The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1862-12-19
&" All Honorable Men,"

The trials of Mcdowell. Porter, and Buell.
will show some very queer things.
Whoever follows it out closely as it is
revealed to the world. or whoever happens to
get glimpse of the side scsnes-the little
liking up to prepare to rebat this or that tes-
timonv-will not fail to see that it is nice
kettle Of fish for the national fire to boil.
Mcdowell is shown by some witnesses to be
wine bibber, when in comes Heintzelman
and swears Mcdowell never drinks wine or
other liquors at ALL Shades of the dead
soldiers. 1--WE mean this nautically the shades
empty brandy and champagne bottles, )wha
will the good fellows who have drank eight
or ten times day with Mcdowell at Willard
Utmost every day for the last two years.sav to
jen Heintzelman's oath?
But then, whatever becomes of the country
these" old army officers must save their boon
companions. heintzelman knows very well
lat if the charges that are preferred against
Mcdowell are proved.it will oblige other off
GERS to look well to their actions. and to have
some care of their morals as the fathers of
their actions.
Oh cOur sc We are not so unreasonable as to
expect that sold army Hicers' with the
rust OF wears If not of service on them, should
have high moral character. or even be as
emperats as volunteers who have not vet
learned now lazy, prolligate and drunken a
nlan can be and keep his command but We
would be pleased that a Major General who
has drank wine thousand times with an
other should have regard to appearances at
least enoushto say nothing if he cannot speak
the truth.
Then too. Porter is likely to be injured, and
Pope wht mas had too many oaths "a Ia &C.
K with him to really desire to see him hurt
comes forward and te>tifes he does not think
ne intended to withhold support from him
but only blundered. Why then did Pope
say at Cincinnati that he had been intention
ally sacrificed? Why has he toldths to more
han Il dozen men in New York?
The fact is there j. and has ever been d
sort of mutual good fellowship among "old
army officers = and though Ihey sometimes
tall out and srow. Yet when it comes to the
bite. their hearts relcnt. We hardly think
ne of these officers will be found guilty of a
sing !e charge made against them, for when an
ndiscreet and plain. ol.t>poAen officer tells the
truth. another higher in rank will be found
aho does not mind such l,,le matters as half
dozen hes more or less.
Miles was dead drunk al Manassas at
noon,and at three O'Clock when he was want
81, could hardly sit on his horse but yet it
was thought too Dad TO cashier 50 good a
dginker. and so he was given command
where he could sell 10000 men and ammuni
son and guns enough to supply all army.
They are all honorable men,, but if vol :
unteer officers Gid as they DO al times, they
would be at once dismissed
Fac "oii army officers" with honorable ex-
cep'!onS, Of course. have all along Numbered
III re than the Volunteer officers whom they
,isspise. Tney ale far more d!ssipated-far
ess pa,riotic.and generally men of much l's>,
natural ability. y m n who was drunkeu
l!ebauchel wretch with rank Of Lieut. few
ears agn,row finds himself VI. jor Genera :
lni ne VIII, has not bft,ns enough to drill ii
Guad.haS under him men of the finest talents
and brightest genius. Long associations and
many good drunk" together causes them
Join in shielding one another.
When our Government learns to appoin,
talented. honest. temperate land gets rid
o. the idea tia: whoever has loaied at Yves,
Point mist IN every case b. General. We
Will see our armies moving without trunk
Ell stagser.