gen Mcclellan may be wor
thy Of great reputation, but he has yet to
win it. His military capacity is now on trial
and may yet command general admiration
We have invariably deprecated the attempts
to have him set aside as unworthy of conf
dence. Probably he calculates consequences
more carefully than some other men, and has
stronger dread of disaster but Fabius is
thought of as a great commander though not
SO great as Hannibal, Napoleon Bonaparte, or
Andrew Jackson. Those who have cultivated
the spirit of vehement criticism towards
General Mcclellan, like those who insist
yehemently on having him recognized i'm.
mediately as one Of the greatest commanders
of the time, should be more reasonable and
aif until h.. -. II.
can come of dispute relative 10 his merits at
the present time. 1t is our belief that he will
win a great reputation, and that confidence in
him is not misplaced. But it would be folly
to forget that tins belief is not yet fact accom-
plished.
Meanwhile let it be remembered that under
the president Secretary Stanton is the official
head of the war department, including the
army and all pertaining to it, 1t is his duty
acting for the president, to be commanderin-
chief of all the commanders, and to use his au-
thority without seeming to ask pardon for do.
ing so. If Mr. Cameron never assumed such
authority as belongs 10 the office, it does not
follow that Mr. Stanton should not Go so, nor
that, if it were possible he should fail TO be
himself through fear of seeming to discred-
it the method or faculty of some other
man. MI Stanton in the war depart.
meat has given new vigor to the army
and new hope to the country. Why should
any loyal men complain of this, even though
bis bold, vigorous, and earnest behavior should
without his intending it make some of us feel
that the war against rebellion has never before
been directed by such energy and determine
ton AT any rate, we are very sure that the
Advertiser should hesitate to censure him for
encouraging bravery, and inspiring both army
and country with the hope of winning speedy
triumph over rebellion.