The Portland daily press., 1863-10-28
The Cruelty of Cope rhead Friendship.

The Cruelty OF COpperhead Friendship.
Since for reasons not yet made public, Gen.
Rosecrans has been relieved from the CON-
nland of the Army Of the Cumberland, the
Copperhead press have betrayed newborn
love for him, and are denouncing the President
without stint fol- his gross injustice to one OF
the most glorious chieftains of the war. A
patriotic mind would say that, as the Gen. has
been relieved and ordered to report at Wash
ington, il is to be presumed that the step has
not been taken without due consideration and
proper Justification. The nature of the com
plant has not been made known; and it is
equally unjust to both parties-the Govern
ment and Gen. R.-to assume any cause for
removal derogatory to the latter or dishonor-
able In the former, In the absence of further
light. r
But the Copperheads in their zeal to malign
and dispaiage the Government which protects
and shelters them, do not hesitate, under pre-
tence of regard for the General, TO make
statements that, if true, would justify his per-
emptory removal from all command in the
minds OF all loyal men. For example: the n.
Y. Courier DIES Etas Uns-a French Copper
head paper Of the most intense stripe-a pa
per through which the agents of the rebel
Contederacy in France have heretofore gained
the ear of our peope-as we find it approving
by copied by the Argus Of this city-says:
some lighting from ambition. others from avar-
Ice; 10 the latter the conquest of country means
only piiage aud cheap cotton the former jealous
Of their sapcriors and their equals aud delighted
x.fff. scl. fota hon.
Profoundly honest and religious Rosecrans
CARDS these spectaccs with bitter aversion. His
nate i,,rps hc ~ ;
tent to prevent; and in mystical hopes of another
world he seeks relief from the corrup'ions of the
present. He no longer fights with any ardor, but
simply from sense of duty, considering each yicto
ry useless waste of blood. lie has NO confidence
IN his successes, considering that they followed
By the swoop of birds Of prey whose rapaeity makes
hopeless the pacihcation of the country.
Under the guse of friendship Gen. Rose
Grams is here stabbed with an effect that no
open enemy could produce. He is alleged
to have lost all confidence in success, all
hope of victory, to regard the war as
mere waste Of blood, and to fight only
as i professional fighter, and not from any
principle at stake or heart in his work. -
Who will say il such be the condition of Gen.
Rosecrans' mind, that his removal has taken
place any too soon? that he is any longer fit to
lead our armies in the field? But such is not
the spirit of the noble hero of Murireesboro'.
His own words at Cincinnati, reported by
telegraph, give the lie Indignantly to all such
copperlead aspersions OF his character and
patriotism. II was only on Monday last
fresh from the scene of his late efforts and en-
route for Washington to answer to whatever
of complaint the Government may have
against him, that he is reported TO have said:
Gen. Rosecrans returned thanks for the expression
ofsympsthy aud respect which this public ecepton
implied. While he felt natfered by It, he could not
forget that the heart of the people did not 20
were contendng the struggle for national life which
produced such assemblies lie asked the people new
erto forget their duty to the government whatever
might happen to individuals. The question as TO how
he had been treated he desired TO leave for future
rime to answer.
He said that since the battle of Chickamauga. he
had received from the President his thanks for his
sction In that affair and whatever charges appeared
IN the Eastern papers against him, he was satisfied
that tue government WAS in no way responsible for
them. He expressed his readiness 10 do whatever
the government required Of him.
The Argus copies also from the New York
World, to show It's respect for Rosecrans, and
that the abase Of him by the administration
may elevate him to the proud position of
martyr. The spirit of the World may be
learned from the fact that only few days
since 1t kicked at this same General, and had
no word Of sympathy for him because he hal
turned his back upon his old democratic friends
10 his zeal TO do the will Of his Washington
masters, and to adopt and further all their
abolition and negro-freeing schemes.
ha fruf fs ha ds hat
Grams with mortal hatred. He is loyal all
through and through, and his works and his
words have been in beautiful harmony Such
s man is offensive to traitors and the use be-
Ing made of his case not only by the copper
head papers referred to, but by others of the
same class, betrays a studied purpose, while
attacking the government authorities at WASH
ington, to do it in way that shall kill him
while reproaching them. From such friends
he will surely pray to be delivered. The Pres
ident may have wounded him, but il SO it has
been done in no i'll will, but in friendship TO a
common cause, and while Rosecrans knows
how faithful are the wounds of a friend, he
VIII not remain ignorant of the deceiifulness
OF an enemys caresses. Gen. II. evidently has
consciousness of his own integrity, and there
fore he fears no investigation. That he will
meet with full justice-which is all that gall
liant officer can ask-there can be but little
doubt. The Army and Navy Journal well
says that
The whole matter. in all its bearngs will. VIC have
reason to believe, speedily come up for investigation
before the proper court; and until the charges then
are made known, and the facts elected brough TO
light advise his detrsctors as well as fuctnating
pabe, to restrain themselves from INDUCING in RAT.
dom charges and harsh criticism against one who,
during the last two yeirs, has certainly done his
country enough service TO entitle him to honorable
consideration and TO shield him from the poisoned
shaft of unpstrioic malice.