The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-04-04
The stories Against General
Mcclellan. .aalt9l 'zeds
From the Boston Courier.l

From the Boston Courier.] zz.AE
1t is all up with Gen. McClellan Wal
dron, it is true, refuses to testify, suborned.
no doubt, by Fernando Wood or Vallsndig-
ham, but witnesses multiply, and the Com.
mittes Gil the Conduct of the Wsr will be
soon ready to report, with convincing and
most damnatory details Of tue gailt Of lit
tie Mac. The Washington correspondent
Of Mr.. Lincolns home organ, the Chicago
Tribune, knew all about the Leo Mceieflau
interview long ago Hear him:
II happen to know sometiing of this re-
ported interview between Cen. Mcclellan
and Gen. Lee, having learned the following
particulars from prominent gentleman Of
illinois, who accompanied ther President to
the bait le6eld of Antietam after the aceon
had taken place. I supposed. however,
that the interview spoken of above had
never taken place. President Lincoln had
forbade [forbidden] Gen. Nc CleHan to sasst
Gen Lee upon the occasionf The facts as I
learned them shortly after they had taken
place, are these: Mr. Lincoln went TO the
battlefield, had an interview with General
Mcclellan, slept in tent prepared for him
at the Generals headquarters, rode over
the field next day, &c. While the Presi
dent was at the Generals headquarters Q
tag Of truce conveyed a bgigadier genaral
and another officer in the rebel army into
Gen. McOlellan's presence They brought
letter from Gen. Leo desiring an inter
view with Gen. Mcclellan, which contained
the statement (or this might have been
conveyed by the officer) that Generals
Mcclellan and Lee could settle the
matter of the Southern rebellion at
a private interview, and thus stop any
further effusion of blood. General McClel-
Ian showed the letter to President Lincoln,
and asked the latter if he might be Slowed
or if it would be advisable, i forget which,
to accord Lee the interview. The Presi-
dent said certainly not; that he was the
perseu to whom the letter should be prop
erly referred. aud who by his position was
qualified 70 accept or reject the proposal.
The question is, did General Mcclellan
subsequently, afford General Lee the inter
view as above stated? Ii he did, there j.
reason to believe he would, as has been
charged, entertain for some hours Lees
proposition to unite both armies, march in
To Washington, and declare military die
tatorship This whole matter should be
investigated That Lee sought the inter
view With Mcclellan, and this interview
was prohibited bv Pres lent Lincoln, are
facts that can be easily proved.
What terrible revelation of affecting
and alarming incidents is here According
to the statement of this yeracious revela
tor, we came positively very near an actual
settlement of "ths matter Ut the rebellion"
Immediately after the battle Of Antietam
What an escape We had! General Lse
having made the proposition, as the story
goes, "to stop the further effusion of blood
by settlement, and Mcclellan having been
ready enough to accede to it, nothing
further was requisite, evidently, than for
the interview to take place, since it is ob
vious that these two officers, having the
chief military command on either side, had
in their hands the irresistible means of car
rying the arrangement suggested into et-'
feet Nor, in this view of the case, would
the exhibition of much force beenlrequired.
Doubtless more than half the people of the
North would have SUPPORTED the settlement
with an enthusiasm rarely manifested in
the history Of the world; and if there
were any considerable opposition manifest
ed at the South, General Lse had the means
at hand to make it conform Bur for the
refusal of Mr. Lincoln, therefore, who re-
jected the proposition upon the groun ] that
she was the person TO whom the letter
should be properly referred''-an objection,
the force OF which is not apparent, since 1t
was SO referred-the war. if this narrator
tells the truth, might have been brought to
a satisfactory end year and half ago
This shrewd reasoner, asFwell as truth
full story teller, proceeds to institude an in.
quiry, in regard To the premises. Mr.. Lin.
coin. happening to be upon the spot and
having declined to entertain overtures for
peace, "the question is, did General Nc
Clellau subsequently afford Gen. Lee the
interview as above stated9" According to
the above statement, there evidently was
no such interview, excepting that one in the
clouds, imagined by Mr. Francis -Walaron
in his cups, ia which General Milroy and
Mr.. Dana of the War Department profess
cd their belief But if this imaginary IN
terview had taken place, then, 1t seems, af
ter protraeted conference = the result
would have been the union Of both armies,
march into Washington and the psoela
nation of military dietatorship-how Nc
Clellaa aud Lee would have settled the
question of precedence; in this event does
not appear. is9 ~ !, ,iss sn5 ~ 'J,, o5 -
- 7g-kifI :.