Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-06-18
A CALM APPEAL.

CALM APPEAL.
In the present season Of national adversely and
trial when the hearts of the bravest are moved by
the sight Of their country's misfortune, and when
the hearts Of others failing for fear of things
which, as they apprehend, are yet to come upon the
land every good citizen owes it to himself and to
the Government to express with freedom, but yet
with respectful difference, the opinions he enter
taius and the connsels which he deems appropriate
to the emergency that is on us.
After much reflection, and with full sense of
the responsibility which it involves we feel it our
solemn duty at this uncture to svow the deliberate
but earnest conviction that the President cannot,
by any one act, do SO much to restore the conf
dence of the nation as by the recall of General
MCCLELLAN to the command of the Army of the
Potomac. We intend no disparagement to Gen
Hooker, and we are sure we do him no injustice
when we say, that while, as the commander of q
corps or division, he deserves and possesses the
confidence of his companions in arms and of the
entire country, he cannot hope in his present po-
sition to inspire in the breasts Of either the
confidence as Gen. Mcclellan. And, in avowing
this opinion, we are very far from auguring nevita
BILE disaster under the military direction of Gen.
Hooker, for in SO doing we should write with as
little Of prudence as knowledge. He may be equal
to the situation, and, should the President deem it
best to retain him in his present command, we
shall seek to be convinced of the wisdom with
which that determination shall be taken, but with
our deliberate convictions in favor Of the superior
advantages possessed by Gen. Mcclellan for coping
with the demands of the hour, we cannot forbear
to express the opinion we have just announced
We commit ourselves at this time to the sup
port of no thesis with respect to Gen. McClellans
military capacity. We simply say that, whether
regard be had to the morale Of the army, to the
defence of this capital, to the expulsion Of the
invading foe, Gen. Mcclellan is the man of the
hour All concede that the private soldiers Of the
Army Of the Potomac love him as they love no
other man. All concede that he is skillful de-
fensive General, and the whole country knows that
he has had special opportunities for studying the
defence of Washington, while in the matter of
expeling the invaders from Maryland and Penn
sylvania he has already had the advantage of q
former experience, in which he was successful,
whatever may have been his actual or imputed
shortcomings in failing to destroy" the enemy
he then defeated and foiled
In giving expression to these views we know our
selves to be rejecting those of multitudes who are
among the most thoughtful as they are among the
most patriotic Of our countrymen. The thoughts
of the people are turned to Gen. Mcclellan and his
e Ioo a. Tn of
have but to advert to the fact that at . meeting
held at Harrisburg on the 18th instant, to take
measures for the defence of that capital the Hon.
SIMON CAMERON, the late Secretary Of War, (than
whom none other should know Gen. Mcclellan bet
teri "said that, while he had every confidence in
the present commander of the department, such
men as Mcclellan or franklin, in whose leader
ship the people had every confidence, would rally
sto their standard every loyal man." He accord
ipgly "called upon the Governor to send for Gen.
Mcclellan to take charge of the militia of the
Estate"
Gen. Mcclellan would doubtless do well at the
head of the militia of Pennsylvania. But he is
more needed at the head Of his old legions because
there he could do more good Let the President
restore him to the command, give him unrestricted
control of his movements, and then hold him re-
spomsible for has conduct IN the face ofthe country
We believe that if he again placed at the head
of the army it would be equal to reinforcement
Of it's ranks by tens Of thousands. AT his call we
are sure that multitudes who, in their dssatisfac
ton, have left the fag who are reposng at home
from the fatigues of war, would rally once more to
the standard of the country under their trusted and
favorite leader.
We know there are those who will contemn this
dVice as emanatng from the spirit Of military par
tis.pship. But is it not possible that those who
deal in such imputations are themselves the vic
TINS Of prejudces and delusions? The sincerity
of our advice-however mistaken it may be-is
attestcd by the gravity of the circumstances under
which it is uttered. None but words Of truth and
solerness beft an hour like this. We would con-
scioussy speak in no other language 1t is for the
President to Judge whether we have spoken wise
". He will be assured that we have spoken sim
cerely.
NEW HAMPSHIRE