New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-03-17
JOHN N. BOTTs AND GEO. II. NC.
lLEILAN.

One Of the Copperhead journals, of this city,
started, some time since, a story that cores
pondent Of The TRIBUNE had asserted that
John NJ. Bolts of Virginia had, in a letter TO
the Hon. G.. S. Smith, expressed certain opin-
ions by no means complimentary to Gen. Geo.
b. Mcclellan. The assertion brought forth a
rcjoinder from Mr.. Smith, in which
he declared that he had never received any
such letter from Mr.. Bolts. This denial was
seized upon by the originators of the story; the
correspondent of The TRIBUNE denounced for
falsehood and forgery; this paper accused Of
willfully abetting such lalsehood and forgery for
the base purpose of slandering that distin-
guished soldier, Gen. George b. Mcclellan;
and, with indignant virtue, it was demanded
that The TRIBUNE should Immediately clothe
itself in a hair shirt of the toughest sort, and
put itself upon penitential diet Of bread and
water, offering up, al the same time, the head
Of its delinquent correspondent as fruit meet for
repentance. II would have been just
as easy a month ago as now to
have rcfuted this idle tale, but it
hardly seemed worth while. We are some
what used to SANDER and abuse, and seldom
turn aside to rebut it; but this particular lie has
been so often reiterated, has pulled on its seven
leagucd boots so Often and has travelled so fast,
and so far that for once we depart from our usual
rule and set the truth in pursuit of it. And
here il il.
On the Goth of January we published letter
from one Of our special correspondents with the
Army Of the Potomac, dated Jan. Il. In it he
said
In answer to letter from the Hon. q. $. Smith Treasurer
Of the Virginia State Government 10 the Hon John NJ
Bolts urging on behalf Of Gov Pierpont his acceptance Of
the position OF Senator from that State Mr. Bolts has written
eloquent, response declining the prored honor He states
that be Is fully Of the responsibility Of United States
Senator that the position Is which ought to satisfy the
aspiration. Of any moderate man, but tina, he Is com
PEELED at present by solemn convictions VI duty decline
accepting any Office from either OF the govern.
ments Of Virgins, representngo protesting to represent that
State. His unselhs motives he might be mpugned
but he nevertheless believes the time far distant when he
may DO able 10 aid In healing the bitter snmoscs Of tho two
sections He charges the leaders OF the Rebellion having
with mlscaleuation upon mscaeulaton and bunder upon
blunder brought ruin and destruction upon the "od Mother
Of States" and closes by saying that neither want
suffering last forever and that whom the proper time
arrives lie believes he may be instrumental in the work of
Union and reconciliation.
And this is all he said in relation to the letter
of Mr.. Bolts to Mr.. Smith, and We presume
that Mr.. Smith, if anybody will take the trou-
bio to inquire of him. will acknowledge that he
had received such letter, and that such was its
purport. 1t is evidently meant as synopis of
the whole letter, and, as tho writer says it,
" closes by saying" only willful perversion of
his meaning could construe what followed as
having any reference whatever to the letter to
Mr.. Smith.
But the correspondent the goes on to relate
the substance of conversation he had hmsolfI
lately bad Mr.. Bolts, and in that Is stated that