Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-28
Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
From Washington.
Mgiignityof The Abolition Senator'S toicGrd Gen.
Blenker and Gen. Sickles-An Inside VieW o
of the Censorship Of the Press.


of the Censorship Of the Press.
WASHINGTON, March 30
The majority of the Senate have acted after
their kind in rejecting the nomination OF Gen
Daniel +. Sckles, and in causing Gen Louis
Blenker to be suspended from his command
There Is not u more efficient and able officer in
the army than Gen. Sickles he has brought his
brigade to a position OF efficiency equal to that OF
regular troops and he has done this by the iRces-
SAINT labor of the last nine months. | have seen
him spend hour after hour at cavalry drills, aid
ing the instructor and encouraging the men by
his presence until his cavalry soldiers and th eir
horses are 80 we'll trained that each and his
horse seem like single being governed by the
same will and moved by the same impulse. He
has so habituated his whole command, infantry
cavalry and artillery To brigade movements. that
il will move and act i'm battle with the precision
and certainty of machine. he has inspired all
his officers with his own enthusiasm, and they
have the utmost confidence in him. To strike
down such an officer now is an act that might be
expected from the Senate, but it it Is done, the
country will be cheated for the qualification OF
private malice.
In regard to Gen. Blenker, his GOODNESS and
utrepidty, and the steadlneSs Of his brigade. on
the 2lSt of July and the night that followed
were all that stopped the pursuit of the Conteier
ateS after the retreat Oi the Union army. This Is
acknOw lodged by Beauregard and Johnston IN
their reports, l. we'll rs bv Gen. Mcdowell him
self IN his report Since that time, his division OF
German troops have been noted for their prof
cheney and steldiness and general soldierly con
duct ami there Is now no division of the army oi
the Potomac that can be more relied on whenever
there Is any work to be done. Yet the machina
tions OF the AbolitIonists have succeeded IN caus
ing him 10 be suspended from his command
The facts that have been brought 10 light II
the report Of the committee OF Congress on the
censorship OF the press Al " ishugtOn will aston
i>h the country when they are published. But
there are some facts still behind, which they dc
not seem to have got hold OF and which show il
still more glaring light, the abuses which X
nOraut malignity visited upon the press at large
A. soon as General Mcclellan had taken com
mand of the Army on the Potomac, at Washing
ton. early IN August he requested the represent
atives of the press then in the city TO meet him al
his quarters At this meeting he explained how
ueceSs ,ry t was that no information Irhich cOHlG
be in any tcGy useful 10 ths enemy should be pub
lishci An agreement was then aud there made
by General Mcclellan on the one side, and the
repreSenttis the press on the other, by which
the latter bound themselves and the pIpers which
they represented that no such Information should
be transmitted hence or published in their respec
tive papers General Mcclellan on his part agreed
To afford the press all facilities IN his power foi
obtaining and transmitting all news the publica
ton OF which would not be prejudlcial to the ser
wee. The terms OF this agreement we're faith
fully observed on both sides until third party
ar.ogautv stepped in. and without the least shad
on OF right. annulled the contr,ct and made 4
Void his third party had the power 10 do thu
and great deal NOR. But il was power Nhict
he usurpei. which he shameiul.y abused, and ton
which abuse the country VIII vet call HIM to &C
count
he ink With The above named agreement VA
written WAS not dry before the telegraphic censor
rece- Cd orders from some official IN the Stat,
Department, requiring him to suppress all dis
patches which reelected upon the conduct or bust
hess capacity. or fitness for his place. or policy
OF any member OF the Cabinet: and placing such
restrictions upon the matter to be sent by tee
graph as amounted. in many cases. % a prOhi5i-
ton Of all news whatever The representative
o. the press were naturally indignant at such ,
violation Of their agreement, but stlll they obser
vel their part OF the contract. On the 22d o
October. however. the te'egraphic censor receive,
another order IRON the State Department, sul
more imperious than the former. Ii required ban
70 suppress all dispatches vhich relate even &
the civil operations OF tie Government. as vel a
Ia military opesstions This silly order VA
signed hy r W Seward. and vas dated Depart,