The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-05-29
From tho New York Times.
The cry for tho Recall OF McClellan

We can tell the imps of faction who arc
shricking for tho restoration of Mcclellan
that their wind is wasted. Tho thing cannot
and will not bc done. The Government has
not lost its memory, nor the people their sen.
scs. There is an Intelligent purpose yet to
save tho nation. There is q frmer resolve
than ever to trust to agents equal to that end (,
and to those only. There is no more posi-
bility that George b. Mcclellan, after tho
experience had Of him, should be called back
to tho head of the army, than that James
Buchaan should DO called back to tho Execu.
tive chair. The people have hidden grim
good night to oil imbeciles. The impudenco
Of this outcry against Hooker for Mcclellan,
is monstrous. They-the supporters Of the
man who is responsible for tho movement
across tho Potomac which occasioned tho
Balls Bluff disaster-the man who against
tho urgent warning of high officers, 30 divi.
ded his army at Fair Oaks, with tho swollen
Chickahominy between. whereby ono portion
was decimatcd and well nigh overwhelmed
before the other could come to their support
tho man who ut Gaines Mills, stationed,
or rather failed to withdraw, q corps across
tho river, though hc had full warning that
It was to bc attacked by q forcc of three times
their number, the consequence of (which was
battle lost and nine thousand OF rs fine fellows
as ever breathed, wounded and dead in their
tracks-thcy, tho supporters of this man,
have the effrontery to vituperate Gen. Hook
or for recrossing the Rappahannock when its
swollen and extraordinary rise was endanger-
ing his position, and to demand the restora-
ton of their favorite.
They do this, too, ut the very first breath,
without stopping to hear word about tho
actual reason for their movement. While
other men are seeing in it, or at least hoping
to find in it gratifying evidence that General
Hooker, who is known to have every other
high military quality, possesses also tho quail
ity of high prudence which many feared did
not belong to his temperament, and while,
too. thcy are admiring tho masterly ability
with which tho movement, supposing it to
be necessary, was executed, these followers
of Mcclellan take no thought but how they
can turn tho matter to his advantage, and
forthwith make tho day hideous with their
clamor. Even If it should finally be made
to appear, which VIC do not at all believe, that
Gen. Hooker, in some particular misjudgcd.
yet any decent man would say that that was
no reason for his sacrifice, inasmuch rs the
Commander never yet lived who did not somc-
times make mistakes.
But that tho believers in Mcclellan, whose
whole career. from beginning to end, was
thick with mistakes of commission, and omis-
sion, and whom yet the people continued to
trust with generous indulgence that will
hereafter stand as tho greatest mnrvcl in this
war-that these men, we say, should raise
tho cry for the dismissal of Gen. Hooker at
his very first mistake, allowing that no has!
made one. is the very extreme OF shameless
ness. It is ridiculous; it is moro than that
1T il disgusting.
The people, these creature may rely upon
it, will stick by Hooker, until he is thorough
ly tried and found wanting. They know
that his heart is completely in the war-that
he abhors and detests rebels-that he will
hold no bosom council with the Fitz John
Porters of tho service, or intrust them with
any responsibility = that he would sooner
touch the plague than tho lcprous hands dai.
ly graspcd by Mcclellan.
They know. too, that General Hooker is
q man of action. They are sure that this
Summer. whatever its vicissitudcs, will at
least show very different spectacle in Vir'
gnia from the last-that there will be no
month lost in sitting with hundred thousand
men before carthwOrks ut Yorktown, manned
by ten thousand, that could be carried in a
day no consumption ola fortnight in march
inc by an obstructed road forty or fifty miles
from Williamsburg to tho Chickahominy-
no lingering for six weeks in tho swamp OF
tho Chickahominy with hardly blow struck
on tho offensive, while tens OF thousands
were sinking into an early grave from the
deadly malaria-no failure to take prompt
advantage of such opportunities to seize tho
rebel Capital rs were offered at Williams.
burg, at Fair Oaks and ut Malvern Hill-and
no neglect to follow up such q victory as that
at Anlietam with pursuit and q permanent
ly crippling blow.
All that sort of dawdling is now done
with. Moreover, the people believe that
Hooker will make such dispositions OF his ar
my rs will avoid such an unconcerted and
jisorderly engagement as that of Williams
burg; such a surprise without the means Of
retreat as that ut Fair Oaks; such dispo-
sition of forces rs occasioned q 900 men Mt
Gaines Mills to be pounced upon by 10000,
and we'll nigh overwhelmed; such precip'
itato and tumultuous retreat rs that IRON
Malvern Hill to Harrison Bar, and such de-
lay in occupying defensive ground as at liar-
rison Bar, where nothing but heavy rain
impeding the movement of the cnomy's ar
tillery, prevented the absolute destruction OF
tho army.
They are also confident that tho battles
which Hooker will fight will be overlooked,
in the manner of Napoleon and Wellington,
by himself on the field Of battle, and that
thus ho will bo ready on the instant to seize
the critical moment, whether to avert disas,
ters or to secure triumph; and that he will
not, after tho manner of Mcclellan, either
keep out of sight of tho combat altogether,
rs was done in every battle on tho peninsula,
or view it, rs was dono at Antictam, q mile or
two away, on camp stool, ON tho other side
OF tho river. rr-t
Tho idea that earnest "fghting Joc Hook
or" is, at this age of tho business, to bc sent
out of the field, aud tho frigid pcdant. Nc
Clellan, to bc brought up to the rescue. is
supcrlativcly absurd. Nothing but q half in
sane, half traitorous craving to turn him to
party account, could have ever started such
a yagary. Tho dcvotecs Of Mcclellan nre
doing him no service in thrusting him for
ward IN this unseemly style. The Govern
ment has hidden him 60 in peace, and as
for the people they are perfectly content he
should eat his salt with the copperhcads in
L.. i'm,
and it is tho war alone they caro- for. But IL
his friends are not content that no should ro-
main where he belongs, and shall insist upon