Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-09-15
The unfsn Candidates-Gen. George
II Mcclellan.

=.
eminent among the eminent, praised by the
praised" and conspicuous BY bis abilities and biz
character even IN that galaxy Of accomplished
men by whom the fame Of Philadelphia. the
metropolis of physical science aud the healing
art in America, was made respectable in kdin-
burgh and IN Paris, in London and in Leyden
No mans ancestry are matters OF indifference
wheu We desire to study bis nature aud ascertain
the true measure oi his worth. Ia mOBarchical
c)Uniros. where the voice of the people has little
OF 10 Weightin determining the selection OF those
who .re 20 administer the government. IL matters
little 80 tie massc, Of mankind whether those by
whom they are ruled come Of sound or an M
eous,l sock % ~ honest and vigorous or cor
rupt aui weakly race The will or the ghm OF
a prince makes such inquiries superfuous Ouce
invested by Ms sovereign With the insiguia OF
Office, he vilest caitf .ieuces all questions into
bis origin Sith the splendors Of his rank aud the
teTrors Of hi authority. Bot for republic which
fests tor rs peTmanence and ia power upon the
virtue of the people and OF their public servants,
1t can never DC an Insignificant Recommendation
OF public man % that confidence OF his fellow
citizens which alone hi- hope of distinction and
Of influence lies. that his fathers in their time
we're citizens OF credit men who knew their
rights and maintained thcm-knev their duties
and fulfilled them
The ancestors OF George Brinton Mcclellan
we're OF this stamp. coming of that pure and
hardy Scottish blood which has 60 lsng been
trouble 20 tyrants: which has throbbed in the
veins of so mauy sturdy champions of justice and
order. and which has been poured out 90 freely
on tue mos, heroic bsttle-fe of history
Through one OF those mysterious affiliations
which the Scotch, like all the Celtic tribes, de
light TO trace out and hold aboce all things "a
cred, kinsmansbip has been established for the
American McClellans with that noble old sol
der, Sir Colin Campbell. who fought his way
honestly up from i shepherds plaid the Gale
DOMAIN moOrs 70 Field Marshal's baton in the
army OF England. and baronet's coronet among
her peers. Into these rehnements OF consan-
guinity, however. it is hardly worth while TO en-
ter. Had Colin Campbell lived aud died the
just and God fearing man he was as a shepherd
on the banks OF Clyde, no man in whose veins
his blood ran would have been the less ennobled
by It's wholesome life. and, so far as the antece.
dents go of George Brinton McClellan's birth. IL
is enough for Us 10 know that he comes OF a PEG
pie renowned the world over for Justice, fidelity.
valOr and truth.
As boy of thirteen his father sent him into
the Freshman class OF the University of Penn
sylvania. He porsued the university course for
nearly two YEAR, patiently and successfully, but,
like Washington, he had inward longing
for the life OF an engineer aud soldier and in
him. ne removed To the Military Academy
At West Point
In the congenial atmosphere of the exact
studies to,which.he here found himself called the
young cadet very soon distinguished himself and
rewarded the judicious confidence OF his friends
He was graduated with high honors, Ia the class
OF 1910; assigned TO duty with a company of the
engineers, and ordered, before the close of the
year. into active service on the line of the Rio
/ ID rfv ho nit wiz hon
fair ly begun; and Lieutenant Mcclellan reached
his post just after the battle OF Monterey.
IN THE MEXICAN WAR
After some time spent in active service on the
Rio Grande, Lieutenant Mcclellan was ordered
to Tsmpico in January. les7, 10 take part in the
concentration OF troops then going for the
grand expedition which was preparing. under
General Scott, to end the war and dictate terms
of peace in the capital OF Mexico. The young
Lieutenant was thus made witness at the very
beginning of his career OF the political difficult
ties and the personal spites which so often sur
! round and hamper the action of tho mos. earnest
and devoted military leaders.
In the beginning of the month OF March the
~ssemb Ell army dsembarked from its transports
to the west of the island of Sacrifeios, and the
memorable siege OF Vera Cruz and San Juan
d'Ullo. beg an.
II is not our purpose infinitely 10 pursue the
fortunes OF lieutenant Mcclellan through the
wonderful campaign OF which this siege tie
initial chapter.
Who, indeed, can now had the heart 10 rewrite
or even to reperuse the annals of that campaign,
i'll which, "a the smentable history of the last
four years too sterny bids US fear, American SOL
diers Of the north and of the south. Of the sast
and Of the vest, fos the last time marched side
by eide to death and victory!
The executive documents ot the Thrt;eth
Congress in which the story OF that glorious
campaign lies embaimed, and awaits the histori
ans skillful hand, can be read now without over
mastering emotion only by the fanatic or the
fool, by him who is Indifferent TO his country ,
fate by him Who rejoices in her ruin.
To those formal and official pages the course
OF subsequent events has given the painful inter
est OF tragedy. In them we read bow, working
with al equal zeal TO serve one common cause
LieuteDants Beauregsrd and Mcclellan earned
the commentator OF their commander in the
trenches before Vera Cruz; in them we read how
the escort of Captain Robert Z. Lee, engaging
the skirmishers OF Valencia in the Pedregal
opened that stern, answering march which led
the stars ami stripes, through storm and stress OF
strife aud victory, up to their station Of triumph
on the heights OF Chapultepec aud the towers OF
the city of Montezums. Heintzleman and Ma
gruder, Kearney and Pillow, meet US marching.
manuvering. fighting manfuly together for the
one old flag. One day Lieutenant I. J. Jack
son, 1.-The horses oil his guns nearly all killed or
disabled. his drivers and cannoniers cut up, gets
one OF his pieces from under the direct fire OF
Chapultepec, opens upon the enemy, and holds
the battle till the castle is carried Another dsy
Lieutenant Reno, "in the advance with his noun
tain bowitzers" maintains against the superior
artillery of the enemy fierce a fire saves the
bold advance of Lieutenant Colonel Albert
Sidney Johnston" with his votieeurs Now we
have "Captsin Hooker" riding calamity down
alone TO recouaoter the ground for Lieutenant
Colonel Herbert, Of Louisiana: anon, "Lieuten-
ant Grant, OF the Fourth infantry" pushed fof
ward With psrsy TO aid IN securing advantages
won by the troops of Tennessee and South
Carolina
Between these once iraterDal names how wide
a gulf has since been dug by passion. by mad
ness, aud by iolly-a gull which, in the provi-
dence of God. nothing surely bat reason ard JUS
tice ever bridge again.
The peculiar Importance OF that arm IF the
service 70 which. in virtue OF his distinction won
a. the Academy Lieutenant Mcclellan was at
tached. naturally gave him prominence in the
operations OF General SCOTS advance to which
his years and his rank would not otherwise have
entitled him. he Won his promotion TO the rank
of Second Lieutenant early IN the campaign, and
received his brevet First Lieutenant Tor gal
liut and meritoFious conduct at the battle of Con
treras the 18th Of Angus, OF the same year
The service OF he engineers aud the staff officers
81 COnrofas VAS OF the most ardaous kind test
ing in the highest degree the GOODNESS. the per