The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1863-04-24
A Bad Affair.
From the New York Journal OF Commerce.


The bitter fruits of the ill,judged and
malicious report of the Committee on the
Conduct of the War are already ripening.
We remarked the other day on the gross
improperly of making public the story of
the interview of Gen. Cochrane with the
President, and its results, and we then an
ticipated the miserable exposures to which
that publication would lead. The commit
tee made very cautious wording of their
account, with that common but foolish
idea that they could tell half story and
suppress the other half. But the whole
truth will inevitable come out in time.
The first, and very natural effect of the
publication, is to bring out General John
Cochrane with defence of himself. He
publishes letter in which occurs the fol-
lowing very remarkable disclosure:
President Lincoln, it seems, was not regard
less OF TINS historical lesson. Gen. Burnside,
the committee say, approached him with the
request that he would approve General Order
No. 8. This order dismissed from the service
and relieved of their commands twenty general
officers OF the Army of the Potomac who had
disturbed General Burnside. At the head of
this list stood the significant name of Gen. Joe.
Hooker. Ponder the result. Gen. Burnside
was relieved, and Gen. Hooker was ordered to
command in his stead
This is precisely what we supposed to
be the state of the case, and it was in an
ticipation of such disclosure that we
condemned the publication by the COM
mittee. Whatever influences operated to
induce the placing of General Hooker at
the head of the Army of the Potomac, it
ought to have been kept profoundly secret
Oh ho ~ ~
dismissal from the service had been only
few hours previously recommended by
General Burnside. This exposure cannot
do any good, and on the contrary must do
great harm both in and out of the army.
1t is in fact most understandable and dan
gerous interference by this committee
with the course of the President. These
men and their allies have no words suffi-
Gent to express their indignation against
Democrats who criticise any act ofthe Ad-
ministration. They are fond of declaring
that it is the loyal duty of every man to sus-
tain the President in every act he chooses
to inaugurate, whatever may be private
views of Its efficiency, and they denounce
as traitors and cOpperheads all who pub
llcly object to any course of the Admins
tratlOn. Yet they themselves strike the
most deadly blow at the President, seek
to destroy confidence in his management,
publish to the world that General Burn
side actually drew an order dismissing
General Hooker from the service. and
thus shake the confidence of the people in
Hooker, while they go yet further and ma
liciously insinuate that the President or the
Secretary Of War, or Gen. Halleck, actu-
ally betrayed Burnsides plans to the enc
my! What new significance is given to
the following passage from their report,
when 1t becomes known that General
Burnside's Order No. s actually contem-
plated the dismissal of General Hooker
from the service, lin order to enable him
to MAINTAIN the proper authority over the
army under his command
General Burnside came to Washington and
laid the order before the President, with the
distinct assurance that III no other way could
he exercise proper command over the army
of the Potomac; and ne asked the President to
sanction the order. or accept his resignation as
Major General. The President acknowledged
that General Burnside was right, but declined
to decide without consulting with some of his
advisors To this General Burnside reDlied
that, If the President took time for cOnsulta-
ton, he would not be allowed to publish that
order, and therefore asked to have his resigna-
ton accepted at once. This the President de-
clined to do.
General Burnside returned to his camp and
came again to Washington that night at the
request of the President, and the next morning
called upon the President for mis- decision. He
was informed that the President declined TO
approve his order No. (dismissing General
Hooker from the service, but had concluded
TO relieve him from the command OF the
Army of the Potomac, and to appoint
Gen. Hooker in his place. Thereupon Gen
Burnside again insisted that his resignation be
accepted. This the President declined to do;
and, after some urging, Gen. Burnside con-
Sented to take leave OF absence for thirty DAYS
with the unders anding that, at the end of that
time, he should be assigned to duty as he
deemed it improper to hold commission as
Major General and receive his pay without
rendering service therefor. General Burnside
objected to the wording Of the order which re-
lieved him of his command, and which stated
that it was at his request, as being unjust
to him and unfounded in fact but upon rep
reSentatlon that any other order would do in-s
jury to the cause, he consented to let it remain
as it then read.
We repeat our profound regret that this
story has been made public We earnest
ly desire to see harmony in the public SER
vice, and unity in the army of the nation.
But such committees are the enemies of
our peace, and the most dangerous of the
Presidents protested friends.