Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-11-17
HONORABLE TESTIMONY.

HONORABLE TESTIMONY.
During the late heated canvass so many party
zealotS joined in maligning the character Of Gen.
McCLELLAN-going even to the extreme of de-
nounoing him both as traitor and coward-that
not few honest and well-meaning men were led
to give oredence to the gross aspersion. So vim
dictive indeed has been the animosity with which
if not most meritorous of all
the eminent citizens we have ever known, was pur-
sued by his political adversaries that unpreudiced
persons, like ourselves are amazed at the virulence
of the obloquy heaped upon him; the more SO
when we remember that in the formal opinions of
President Lincoln expressed in his official letters,
the most emphatic testimony was borne by the
Chief Magistrate himself to the distinguished me-
rts of his prosecuted competitor for the Presiden-
oy. And it is the singular good fortune of Gen.
Mcclellan that his vindication from the aspersions
Of his enemies may be found in the recorded opn-
ions Of his adversaries both political and military
Here, for example--and we now recur to the SUBJ
ect for the purpose of presenting them to our rea
ders-are the recent avowals of two distinguished
general officers who fought under McClellan's eye,
the brave MEAGHER and his brave brother-in-
arms, SIcKLEs These gallant soldiers, both of
them political opponents Of General Mcclellan in
the recent canvass, had the manness to rise above
party trammels when the honor of their old COM
mander was in question and to come forward in
vindication of his fair fame.
On the 9th of October, at Nashville, General
THOMAS FRANCIS MEAGHER, in public address,
spoke as follows of General Mcclellan:
"I widely differ from those who assert that General
Mcclellan personally unworthy of occupying the Pres
Dental chair Highly cultivated, refined in in
mind deeply mbued with for all that is vrtu-
ous wse and heroic in the history of the Republic proud
Of his nationality and senstvey jealous Of the honor Of his
country am satisfied that could bring to the dis
charge of the duties Of the Presidency better spirit
TO the position tself exalted it s appropriate
aracefuness maniness and dignity Loud and continued
cheering In his truthulness, in the goodness Of his
heart in his disposition to the country faithfully and
earnestly whether in civil life in the field to the utmost
Of his ability have the fullest faith And this faith not
only repes but regents the mpuaton against his loyalty
and courage in which those who do not know him have
seen t to indulge Loud cries of hear, hear The firm
aeneness with which he has borne these aspersons
firms in my mind the belief that temperament SO well
disciplined as his, nature magnapmous, demeanoE
no chvarously decorous qualify him personally in supe
ror degree for the highest Office in the gift Of the people,
Enthusiastic cheering As to his of the dangers
of the battlefield all shall say is this that il General
Mcclellan was not under fire at Fair Oaks and Malvern
Hill neither was the Irish brigade tremendous cheering
and this should have said more before the Committee
the Conduct of the War had been examined by that
mittee [Hear hear An upright and exemplary cti-
zen an accomplished and udcious soldier true to bis
a he was true to his fsg, hear hear ndefsgable
he was scrupulous in his work. honest and fearless hear
hear nothing, repeat with ary serious force be
Justly urged against him personally in derogaon of his
claims to the Presidency. Enthusiastic cheering and
cries of well done, Mesgher"1
The correspondent of the Cincinnati Gazette
writes that the following remarks were also made
by Gen. Meagher in the same speech:
"For my part, if any man. in my presence, dare cali
Gen Mcclellan q traitor coward, will not stop to
argue with hm--I will at once knock him down. i will
answer such assertions only by bowand Irshman's
blow at that"
Gen. SIcKLEs, in speech delivered on Satur-
day, the 9th instant, spoke as follows:
II have served under Gen. Mcclellan, and as warmly
IS oppose his election standing he does the candidate
Of those whom regard the enemies Of my country
have no word to say Of reproach denuncaon Of him
man or as an officer 1t would i'll become to do it;
for believe that in his capacity soldier and officer he
endeavored to discharge his duty and ashamed when
read in the partisan journals of the day. and sometimes
hear from the lips of men, imputaons upon his personal
courage. [Applsuse. These, know, are undeserved,
have seen him under fire. and know that braver sol
der has drawn sword in this war [Appause y