Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-09


ZION IL attacking an enemy whose numbers and dispos'
tons are unknown.
In place of the unity u purpose and iron will in
cuton which have been the advantage OF the Conedera
military nperatOns have bren PERMITTED TO have no
ngle will to ruiz no unity Of plan purpose Not only
does this apply direction of military operation but
even to he of the wHrto the appointment OF the
General to command Political or sectional Influences
have disturbed our coupse or frustrated our plans
army e Gen. McCle pushed into the neld
thn it divided under five different commanders eacn
iudep int Of the other.
'f we have sen no Indication yet Of that commsnd
ing ability and force of will which would, If left unit am
me led create uni Of action aud give room Tor skill IN
execution Qualities certainly posse-srd by ne head - the
rebel government We sboud at least remember Nspo
Icons aphO that bad Genera Is better than two
good Independent OF each other and acting IN ne
same theatre OF war"
We are sorry that the committee did not elicit
from Gen. Barnard the views he thus publicly
anuounc ia another quarter, for, a, they seem
TO have great rsp ct for his critical judgment
on the blunders Of the campaign, he might have
helped them to some useful differences as to "the
pol teal or sectional Influences which have dis
turbed our counsels and frustrated our plans"
/ And this leads US to express, in conclusion, our
regret that the country is still deprived of the in
telligence for which the Senate applied at the very
opening Of the late session Of the last Congress
In the official report of the proceedings Of the
Senate on last December 9th We fad the following
record:
"Mr. SHERMAN. l move to take up for confederation
the resolution / fsred yesterday.
"Tbe motion sgrred and the Scnate proceeded
10 consider the following. resolution;
Resolged That the Secretary of War be instructed
communicate to the s. nate incompatible it'll the pub
c service al resp,nGencs tee grams letter.. and reports
concerning the military operations Of the Army # the Poo
mac since its withdrawal from Harrous Landing, and all
letta eeRrams reIa
ende of Haper Ferry and the testm taken before
The committee OF investigation upon such SURF nde.
"Mr SUMNER. 1 sug sest to the Senator from Ohio
wheih it would not be expedient to make the c, little
broader TO the whole movements Of the Army
of the Pot from the lin it lef Wash ngton.
" Mr.. SHERMAN. The Secretary Of Var has informed
IN has annual report that under previous call Of the Sc
TINT H be communicated and therefore do not psh
TO duplicate the Information.
MIR SUMNER. If that is the case shall not press my
suggestion.
.'Mr. GRIMES beg to inquire of the Senator from
Ohio to what committee Of investigation he alludes
Does he the court Of inquiry III Eat by order of the
Secretary of War to investigate the Transactions growing
out of the surrender If Harpers Fsrryf II 10 not
properly designated 1t not committee Of investi
gatinn, but court Of inquiry, which is technical
term.
"Mr SHERMAN If the Sena or thinks the description
10 mol correct ask to have the proper words court Of
inquiry-inserted thought it was a mere committee
Mr. GRIMES. No,
THE PRESIDENT pro ,smpors. 1t is compstent for
the Senator from Ohio to modify his resolution, and
it will be modified.
THE resolution, as modified, was adopted"
And, again, under the date of last December
9Th we find record of the following proceeding
had in the Senate:
Mr.. SUMNER offer resolution which 10 in the ma
fure OF an amendment to that was passed by the
Senate Friday last:
Resolrd That the call upon The Secretary Of War for al
correspondence tsegam aud report concerning the mill
Up ratour of the army If the Pot be extended
80 as TO embrace all such papers from the first movement OF
tn army
"The resolution was con idered by unanimous consent
and agreed to-"
And yet, notwithstanding this call on the par
Of the Senate, and notwithstanding the announce
ment made by the Secretary Of War in his last re
port, when he said that "the communications be.
taOeea the Department and The respective COM
manders cere prepared under resolution of the
Senate at the last session. and will be transmitted
to Congress whenever you the President shall be
pleased to give your sanction" such official ex-
position as the Senate asked has ever been allowed
to see the light and the country is left to exc out
its intelligence respecting the official communica
tons which have attended the operations Of our
army in the best way it can, either through such
unauthentcated documents as have found publicity
in the newspaper reports Of courts-martial, or in
such truucated and clandestne publications as that
made 10 the case Of fiz John Porter, or in such
e1-porte records that now b. fore US prep red by
the Committee on the " Conduct Of the War"
Why there should be SO much retic ence prac.
tsed in regard to tho publication Of ,pers already
prepared for transmission to Congress, but never
transmitted, passes our power of comprehension on
any theory sach our respect for the Presi-
dent would forbid us to form, if we did not chart
taby suppose that he has forgotten to give tho
l"sauction" for which Mr.. Stanton, at the date Of
inditing his last report, announced himself to be
waiting. How much longer shall the Secretary,
and the country with him, b, lied to wait for the
Presidents sanction to he Official publication OF
documents prepared" for publication in answer
to call Of the Senate? What useful or honest
purpose is subserved by their longer suppression
The country wsnto to read these papers in an off,
cidl shape and in their entirety, without suppress
sions and without notes or comments to make them
mean what somebody or anybody may desire to
make them mean.
IMPORTANT LEGAL DECISION
Judge TREAT Of the United States Circuit Court for