Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-10-16
Tic Inst Of TcCIeIlanl

One would have supposed that General
MoClellsn would have been desirous Of
dissipating the suspicious which had been
cast upon his loyalty in the hour of trial
But, as he chose to make far bolder strike
politically than he ever did in military
life, he by that act gave his case to the
public for a verdict. Only one verdict is
possible to be deduced from the evidence.
1t is that George B. Mcclellan is in active
cooperation with those wko made no Sc
cret of their determined hostility to the
Government And this fact is enough to
drive the last nail in his political coffin
He is dead and buried.
To show the full force of his declaration
that his views agreed with those of Judge
Woodward, it is only necessary to quote
tbs following from the New York Tribune
as to Woodward's exact position
"GeOrge W. Woodward has not dared to
deny that he advocated, in conversation
with, ,Hendrick B. Wright, the essential doc
trine of the Secessionists with regard to
State Sovereignty and the lack of power
in the Federal Government to "coerce q
State to remain in the Union. Nor has
Wright, though neighbor, friend, and sup
porter of Woodward, denied-as he GER
tainly would if he could-that such was
in substance Judge WoodwaTd's 8 position"
Nor has Judge Woodward, nor any
friend for him, denied the charge Of Hon.
VIM. D. Kelley, backed by specific refer
enee to abundant and indisputable wit
nesses, that he (Woodwsrd) declared, in
conversation held in his courtroom while
the Secession of the Cotton States was
proceeding, that in case the Union were
divided, he wished the line Of separation
run northward of Pennsylvania"
Nor has he, nor any of his satellites
for him, denied that, when riding in a
stage to Gettysburg, few days after the
battles there last July, and after he had
been nominated for Governor, he declared,
in the presence of George W. Hart, Dem
ocratic merchant of Philadel phia, as also
OF the Rev. Edward Strong, who unites
with Mr.. Hart in attesting the fact, that
he (Woodward) "felt no interest in this
wal" nor in the successes or defeats of
either party"
The General is dismissed to oblivion
with these oaustic words from The New
York Times
is, indeed, somewhat singular that
General Mcclellan, who has been so stoi-
cal regarding his military credit, should
be so exceedingly sensitive concerning his
political repute. He submits unmoved to
the seyerest, and, if we are to believe his
friends, the falsest statements concerning
his military career without making a
sign; yet is no sooner given out that he is
in favor of the reelection Of Governor
who is q friend eff the Administration,
than he is off like shot to put down the
lie. 1t would seem that the General can
stand anything but the suspicion that he
has parted company with the Copperheads.
1t is manifeslly an object Of prime concern
with him TO keep himself identified, as
completely as possible, with the men who
are not warning against the rebels but
quarreling with the constituted authori-
ties of the Government. OF all the score
or two Of Major Generals of the United
States, in service and out of service, there
probably is not another one, whaneYer his
former political associations, who would
have treated as slaHder to bepublicly re-
PEELED, a story that he was for sustaining
the Executive which gave him his commits
sion. Major General Mcclellan has this pc.
eulisr distinction. Whether it be owing to
resentment at his displacement from the
command Of the Army of the Potomac, or
to an ambition of being made, as has been
talked Of, an Anti-Administration candi-
date for the Presidency, we shall offer no
conjecture. His motives are known only
to himself. But we do say tnat is not
conduct which would become true soldier
in his peculiar position"