, 1863-04-09
Ubifaoo Gribune.
CONDUCT OF TF9E xFAB-KEpQRT
THEREON

CONDUCT OF TF9E wAn-HEp0R1
THEREON.
The almost uncomfortable patience
manifested by the President in his inter
course with McClclan-lis forgiveness o'
tpat Generals blunders. timidity, want
Of decision, shamclessncss in framing ex-
cuscs for inaction, and positive disobedi-
ence Of emphatic ordcrs-will, wlnle in
creasing respect for the kindly traits Of Mr..
Lincoln's character, cause q feeling Of re-
grct on the part Of all who read the report
Of the joint Committee on the Conduct Of
the War, that he had not, when tic Poo
mac Bobadl commenced his inglorious
career, little of that hardness Of nervo
and infcxibility Of purpose that he has
since acquired. But all who are disposed
to complain Of the lenicncy which this
report shows-leniency that Ind such
momento,ls consequences-must remem-
Der the difficulties of the situation and the
impossibi1ity Of instantly dismissing tho
popular favorite, without causing q fer
nent and deep seated dissatisfaction in
the public mind, which in their Interior
consequences, would have been more dam
gcrous to the cause than tho defeats
TO which Mcclellan was at last forced to
submit. & powerful but not uncondition-
ally loyal party had seized upon him as the
tool by which their partisan, not patriotic,
purposes were to be worked out. The
prestige Of youth, and Of campaign il
Western Virginia, in which others did the
work for which lie got the praise, had
commended him to popular favor Hewas
tie representative Of the West Point inter
est and influence in the army; and it is no.
too much to say that when he assumed
command ut Washington, he was the ce1-
tre Of the Nations hopes. Thus cmbody-
ing in himself the promise Of much
that was good, and the capability Of SO
much that was bad, it is not wonderful,
that, in dealing with him, the President,
impellcd alike by kindness and by the fear |
Of mischief should have been ten times !!
more tolerant than 4 less cautious, or q |
bo1der man could have been, under the ar
H4AtAtAOAQ w t@1A tA4t 44E EfGEFHuEEG
along McClellan's career.
There is another feature in the affair not
less r.ma1kable; and that is, the soundness
Of the military opinions that 31r. Lincoln
recorded in the letters and orders that the
inquiry Of the Committee brought to light.
He was all the while opposed to inaction,
and in favor Of the most vigorous meas
utes, and the hardest blows; but, silenced
by spccious statements hat he dared not
undertake, with his knowledge Of miIitary
aflairs, to question, he submitted, time and
time again, to delay. He disapprorcd Of
the Peninsular campaign; and in IN unan-
swcrable letter to General Mcclellan, set
forth Its disadvantages in way that
was, as now proved, prophetic; but
ove1ruled by council Of war, called
at his own suggestion, lie gave in
and the campaign was inaueurated,
Du1ing the occupation Of the Peninsula.
. he did not fail to urge cclcrity Of move
ment and pronlptness Of action; but conf
plants ofthis thing and that, I'LL unfouuded
and bascless, were always sent in reply to
his entreaties. Nothing but his positive
command, from which he would not rcccdc,
though twenty times importuned, kept men
enough before Washington to save the
Capital from capture by Jackson, at the
time Of that Generals raid into the Valley |!
Of the Shenandoah. And lad his notions |
Of what the campaign should be, been car
rlcd out after Antictam, Richmond would |
have fallen then; but want Of shoes, of
horses, Of blankets, urged with much pcr-
tinacity by 11cClcl1an-falsc1y urged, be-
cause Of all these things the army had
enough-Eervcd to gain if it did not justify
delay; md as Mr.. Lincoln feared, the
enemy escaped. In all the correspondence,
and, TIC arc told in all the other testimony
tic timcllncss and soundncss of tie
Presidents plans and suggestions are 50
triumplicntly yindicated, that they can
never he t-uestioncd again. 1t was proposed,
a few days ago, by an able New York
journal, that Sir. Lincoln Should organize
board Of military advisers, to wlic, iii:
plans might be submitted for revision and
correction, to the end That there might bc
unity and concert Of action. This reoort
shows that, embarrassed By none of the
traditions Of the schools, troubled l,y no
jealonsics Of coadjutors, acting upon the
dictates ola plain and strong common sense.
upon which Inst oil military science rests.
hc Is the superior to any Of the men about
him. His original conviction, that the
rebellion isa gigantic crime, that it is to be
overcome only ty the destruction or dig
pe5sion Of the rebel armies; and, hence.
That rapid marches and hard fighting are
the necessities Of the situation until peace
is conquered, is the basis of his stratcrv.
and upon that conviction he has acted
How hc has been tllwarted- his in
tentaons have been ncutralizcd, and how
his plans, well laid and sure to w;n
have been defeated by thc man in whom
he and the milton trusted, this rc,ort
shows.
1t is no pleasure to us to discuss. cren
alter others have dug up, the errors and
blunders Of the campaigns that have he.
come part Of our national history. We
would not do so in vindication Of anything
that We have before said; but it is due tn
tie cause, that the Commander-in.C Chief Of
the Army,-the President Of the United
statca, to whom SO much has been conf
dcd, and from whom the country expected
so muc1',-should be set right before the
men upon whom the future Of the war dc.
Ecnds. In this view not because we wish any
new cdium hcapcd upon Mcclellan, we are
glad that the report was made and printed.
II will serve double purpose-to leigltcn
and strengthen the confidence that the neo-
pie feel in the wisdom and patriotism of
their military head; and to silence the
clamors Of base partisans, who arc less
anxious for victory and peace than for the
Presidency, and the contingent honors and
emolumcnts after which they are graspine. I
cLUHs AND MUNITIONS OF WAR :
There is club in New York City like
lie one the spurious Democrats keen 70 fl
ing in Chicago. There, as here, it is made E
up Of men who profess patriotism. but act
as though they were enemies Of the couu-
try; Of those who say they arc for the Con-