Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-03-19
Important Omission In MeClellan's RepOrt-Eis
Idea Of Complete Civil and Military Pol
From the Cincinnati Gazette. ]

From the Cincinnati Gazette.1
When the General took the command at
Washington, and had succeeded legitimately
to General Scott's torpid anaconda, he issued
wise instructions to the various commanders
round the circumference. In his general Or
der to General Buell. in regard to Kentucky,
he wrote: at is possible that the conduct
of our political affairs in Kentucky is more i'm
portGlt than that Of oar military operations. /
cannot overestimate the Importance of the
former"
1t will be noticed throughout Gen. McClel-
lan's report that he conceived he had spc-
cial mission in political affairs. His genius
for political affairs had good foundation on
the negative pregnant that he had tried other
things and had found nothing adapted 10 his
genius When he had held his army help
lessly astride the Chickahominy, where it was
disabled from attack, and divided to be at
tackled alternately on the right and left bank
of the river, and when he had sacrificed his
campaign, and withdrawn his shattered army
to Harrison's Landing, sacrificing his army
stores and the costly equipment of that army,
leaving thousands of sick and wounded to the
tender mercies of the enemy, and disengag-
ing Lees army for an invasion of the North,
the first thing he did was to sit down and
write letter to the President, to lay out for
him ga civil and military policy covering the
whole grounds of our national trouble" and
way "of directing the whole course of ma
tional affairs in regard to the rebellion"
But while the General-in-Chief impressed
on Gen. Buell. that the conduct of the polit-
zeal policy in Kentucky was most important,
he neglected to lay down in any clear manner
the political policy suited to the latitude of
Kentucky. Nor did he give to Gen. Buell.
the political and military policy that he had
established for Kentucky. To supply this inn
portant omission, and to correct some of the
imperfections of the report as a history, and
to show his capacity to lay out cOmprehen-
sive political policy to cover the whole ground
of our national trouble, even if his military
performance had not negatively established
it, we reproduce the treaty between Gen. Me-
Clellan, on the part of the United States, and
Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner, ON the part of
Gov. Beriah McGoffin, which established the
celebrated Kentucky neutrality, and made
that State barrier against the national for
ces, gave up Tennessee to rebel conquest,
placed the Confederacy in quiet possession of
the Mississippi river below Cairo, made Ken
lucky a recruiting ground and supply country
for the rebels, and left it to be carried into
the rebellion by the Vaccinations and vio-
lence of the Secessionists.
This treaty was published at the time, and
was never authenticity denied. Having been
authoritatiyely published to the people of
Kentucky as a treaty, an authoritative repu-
diation by General Mcclellan would have
been required by good faith if it was not
binding. But it was acknowledged by being
allowed to stand, and to bind the Kentucky
people and the Confederacy without denial.
Besides the military convenience it gave the
Confederacy, Il goes tie achole length of tie doc
trine of tie right Of State to separate herself
from tie nation, and to take sides IN secession
or to stand neutral until she gets ready to decide
We reproduce it as one of the curiosities in
the history of this war, and particularly of
that most wonderful part of it, the Mcclellan
reign, and as showing General McClellan's
ideas of complete comprehensive, civil and
military policy, which shall cover the whole
ground of the controversy.
HEADQUARTERS KENTUCKY STATE GUARD,l
LOUISVILLE, June 10, 1861. !
SIR ON the Sth instant, at Cincinnati, Ohio,
entered into an arrangement with Major General
George b. Mcclellan, Commander of the United
States troops in the States north of the Ohio river
to the following effect:
The authorities of the State of Kentucky are to
protect the United States property within the limits
of the State, to enforce the laws of the United
StatesiG accordance with the interpretations of the
United States Courts, as far those laws may be
applicable to Kentucky and to enforce with all the
power of the State our obligations of neutrality
against the Southern States, as long the posi-
ton we have assumed shall be respected by the
United States.
Generel Mcclellan stipulates that the territory
of Kentucky shall be respected on the part of the
United States though The Southern States should
occupy 1t: but in the latter he rill call
the authorities of Kentucky to remove the South
ern forces from our territory. Should Kentucky
rail to accomplish this obj sct in reasonable time,
General Mcclellan claims the right of occupancy
given the Southern forces. 1 have stipulated in
that case to advise him of the inability ofKentucky
to comply with her obligations, and to invite him
to dislodge the Southern forces. He stipulates
that if successful in DOING he will withdraw his
forces from the territory of the State, as soon as
the Southern forces shall be removed.
This, he assures me, is the policy which he will
adopt toward Kentucky.
Should the Administration hereafter adopt dit
ferent policy, he is to give timely notice of the
fact
The well known character of General Mcclellan
is sufficient guarantee for the fulilment of every
stipulation on his part.
am, sir, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
s. b. BUcKNER,
Inspector General.