Daily national Republican., 1863-04-24

Z u.
Certificates (old) .......... 1O1i
Certificates Omew). ......... 49,
GOld ....,.... &. ........ ...s... lDlt
AN ACT OF JUsTICE--EXPLANA
When an act of injustice Is done, no matter
to whom, or whether it ia the result of blunder
or intention, the true and manly way is to ac-
knowledge it promptly. On Wednesday, an
article entitled "DdShing Exploits ord Cdrdlry
0ftcer," appeared as an editorial in the RE-
PUBLICAN. 1t was not seen by the responsible
Editor until after the paper went to press, when
1t was too late to cancel 1t. 1t was furnished as
a communication, and It's appearance as an
editorial was purely accidental, the supposition
Of our Assistant being that the high character
Of the author was sufficient to warrant the arti-
Gle an insertion against objection. Bm is
exceedingly Objectionable. GustAvo Otto, horse
thief, who has run away, is the hero. His
story could have been told in twelve lines, hut
instead Of that, the writer, unintcntionally, no
doubt, employs Otto as a weapon to strike the
President, the Secretary of War, the Med
iCal Director, and other heads of Bureaus,
in the latter Department. Now, instead Of
doing anything TO embarrass the President It
nast's and patriots, especially in crisis like
the present, TO do all that we can in our power
10 tighten his burden, to remove from him all
embarrassment, and help thereby to make
clearer and easier his difficult path of duty. To
magnify the simple story Of q horse thief into
a column article Of complaints, Interviewing
statements, which, If true, should rather be the
subject of direct personal appeal to the Prcsi-
dent than the text of a newspaper lecture, IL
most certainly the very reverse of our purpose
in supporting not only the Government as a
whole, but particularly the President and his
policy. The writer of the article, whom we
have reason to believe would not intentionally
misrcpresent any one, certainly does not ,nsd,,
10 say that opposite the front door of the Wal
Department the business of swindling the GOV,
ernment was carried on openly" that "Otto, 81
through this swindling agency, received from
disbursing officer" upon a fraudulent
claim" over fourteen hundred dollars, and that
"the War Department had coJuigdnce Of all
his" (nOt to mention the horse stealing and
that that Department permitted him to perpc,
trate this crime - Yet that is the sum and
substance Of what he does say in the article
which accidentally appeared in the REPUBLI
CAN. It is well known that we have no occasion
TO 60 out Of our way to defend the War Depart
ment, but we must, from sense Of scf-rcspCct
be excused from believing that any suCh thing
could possibly have happened with the knowl
edge Of the Secretary of War. Besides, we hav,
too high a regard for the President to allow
such an unreasonable assertion to have the
benefit Of forty-cight hours existence, without
placing the seal of our condemnation upon ii.
If it Is susceptible of proof, there is a time and
place to show il, outside Of the newspaper.
The article, in our judgment, contains a still
graver assertion, which VIC do net believe
the writer intended. He says that the War
Department has been ''tyying to fastcn dis
grace on the memories of officers who had died
like heroes in battles, by publishing them as
dismissed from service" Disgrace may have
followed such publication occasionally, but it
was always accidental that an innocent mans
name was published, and has always been
quickly remcdied officially. 1t was the Presi-
dent, acting in consultation with the Secretary
Of War and the GenGral-in- Chief, who institu-
ted the practice Of publishing absentees. Al
one time the number was very large. The pub
l.catlon policy was adopted as a means of ar
irving at certain facts and filling up the ranks,
and we have the highest authority for saving
that 1t has resulted greatly TO the advantage of
the army and the country.
The publication Of the article to which we
have raised these objections, and the appear
ancC Of which, in our editorial columns, We
most sincerely regret, will prove not only
valuable lesson to our friend who wrote it, but
Il will be a good one for us and our assistants.
ny reminding us Of the necessity Of examining
".tn more care every communication that here
after is handed in 10 the Office for publication.
IL's city is full Of men who have grievances.
Today We hear complaints against one De-
Par'mcnt, and tomorrow as many more against
"hother' Communications in any quantity are
upon our table, "pitching into" sOmebody.
An editor has to sit in judgment upon all these
matters. In this respect his tasl, is an nm
pleasant one. Naturally enough. he is some
times deceived In his absence. (as yvos tho
case with us on Wednesday, article, oro In
serted which he would never have sanctioned
such are some Of the ills Of an editors life
and this is our frec-will confession on the sinh.
jcct We feel better for having made it.
A succosSGul Expedition ON the ChucLa.
tuck.
The Navy Department has just received il
dispatch, Of rhr 23i, from Admiral Ice, Oh
Newport News. stating that Lieut.. Cushing re-
ports that Yesterday afternoon, with 30 men
and a howir2'r, he went to the village Of Chuck
atuck, where q large cavalry force was reported
to he. lie cnrountcrrd forty cavalry in the
village and defeated them, killing two and cap
turing three Of their horses fully equipped He
lost one man killed.