Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-25

this Dill, but this IknoW, that gentlemen ON
the other side have it not in their power to
degrade General Mcclellan. even If it be
their intention to attempt It. He is above
their assaults. Iwish7 it, distinctly UNDER
stood that in speaking as do do not plead
/ for him. He does not ask any favors from
the other side of the House or from the Ad-
ministratien. His labors and deeds are his
toric and belong to a better tribunal than a
| partisan Congress or party press. id'-7t (.
Mr. Cox. Mr.. Speaker, my. colleague
I Mr. Schenck] the other day, when oppos-
ed the immediate passage of the bill, thought
desired a. chance to make a speech for
General Mcclellan. assure him that that
was not my Intention at all, and that It Is
not my Intention now. There was no me-
cessity for 1t then, nor is there any now.
All that have said or desire to say Is CALI
ell for by the bill introduced by my coll
league, which strikes at General McC
1t would be enough to say, as an, objection
to this bill, that. It will have, the effect Of
remitting General Mcclellan to the regular
Army and cutting off his pay thus forcing
him to resign hisp position as The first Major
General. Under, the circumstances, this
would operate as a stigma upon him, and
would have a disastrous effect upon the
esprit Of the Army, where he has thousands
and thousands Of devoted friends, and
among the people, too, where he has thou
sands and thousands Of ardent admirers.
A measure Of this kind, striking at the
military status Of General who for two or
three years has given all his stupendous
energies to the cause Of the Republic, should
have better reasons than mere economy.
For what Is he to be disgracedp Is it for his
prompt rescue of Western Virginia, where
amid the mountains and along the Kanawha,
with many OF my own constituents from
Ohio, he advanced the banner ofthe Union?
Is 1t for his humane and orderly marchint
those disaffected regions which his arms
preserved from the rebels, while his policy
saved 1t from disaffection and ravage? Is 1t
for his grand system. of strategy whereby
he directed successfully the operation of
every point on the Cumberland, ON the
Tennessee, on the Mississippi, at New Or
leans, round to the Carolinas, where Burn
side achieved those successes which he so
promptly attributed to his superior? Is it
for thus Illuminating the "wllole horizon"
with the blaze of victory, achieved upon a
comprehensive plan, whose consummation
he had reserved for his own army of the
Potomac? Is for founding that noble army
out of the ruins of the Bull Run disaster?
Is 1t for saving that army by his unprece-
dented and miraculous retreat for seven
days and nights after the Government" had
failed to sustain him, and when thrown up
on his own resourcesp Is it for rescuing the
army after Generals Lincoln, Pope, and
Halleck had blundered? Is it because he
took the army, weary and wan, footsore and
dispirited, and by his simple presence made il
heroic and clamorous to be led at once after
the enemyp Is it because the President said
he was worth any ten Generals, if all were
compressed into one, when it became neces-
sary to save the archives, the capital, and
the personnel of this Administration? Is ii
because twice he saved this national capi-
tai, including those at the other end of the
avenue who have done their utmost to ira
duce and disgrace him9 Is it for all these
seryices-now, thanks to his own truthful
report, committed to history, and over which
recorded honors will gather forever? For
which of all these works do we pelt him
with your pitiful prosecutions? All! no,
would have made the war honorable and
civilized; not war for political faction,
partisan revenge, or fanatical hate, but a
war "to enforce the equal operation of the
laws of the United States upon the people
of every State;" q war to save and not TO
destroy the Constitution Because he dared
to write to his Majesty from the sacred pre-
cincts of Malvern Hill, in the agony of his
heart at the failure of the Government to
aid him, and to plead with its agents to con-
duct the war on the principles Of civiliza-
tion and Christianity, and not with ayiew
to emancipation, subjugation, and eXtermi-
nation? Oris it because, now that he has
been retired, he looms up as the Idol of the
Army and the hope of the people?
know, sir, that stigmas are cast upon
General Mcclellan all over the country.
This bill may be the result of such general
Iafo ,ok ktnn 4,
the conduct of the war arrested the other
day under our authority an inebriate, be-
cause 1t was said that he could testify that
General Mcclellan was in criminal confer
.erice with General Lee eduring the Maryland
campaign, after the battle of Antietani.
This was done with view, to charge Gene
raj Mcclellan with plotting treachery to his
Government. / believe, however, that that
story, so Infamous and monstrous, has al
ready been exploded. 1t was started the
day before the New Hampshire election,
published in all the Republican papers, and
was not contradicted by them until after
the election. Indeed, twas not denied in
some Of them here until this morning, when
the inebriate, becoming sober, was about to
reveal the plot by which he was intrapped
Into the clutches of these defamers. What
q diabOlical disposition Is here, revealed!
How ready Is the party on the other side to
clutch and circulate any foul slander, how
ever senseless and groundless, because they
fear and hate General Met Clellan. aH 9fT
Mr.. Speaker, 1t Is hardly necessary and
scarcely proper for me here to notice such
calnmnies, but as they have been circulated
by the Administration party throughout
the land, their correction should have as
extensive circulation. trust, Mr.. Speak
er, with your permission, that the reporters
In the gallery will give as wide circula-
tion to this denial as was given TO the slam
der which was started under the auspices
of some of your peculiar friends.
say here that General Mcclellan has
never seen General Lee since 1865; that he
has never held any communication with
him In writing except in reference to pris-
oners and wounded men, which communi-
cations or copies were at once sent to the
War Department.. During the Maryland
campaign he never heard from aud
never saw General Lee ut all, or any
of his officers. This story was not only
made out of whole cloth, but shoddy cloth
at that. ! will not help to give cur.
rency to such stories, by aiding the passage
of a bill like this, which would seem to be-
predicated on them. This bill will have the
effect If 1t be passed, of giving added
strength to this system of defamation. 1T
will naturally be asked why Congress
should displace and disgrace asoldier like
him to whom / have referred. Why erase
his name from the rolls Of the Army, unless
thara fc son, thtnor xrrt,cr A., hfc cnnduot or