Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-02-03
Burnside and the Army Of the Potomac.

Tho failure of the recent attempt To again
move the Army OF tho Potomac seems to have
boon the weather, though from the resignation
Of Gen. BlIaside, Immediately following it, We
arc fully OF tho opinion that there were obsta.
cle5 in the way besides tho war Of the oemontg.
1 AT the last moment, and when the troops were
actually il motion the storm and the mud, no
Doubt neutraized all efforts and rendered futile
all plans. But what influences were at work
previously to postpone action, while pleasant
skies and firm earth favored, we may not, per
haps, learn until tho end Of court martial,
Whose ever fault il was, however, wo do not
believe it was Gen Burnsidea. Whatever the
military skill Of tina! oh,sr may be, whether
he Is equal to commanding an army as large
as tho one now on the RAppahannock or not,
We arc fully persuaded that he has believed in
Sighting treason Immediately and continuously
And we believe tho secret history Of tho few
works, during which he had the supreme com.
nand in Virginia, will show as persistent and
determined though, parhaPe, less bare
iacsd--on the part Of some Of his subordinate
oGicers to prevent his winning great victories
40 signallEsd tho conduct Of Gems. Porter and
franklin when they left Pope to fight alone the
whole rebel army, at the second battle Of Bull
run II is this hostility on the part Of officers,
high in military positl n In his army, this re-
lueal to heartily co operate in plans Tor moving
Immediately on the enOmy'S works this cold
ness and ndfsrence--to call it BY no harSher
name-to the success Of our armies unless
somo pa rticular General can reap tho glory Of
the victory, or some particular parry can shape
tho policy Of the campaign, thai wo believe
have beon the dead weights too heavy for Gen.
Burnside to liI and have, At last, forced him
to give up the command which lie took reluot,
rntly at the outset, and has retained Ices from
bis own wishes, Than from the controlling de-
sros Of his superiorsat Washington. To Gen
burnside belongs praise for trying to crush
treason and his failure TO succeed should rest
partially at least, on other shoulders than / is
Harpers last Weekly has an illustration II
which President Lincoln appears as stage man
agor before the ioot.ighis, and announces iho
tho tragedy Of the Army Of the Potomac, Of
account Of quarre!s between it's Generals, is IN
a1oidably postponed. There is a bitter truth
in the bling sarcasm. In that army for NOR
thsn year pro-slaysry politicians have WORKED
and mined 10 make it an instrument IN thu
hands Of the Democratic party to control th'
Government. 10 1t has been begun, fed AM
strengthened, day by day, hatred of Congress
Of Secretary Stanton, Of every body and ever.
policy that did not ;xst and magnify Mcclellan
I he immense power that Mcclellan had in tn
army was all osed to thpt end. Democratic pa
pcrs were circulated largely in the car9s Will
Republican papers, unless they joined in prais
Of mastorly inactivity, were excluded, or sucl
obstacles put in the way Of their circulation a
to eifectually shut the door against them. B,
such instrumcn talitIes, peIsistently employed
tho Army was made to think that McClella
was wiser than President or Congress or people
and that unless tho Army could make the poll
cy Of the war, and choose its leader, it woul,
not SIGHT. W. are reloiccd to know that thi
feeling wai not universal but the disclosure
in the recent trial Of Gen. Porter sho'
how far this poison had worked las
summer, and what disastrous consequence
had then resulted fiom it's insidious progress
At that time, and since, tho army has unque'
tonsby been divided into two parties, On
: earnestly desiring to fight eason under th
Generals that should soonest bring them lace t
face with the enemy, and the other sullcu, hos
tile to emancipation, angry at the removal Q
Mcclellan, en-. aged at Congress, full Of dis,a'
S irIaction, sowing brosdchst the seeds OF discoR
s tent, and wiling to stand by and see the scheme
] Of New York secession conspirators break dow
= the Administration, stop tho war, and aoceI
] tbs Coniederacy as an established fact. Ho'
lal ~ WIS lhtttI Situltut rs anu now muCu y
J it would remain 10 the army if the officers VIII
4, preach it, and encourage it, were removed froI
e positions in which they can work so much es
e to the cause Of the Union, ID is impossible {
! tell; but there is enough oil 1t unless it is oour
. terscted or removed, to work the ruin OF III
e army aud hang like mill stone around tn
t neck Of any General who shall endeavOr to lea
= il agains. the army Of treason,
d We trust 10 see our banners in virgiai
o crowned with victory, but we are BY no mean
n certain that, bslore that time shall come th
! army must not b tried and purified as wa
that OF Gideon, until there shall. be not an of
E Ger in it who shall DO unwilling to ,ako, ns h
Oattc-cry, the Sword of the Lord and the Rish
;, Of man. Etsrnal Justice may then crown Oh
n standards with success.
- ------ e-p-.-s---'-.-.--
@ THE CnASaE OF CoNSANpsm-The recsr