Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-03-12
THE RECALCITRANT SOLDIER AND DIPLO-
MATIST.

IdE hECALClIhANI 6OLDlCh AMI DATAO-
MATIST.
As it is always cur aim to be entirely accurate
in whatever statements we find occasion to make
on current events, we desire to correct a repre-
sentation which We made on Thursday last, in the
course Of the observations suggested by the letter
of Major General Cassius M. Clay to the Editor Of
the New York Times
In referring to the fact that this distinguished
soldier had just been re-nominated by the Presi-
dent as our Minister to Russia, we spoke of him
as "recalcitrant patriot :" who had had the
hardihood at one time to decline q Major General
ship because he did not agree with Mr.. Lincoln
10 the policy then pursued by the Administration"
On recurring to the letter of Major General Clay
We find this statement does not do him entire JUS
tice. 1t was not the honors and emoluments of
the Office of Major General which he declined, for
he was, at the time in question: already invested
with the dignities Of the highest military rank
known to our service. What he declined to do was
to enter the eld" and take an active part in the
campaign, as other Major Generals were doing, at
the command of the President. The terms and
conditions on which he held for time the rank
Of Major General while fatty refusing to center
the field" are thus stated in his letter, which we
cite in his own words for the purpose of correcting
the inaccuracy Of statement into which we fell
when we spoke Of him as having +" declined the
Office Of Major General" :"
"I told President Lincoln that could not and ,oouM
NOT enter the field except the policy adopted Of liberia
ting the slaves Of rebels So the President issued
his proclamation Of the 22d September offered my
vices at once to Gen. Haleck."
{ This downright language may seem slightly
naughty and iDsubordinate, when we consider that
it was addressed to the Constitutional Commander
in-Chief, and that Major General Clay had bound
himself by his military oath, like other soldiers,
to "observe and obey the orders of the President
of the United States" But such is not the view
we take of it. He merely sought to notify the
President in advance. that he was content to hold
the Office of Major General only on the condition
that he should not be required to fight while the
then existing war policy remained in force. And
. sufficient justification Of his course is found in
the fact that it was the policy, and not Major
General Clay, that went to the wall. In his very
interesting and cordial interview with the Gar he
had frankly said that eve fought the South with
reluctance" because fewc were much intermarried
and Of common history" So long, therefore, as
it was simply an affair Of the lawful Government
struggling against armed insurgents, Major General
Clay very properly made good his word to tho EN-
peror Of all the Russias, and reluctdted against
"6ghting the South" But when it became war
e -; - -
highly the alacrity with which he offered his sword
to the GeneralinChief We already know what
malgn influences prevented that sword from being
welded in the service Of the " country" and its
owners reputation"
Sincc the memorable day when Major General
Clay was thus repulsed by the General-in Chief he
has not been resting idle. His campaign in New
York was none the less brilliant for ending in
great rout o the forces he led to battle. The
vigor with which he would have charged at slave
ry, if Gen. Halleok had not curbed his high ambi-
ton, sufficiently attested by the short method
in which he proposed to dispose Of Governor Sey
mour, and thus prevent his election. As our
readers may have forgotten it, We quote from the
report of speech delivered by Major General
Clay in Brooklyn on the 7th Of October last, while
he was carrying on the "Wadsworth campaign"
We quote from the report Of the New York Tri-
bune, which represents him as speaking Of the
"Seymours" in the following emphatic vein:
These mon stickled because Congress had not auho
rzed the President to suspend the writ of hsbeas corpus
The President had the power and IL antecedents
wanted we made this antecedent forever against all
rebels. lCheers. Instead of finding fault with the Pre-
sden for this he did rather because he had not suspended
these scoundres by rope [Applsuse Were such trail
tors Seymour and Wood hung it would save the lives
Of millions Of honest Democrats [reat applause That's
so.'"l
And then what shall be said Of the courage with
which he entered the lists against George Francis
Train. If in that encounter the ex-Minister and
the Major General was rather unequally pitted
against man who was his superior in the art Of
popular logomachy, it is the less just to admit
that he replied with considerable force to tho toll
ing blows Of the redoubtable and renowned antago-
mist with whom he ventured to measure his muscle
and wind.
Latterly he has been resting in comparative 81
lence and seclusion, until he turned up few days
ago in the letter which has already become oele.
brated, and Of which, 1t seems, the public has not
Il vat hoard the ast For 10 b.c. II -. -