The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-10-04

me, ana SAID: "head that; have Just re-
ceived it from Stanton aGa
With his consent. mnde copy Of the
letter, and returning to Washington, placed
it in tho hands Of those who had heard the
denunciations Of Mr.. Stanton, and who had
advised me Of them. They desired TO read
it to the Senate, and to publis1 the outrage
and the yindicstion, and they telegraphed
to General Mcclellan for his permission,
which he declined TO give them. The fol,
lowing is copy Of the letter:-T5iiot
aJH WAR DEPARTMENT.,
WASHINGTON, ID. o., July 5, 1862.
Major General MeCisttaa: 5ntiS
Dear Generdi:-I had talk with Gene>
raj Marcy, and meant to have written you
by him, but am called to the country,
where Mrs. Stanton is with her children,
to see one of them die. can, therefore,
only say, my dear General, in this briefmo
ment, that there is no cause in my heart
or conduct for the cloud that wicked men
have raised between us for their own base
and selfish purposes. No man had ever .
truer friend than have been to you, and
shall continue to be. You are seldom alb
sent from my thoughts, and am ready to
uidnU aty saCiilSC W lou.
lows me to say no more than that pray
Almighty God to deliver you and your army
from all peril, and lead you on to victory.
Yours, truly, ot
EDWIN NJ. STANTON.
Now, Judge, what think you Of this man,
who made Secretary Of War by the erequest
and influence of General Mcclellan, was vi.
lifying and abusing and uttering falsehoods
against him, and who could at the same
time sit down and deliberately write such
q letter. -...-.ss
You have referred to the council OF war
held in Washington in March OF 1862.
Every effort has been made, in vain, 20
bring the proceedings of that council before
the public. A call was made for them in
the House of Representatives, and was ia
bled by the Republican party. A request
made by the recorder Of that council, OF
Mr.. Stanton, to allow him to have the pro-
ceedings made up in proper form, was re-
fused in most rude and lnsultpg manner,
and the papers have never been allowed to
leave his possession since. r.Iy
Now, Judge, for your especial benefit,
will relate the history Of that important
event, that You may, If You will, do justice
to all concerned.
The council Of war consisted of
Brig Gen. Sumner, Brig Gen. keyes 5-
az Mcdowell, A. Porter,
Franklin, 4" w. F. Smith,
+ j. Porter, Z" Barnard,
I" Mccall I" Blenker,
Heintzelman, " Naglee.,
Eno III o,xl,laI 20 I,t tasO IL
called together by order Of General Nc
Clellan on the night Of March 7th, 1862, to
convene at 10 A. NJ. on the following day.
General Mcclellan came into the council
room at the hour appointed, and, placing
on the table large map, explained his pros
posed Peninsular Campaign, which before
this time believe to have been known to
no one present excepting General Franklin
and probably Fitz j. Porter. Upon retir.
ing, be left upon the table, for the consde-
ration Of the council, the following inqui
ries:-
I. Whether it is advisable that the base
of operations shall be changed, the trans>
portation being ready at Annapolis in all Of
the next week. ,...t
III. Whether it is better To make an adj
vance to the front before changing the base,
should such a change be determined upon.
Ill. Whether a forward movement, with
the object Of destroying the river batteries,
is advisable, and when it can be commenced,
and whether the naval force, with the as
sistance of the Ericsson battery, can alone
accomplish that object.
After q session of three hours the coun
ell were summond to appear before the
President. He advised them that he was
quite unwell and exceedingly nervous, that
the pressure had been intense against Gen
eral Mcclellan. He expressed himself
gratified to have the opportunity to see and
know the officers Of the army, and to be in>
structed by them in regard 10 army ma
ters, which were to him very Incompetent,
sible.
informed him that, as recorder Of the
council of war which had held its session
by order of General Mcclellan, I would
advise him Of the result Of its proceedings,
and then read them TO him. "What," said
he, shave the council decided by vote Of
eight to four-two to one--in favor Of the
Peninsular Campaign lie then asked
many question in regard to the same, until
Mr.. Stanton came in, and proposed to read
the proceedings to him. He replied, "Give
me the papers, I'll read them myself and, !,
after reading them over and preparing his
notes, he, as you say. "put them (the coun>
ciD through the strict course Of exsmins
ton which you refer to. This exsmins-
ton, m ade for the purpose Of neutralizIng
the effect of the decision Of the council OF
war on the mind Of the President, and
thus to carry out the object Of those who
had been insisting upon the removal Of
General Mcclellan, lasted for four or five
hours, during which time it was only inter
rupted by an occasional expression Of the
President, indicating his satisfa ction and
qualification at the many explanations Of
military movements contemplated, and
which be had not before been able 10 Cum
prehend. ~
1t was now getting dark. Mr.. Stanton's