Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-06-23
Special Correspondence of the Chicago Times.
From Washington.

Another Malicious Attack on Gen. Mcclellan
McDOueH still in WashiagtOn-ShOrt- sighted
Policy of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS for
700, 900 Troops.
1.-THE subjoined letter has been delayed in the
transmission, but its value is not impaired there
by.-ED. TINES.
WASHINGTON, June u.
Some of the readers of the Times may proba-
bly, see in the Boston Transcript a malignant at
tack on Gen. Mcclellan under the specious guise
of a defense of Secretary Stanton. There is
good authority for saying that the article ema-
mates directly from the War Department, and that
it was inspired by the head of that department
himself. 1t might be thought that the present
critical position of General McClellan-with his
little army decimated by sickness and battle
his brave and accomplishing soldiers soaked by
the heavy rains day after day, and sleeping on
the wet ground at night, confronted by the enc
my in vastly superior numbers, yet presenting a
bold front and asking reinforcements-would
stop the mouths of his detractors for a few days
at least. But not so think his enemies here.
They still put in use every engine at their com
mand to hamper his movements, to embarrass
his plans, and to prevent the realization of his
hopes. This attack in the Boston paper is the
~ CCnCDlC W NbANh tnCf a u u
brutality and malevolence are worthy of the
source from which il emanates.
The Secretary complains in his defence that
when he came into Office nothing had been done
towards suppressing the rebellion, except organi-
zing an army. Admitting that to be true, the or
gaIization of an army was the very thirg without
which the rebellion could never be suppressed
1t was not McCiellan's place to do more than to
organize and direct the military measures by
which the Union was to be restored; and Stanton
admits that this had been done by Mcclellan.
The restoration TO the Union of Kentucky and
Eastern Tennessee, which he complains was not
done, could never have been done by force of
arms alone. l was Informed months ago by in
~iuential citizens of those States, and the assu-
rance was reiterated only a few days ago, that
the Union sentiment in those States had always
been repressed, and was still depressed, by the
sometimes hostile. and at all times vacillating,
policy of the administration in regard to the sla-
very question; by the preponderance of Abolition
sentiment in Congress; and by the persistent at
tacks of prominent members Of Congress, known
TO be in favor with the administration, on the in
~stitution of slavery, both in States and Terrific
ries. They assure me that, as long as this State
OF things continues, any Union sentiment profess
ed in either State will be hollow and iDsincere;
but that, il assured of their rights by a Demo
cratic administration, or in any administration
in which they could have confidence, those States
would again be, as they once were, the strongest
Union States in the nation. The following dec
laration of Kentucky's greatest son is often quoted
in this city in these latter days. IL would rather
support for the Presidency any honest man, of
any party, than a man who, loudly protesting de-
votion to the Union, is really, at the same time,
undermining and subverting the principles upon
which it is founded" This description applies
exactly TO tie present dominant faction in the
Cabinet and in Congress.
No; il was not McClellaD's fault that so little
had been done when Stanton came into Office,
except the Organization of an army. 1t was be
cause the Presidential chair was occupied by a
man weak in his nature, "inirm in purpose"
with no fixed principles on the subject of national
government. with no definite policy in view. He
has Teen permitting things to DRIFT aimlessly on,
and had given himself up to the guidance of that
willy demagogue Seward. OF him it may be truly
said that he never has, and does not now, com
prehend the vast proportions of the war in which
we are engaged; and his colleagues in the Cabinet
are equally obtuse. The proofs of this have been
too often spread at length in the columns OF the
Times to need recapitulation here. But if the
Presidential chair had been occupied by a states
man like Douglas, or Polk, or Van Buren,, or
Pierce. the Executive would have taken a stairs
maniike view of the war. A policy would have
been adopted and adhered to, both as regards the
conduct of the war and our foreign relations; and
long ere this the war would have been ended and
the Union restored. The manner in which the
Government has been adm nistered since the war
began shows. as the Times has often demonstra-
ted, that the Republican party is utterly incompe-
tent to that task.
The events of the last two weeks have proved
the correctness of the views expressed in my
former letters in regard to the means in posses
sion of the rebels for the defence of Richmond.
II is now admitted by all except those who are
%willfully blind that the rebel forces at Richmond
far o~utnumber McClellan's, while they have all
the advantages OF position, ground, &c; that
their troops are brave and well disciplined, and
that their officers are fully equal to ours in mil
itary skill. Under these circumstances the coun-
try looks in amazement while the telegraph re-
peats from day to day, General Mcdowell Is
still in Washington
IL is said here, on good authority, that the
proposed camp of instruction., to be formed at
Annapolis, viii be nothing more than a mere de-
pot for recruits; that the exigencies of the ser
vice are such that IL will be impossible to keep
the men in camp more than two or three weeks;
and that, as soon as ten thousand men are Assem-
bled there, they will be Immediately drafted of
to such regiments as have had their ranks thin
ned by battle or disease. This, Of course, is by
no means what is indicated by the order Of the
War Department establishing the camp, But IL
will not be the first time, nor the second. that