Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-10-20

the campaign frustratodand all because one General
whose Incompetence indecson, half heartedness in th
war have again and again been demonstrated is still unac
countaby permitted to hamper and hamstrng the purpose
OF the Lieutenant General Let chasten mpaten
the gallant Army Of the Potomac but let tell the tuu
OF him He ID the General who at Gettysburg bore off tn
laures which belonged to Howard and to Hancock; wh
Wismsport sport suffered beaten army ts escape him
without battle 70 the gates Of the capital who at Min
Kun drew back in dsmAy from conflict which he had in
yted and which his army onged to convert into triumph
who, in the campaign from the Rapid Ann to the James
under Grant, annued the genius Of his chief by his own
executive ncapacy who lost the prize of Petersburg
martinez delay the south bank Of the James who lost
lost it again by nconcevable foes Of military administra-
ion when the mine exploded who nsulted his corps
commanders and his army by attbung to them that ina
solely to the unmtsry sovenness Of their General who
IN word, holds his place by virtue Of personal quaf
caton but in Difference to presumed fictitious per-
vsred political necessity and who hangs upon tho neck
to be rid Of and hom he retains solely Difference e
oeak cOmpLasanee Of his constitutional Commander in-
Chief Be other voices muzxed if they must be, ours
teas shall speak 0ut on this question Of enforced military
snbserrience POLITICAL pssan regusions.
We, at least, if other, may declare 10 the name of
wronged baied. indignant army that it's nominal CON-
mander ulh or unwilling, or incapable to lead it to VIC
tory and ask that Grants hands may be strengthened
BY the removal Of Meade"
Now, every reader will perceive that this is at the
same time highly modest, highly respectful, and
highly loyal language in which to speak Of the
President and the immediate commander Of the
most important, as it is the largest Of all our ar
mics. Gen. Meade is pronounced utterly unfit to
conduct the Army of the Potomac, and in this
opinion it is affirmed that Gen. Grant ooncurs, but
is deferred from giving effect to his opinion in the
interest of the army and of the country by feel
ing Of :" difference to the weak complaisance of
his constitutional commander-in-chief" And this
weak complaisance of the President is inspired,
adds the Independent, By military subscrvience
to POLITICAL bipartisan to personal requisitions"
Now, these representations are either true or
false. If true, (and it must be assumed that the
Independent supposes them to be true,) what shall
be thought Of an Administration respecting which
such things are said by its friends, and what shall
be thought Of journal which supports the re-
election Of President who in this hour and arti-
ole Of the national conflict holds the lives of our
soldiers and the military fortunes of the Republic
in subservience to "political, partisan, and per-
sonal acquisitions ~ Such are the charges of the
Independent.
If these representations are untrue, as we most
assuredly believe, whether as they relate to Gen.
Meade, to Gen. Grant, or to the President, what
shall be thought Of loyal" journal which
spreads such damaging reports among the people
and in the Army of the Potomac with regard to
the capacity of Gen. Meade, the military inde-
pendence Of Gen. Grant, and the political honesty
Of President Lincoln For it is to be remembered
that the New York Independent is one of the g re-
ligious journals which the " Christian Commits
sion" distributes among the soldiers Of the Army
of the Potomac, who will learn from it that they
are led like sheep to the slaughter because they
have an incompetent commander in Gen. Meade,
who is kept in command because the President
deems it more important to consult for "poltical,
partisan, aud personal requisitions than for the
welfare of our brave troops or for the interests of
the country And the soldiers are further instruct
cd that while these truths are notorious it is only
brave and at the same time "loyal" press like
the Independent which dares give them publicity.
BE other voices muzzled," it exclaims, "ours at
least shall speak out on this question"
When the President was called to justify the
arrest, trial, conviction, and banishment of Mr..
Vallandigham, he did SO in the following terms
eff Mr.. vaIandighsm was not damaging the military
power of the country, then his arrest made on mis-
take Of fact which would be glad TO correct on reasona-
bly, satisfactory evidence Long experience has shown
that armies cannot be maintained unless deseron shall be
punished by the penalty Of death The re.
qures and the law and the Constitution sanction this
ishment. Must shoot simple-mnded soldier boy who
deserts while must not touch hair of willy aeitator
who induces him to desert !"
We need not pause to demonstrate that nothing
which Mr. Vallandigham was charged with having
said could by any possibility of construction b.
held to convey such an inducement to desertior
on tho part of soldiers in the Army of the Poto
mac as the reflections of this New York journal on
the military capacity Of Gen. Meade and the politi
cal integrity Of President Lincoln. Yet does any
body suppose that the editor Of the Independent
will be arrested, tried by military commission,
and sent into exile Does any body suppose that
the Independent will be suppressed or its dissemi-
nation interdicted in the Army of the Potomac, as
would surely be the case if an opposition print
should indulge in such strictures2 We ask The
questions. Every body knows what answer they
must receive, and can draw the inferences sug
gested by such inequalities in the administrators
of the Government, when men govern and th,
laws no longer prevail
As far as the Independent is concerned We hav;
only to say that we should be sorry to think Al