Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1864-03-05
THE FLORIDA EXPEDITION-THE
REsPONsIBuITY.

Several of the leading Copperhead papers in
the North, for the want Of other material, have
employed the recent reverse in Florida as a
weapon Of political attack upon the President
Of the United States. The New York Herald
and New York World have figured conspicu-
ously in this business. Passing from the at
tack Of these sheets, whose daily business It is
to misrepresent and abuse the President, our
attention is attracted to printed speech of the
honorable Senator from Maryland, (Mr. Rev.
erdy Johnson made In his place in the Senate
on Wednesday, which unintentionally gives
character and dignity to some Of the abusive
newspaper articles.
We find the following In the report OF the
Senate debate;
MFR. JOHNSON, Who planned the campaign in
Floridal Not Mcclellan, Meade, Hooker, Burn.
side or Gilmore Who, theni
Mr.. WILSON asked II the sTnAtot could tell.
Mr.. JOHNSON said he could not
Resulting from this debate, ana the news
paper reports referred to-that the expedition
into Florida was set on foot by the President
for political purpose-Mr. Senator Hendricks
offered joint resolution that the cause Of the
recent reverse in Florida be inquired into,
which was adopted. The duty of inquiry de-
wolves upon the Committee on the Conduct OF
the War, and the testimony is now being taken
on the subject.
We can positively state, from Official infor-
nation which will be laid before the Commit
tee, that hs recent campaign into Florida uds
initiated, guided aud controlled bv Gen. GLImOr'
himself, upon consultation nth certain naval Oh
csrs IehO Joined With le General ip obtaining N
PrcsidenPs consent 10 It's execution. Gen. Gill
more will not hesitate TO confirm this state
ment. The responsibility Of the defeat a
olustee rests Immediately upon Gen. Seymour
who commanded our forces in that battle. Ii
the true sense of the word, the responsibility 1
with General Gilmore, who will not shrinl
from assuming II.
Mr.. johnson erred in stating on the 400
Of the Senate that Gen. Gilmore did "not
plan that campaign. Before making tina
statement tho Senator could have learned Off
peatthat he initiated 1t, he guided it, and h
controlled 1t, as far as a commander distan
from and not actually In the field at the tim,
of action could control it.
Much stress has been laid upon the fact tha
Mr.. John Hay, Assistant Private Secretary o
the President, was commissioned a major anC
sent to Florida. That matter is easily ex
planned. 1t was not until after the Presiden
gave his consent that General Gilmore, in co
operation with a naval force, should undertake
the expedition, that the idea Of sending Mr.
Hay to report to General Gilmore was though
Of Mr.. Hay, desiring moro active life, mad,
apersonal application to the President to g
with the expedition, and the latter consented
commissioned Mr.. Hay, and ordered hin
TO report to General Gilmore, who subse
quently informed the President, officially
that he (Gilmore) had ordered Major Ha,
TO proceed to Florida to superintend' certain
civil and military duties under the Amnest!
Proclamation. So much for the atrociou
statements that have appeared in the copper
head prints Of the North for several days, ant
which induced q usually cautious and Learned
Senator to be misled from his accustomed pro
priety, and make the declaration in the senAt,
quoted above.