, 1862-01-17
T})ExGrihtttte,


OD~ ! ~**~"*~*
FRIDAY, JANUARY II, 1862.
CAMERQNsS RESIGNATION.
The country has assurances in tho ap-
peintment Of Mr.. Stanton to the War
Office, that the jobbing and corruption that
have disgrnccd the organization Of our
army, will, US fast SIS he can reach the Of.
Tenders, be brought 10 IN end. We do not
believe, and we have never charged, that Mr.
cameron has soiled his hands by touching
any Of the proceeds Of the fraudulent trans
actions that have made Ills Department 80
hagrantly disreputable in the eyes Of
the nation. He is s. man Of great wealth
in solid possesslons-in lands, money, and
stocks-whom ill-gotten gains would not
tempt. Ont of the unnu1nbercd millions
that have unjustly gone to enrich favorites
and contractors, he, probably, has never
had dime. But he has been cursed with
greedy, importunatc and noteriously cor
rurt friends, who have compelled
him, by some means, we know not
what, 10 permit them to run their hands,
elbow deep, into the Treasury as often as
their wants or their cupidity demanded.
Such fellows as this man Alexander Cum
mings, who has gone to Europe TO hide
his shame and reve1 IN his newly acquired
riches, seem to have possessed, used and
abused him to their hearts content. We
know that after Bull Run he made an at
tempt to break away from the pack, and
to respond to the demands Of the nation for
more economy and more faithfulness
in his department; but the effort was vain.
The jackals who had served him in Penn
sylyanla for years, who made him twice
Senator, who supported him for the Presi-
dency in the Chicago Convention, who put
him into the Cabinet, and who fed him with
the belief that the object Of his ambition
depended upon their arts, intrigues and
persuasive influences for consummation,
these men were not 50 easily disposed Of;
and, after brief resistance, be fell back into
their keeping, and Pennsylvania morality
and Pennsylvania politicians once more
ruled the roost
Aside from the unfortunate Influences
to which Mr.. Cameron surrendered, he was
well fitted for his place. If he had not
great grasp Of mind, he had experience in
affairs. # he lacked the highest qualities
Of q statesman, he had wide knowledge Of
men; and as his Department was one Of
business merely, he might have filled it
with credit to himself and infinite profit to
the nation His views Of the war we're.
though much opposed and misrepresented,
eminently praiseworthy and Just. He saw
in The contest, what all Mspassionate men
must see, the rebellion Of a4property inter
est in the shape of q consolidated despot-
ism, animated by the greed Of wealth and
Of power, rather than revolt Of number
Of persons against the Government; and
he WAS convinced By a grouping of the
facts, to which his official position gave
him access, that to conquer a peace which
would be benehcent and permanent.
the Federal power would be compelled not
only to strike the rebels themselves, but to
weaken: If not destroy, the motive which
impelled them to arms In carrying out
his theory, he proposed nothing violent nor
revolutlo0ary-uo general scheme Of eman-
cipation. no injury to the interests Of loyal
men. He said to the country what we
have an hundred times said to our readers:
Here are the slaves Of rebels-the cause
"of the war; if they come to US.
"use them in any way in which
they may best serve the loyal case. Let
them cook, care for baggage, drive teams,
build roads and bridges, act as scouts or
spies, work in the hospitals, or, if neces-
sary, bear arms. In no event let this be
" q war. for the conservation Of slavery"
It is the great misfortune Of the country
that this plain, necessary, conamon-sense
policy, to tohach soe mast at last conc, was
not adopted in the beginning, That it was
not, is not llr. Cameron's fault He was the
MIN, above all others in the Cabinet.
in favor Of rapid and decisive move
mcnt. The six months delay at Washing
ton, OF rather that sir months Disagreement
Of the Capital ef The Republic BY an inferior
force, was no part Of his policy-was, in
fact, in opposition to all his wishes and
suggestions. "1f the facts Of the situation
do not warrant our fighting here, let us
"muster all Our surplus force, aud fight
elsewhere. The battle-fel&is not half as
"dcstructive as the inaction Of the camp
sand the fever Of the hospital" That was
his theory, and he would have acted upon
it, but vas overrulcd; and the nation PAYS
The bill. A humping big bill it is!
Thus endcayoring to do Mr. Cameron
Justice, We are forced to admit that be has
resigned. Restrained by the Administra-
don, he could not carry out the anti slavery
policy to which he was committed; and in
the power Of friends whom he could not
shake of, he could not or would not STAY
the corruption that was outragging the con
science while it was sweeping out the treas
ury Of thenation. His successor, whatever
his theoretical notions, cannot do less than
]1A4- 0<44~AOA2 n ~31 t'I2A N III Ill tuE HdY
Of making the contest earnest and deci-
siye; but, in the matter Of money, we
know that he has that entire freedom from
disrcputable complications with political
and army jacka1s, which, with his industry
and administrative ability, Will enable him
to manage his Department economically
end with an eye only to the purpose for
which it was created. He is known to be
honest and capable; time must determine
whether be Las that broad and comprehen-
sive patriotism which will impel him to at
tack and conquer al obstacles that stand
in The way Of the unity and indiyisibility
Of the Republic; or whether his allegiance
is divided between lis country and the
worst Of its institutions. If the latter, God
help US!
THE CONVENTION.
How great are the powers of Conven-
ton to make a new Constitution, and
within what limits is its action confined !?
are questions variouslv answered. There