Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1863-04-09
Report OF the Committee on the Con-
duct of the War.

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Of Indiana, and M. F. ODELL, Of New York,
on the part of the House. The report is elsb-
crate and of great length, occupying nearly
four pages, or about twenty. four closely printed
columns In the New York Tribune.
This document, which is the result of from
one to two years. labor on the part of its su.
thors, processes to be report on the "Conduct
Of the War" But go far from being general
exhibit or review Of the progress Of the war,
Il is almost wholly confined to details in regard
to General MoCLELLAN's conduct and the opera
tions of the Army of the Potomac. The com
mittee ignore the operations of our army in the
Southwest. They seem TO know noshing about
Charleston, New Orleans, etc.; nothing about
the achievements of RosEcRANs Or the move
ments of GRANT on the Mississippi: They are
even dumb as to the long delay since the battle
Of Fredericksburg 10 the Army of the Potomac.
Everything slse seems to have been forgotten
for the sake of criticisms upon McCLELLAN and
BURSuDE, and slm@t altogether upon the
former.
This long report, prepared and published at
the public expense, 10 ftly characterized as an
elaborate document preparatory to the Presi-
Dental campaign of 1864 We know not how
else to account ior the fact that report, which
assumes to be review of the general course Of
the war. should be confined to the war in sin
gle section of the country and only detail the
operations of single command. The object
kept steadily in view throughout this long
Winded document, seems to have been to frame
a partisan indictmer. against General MoCLEL.
Lam, In order to blast his we'll. earned reputa
ton as soldier and to deprive him of that
high regard which the army and the people en-.
teitain for him as q man and patriot
But the criticisms Of such non military men
and well known partsans as WADE, CHANDLER,
JULIAN, etc will be esteemed of little worth In
the sober judgment OF nnpreiudiced minds.
The report not only is an attempt st the im
pesohment OF General MCCLELLAN, but also of
the President, the SecFea of War and Gen
eral HALLEcK. Il mora that intimstss that the
latter were the three persons by whom, or some
one OF whom, General BURNsIDE's plan for an
advance after the battle of Frederioksburg was
betrayed to the enemy, causing an absndon-
ment Of the plan. They we're the only three
persons, It appears from the report, who we're
entrusted with the secret Of the plan, and as no
other person could have revealed it, It's betrayal
must, according to the report, rest with them
How those who claim to be exclusive supporters
of the Government will dispose of this attack
on the highest public authorities, remains to be
seen.
We can not better close this article than with
the following remarks of the New York World
on the "course of events which compelled the
abandonment of the siege of Richmond after
the thunder of our guns had shaken the stand
ard of the Confederates upon the very walls Of
their defiant capital" They are given at the
close of q review of the committees report
On the night of the 2sth June, 1862, Gener.
al Mcclellan found himself called upon to elect
between q retreat In the face of an enemy su-
perior in numbers and the risk of the complete
annihilstion of the fnest army Of the Union.
A more cruel alternative was never imposed
upon soldier and Q patriot. How bravely IL
was met, how wisely decided, our chidren's
children will read with clearer eyes than ours,
and honor with more liberal hearts the young
no thought or care but for bis country and for the
heroes whom his country had given into bis
charge. When the die was cast, the report tells
us that General Mcclellan sent to the Sec,
retary Of War a telegram stating bis con.
yiction "that the Government had not
the army" This telegram Mr.
Stanton evidently did not think it well
to submit for inspection to Mr.. Wade and his
colleagues. The country would like to see 1t,
will no doubt ere long be permitted to see it,
and will then more fully appreciate the over
Whelming admission of the Presidents reply
"If you have had drawn battle, or q repulse,
it is the price we pay for the enemy not being
In Washington. We protected Washington
and the enemy concentrated on you. Had We
stripped Washington he would have been upon
us before the troops sent could have got to
you."
In these few but most pregnant words lies
the triumphant vindication OF General McClel.
lan's fame. These words confess all that the
most impartial students of the peninsular CAM
psiRn have 80 often and 90 earnestly asserted.
1--WE protected Washington and the enemy
concentrated ON you" Weeks before, when
the campaign against Richmond was culminst-
ing fact to victory, the bsyonets which would
have made that victory secure were with
drawn "to protect Washington" To "pro-
tect Washington" the Army of the Potomac
had been amputated of it's right hand, and
its commander coolly Invited amid the
sudden crash OF all his best-matured plans
"to do the best he could" When the
soldiers indispensable to victory on the James
and the Chickahominy were drifting madly
about upon the track Of Jackson along the
Shenandoah, the Potomac and the Rappahan.
mock. General Mcclellan had warned the gov
eminent of the fasal course il was pursuing,
had implored The President TO listen to the die
tates of all military experience, but In vain.
The movement by which Jackson swept from
Richmond toward the Shenandoah, leaving the
thoughts and souls OF the Washington cabinet
captive In trance of terror behind him, never
for a moment deceived General Mcclellan.
Jsckson's movement, he told the government,
was simply intended to prevent reinforcements
from reaching himself. He was entirely right,
and jackson was entirely successful. The dat-
Ing confedeu ate accomplished his purpose folly,
threw the authorities &c w ashington into utter
confusion, broke up through their panic 'stIick-
en folly the final combination which must have
delivered Richmond over into our power, and
wheeling then upon his line of march sWooped
down upon the Chickahominy, joined his forces
with those of Lee, and drove the Army oil tue