The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1864-09-28
LETTER FROM
HON. REFERDY JOHNSON.
Scathing Review OEMr. LincOIn's 5
Administrations.
M M'CLELLAN THE HOPE OF
THE NATION.
Why Senator johnson Opposed
LincOin's Election in 1850, and
why he Opposes it In 1864.
WE MUST SWAP HORSES.
WHAT THIS UNION HAS SUFFERED
FROM THE PRESENT ADMINS
TRATION-
WASHINGTON, September ] Q.

lIQN. RENERnI JOHNSON FOR MCCLELLAN.
Washington was electrified to-day by the
publication of the following letter from
Senator Reverdy johnson, Of Maryland,
who was elected by his State Legislature OPP
posed TO the Democratic party, and who i'll
the Senate acted not untrequently with the
Republican portion of that body. Let him
speak for himself, as the Oldest Senator in
Congress;
SARATOGA SPRINGS, September IA.
GENTLEMEN: Your invitation to the IN eet-
ing to be held at Washington on the 18th
inst, to ratity the nomination of Mcclellan
and Pendicton is but iust received
Il will be out Of my power to be with you,
my stay here for some days longer being
unavoidable Opposed as | was to the orig
inal election of Mr. Lincoln to the station he
now occupies, from conviction Of his be-
ing unequal to its duties, the manner in
which he has met them has but confirmed
me in that opinion. With more than two
millions of soldiers placed in his hands and
an unlimited amount of treasure, his policy
and his manner of using his power, instead
Of putting the rebellion down and bringing
to our ranks the thousands of Union men
who were then in each of the seeded states,
and who, i'll some, are believed to Outnum-
bcr the rebels, have but served the double
purpose Of uniting them against lis and of
dividing the public opinion Of the loyal
states. The effect, Of course, is that not
withstanding the gallant deeds of our army
and navy, and the manifest justice of onr
cause, the Union IS even more eitectually
broken now than it was when his admins
tration commenced Whatever of honesty
OF purpose may belong to him, and | am
willing to admit that he has had it, his va
cillation, his policy now conservative, now
radical, his selection of military officers
grossly incompetent, his treatment of those
who-were evidently competent. his yielding
in this to what he has himself been often
heard to say as an excuse, was, outside
pressure, his having not only not punish
ed, but as far as the public know unrebu-
ked the vandal excesses Of military officers
Of his special selection, shocking the senti-
ment of the world, and disgracing us in the
view Of Christendom by the burning Of pri-
yatc dwellings, and depriving their often
exclusively female occupants of home and
means Of livelihood--all demonstrate that
he is grossly incompetent to govern the
country in this crisis of its fate.
How can an honorable man believe that
one who has 80 signally failed for four en-
tire years, can be SUCCESSFUL Ii anOtner 1Ouf
years be granted him? No one in Congress
certainly. Not twenty members believe him
equal or at all equal to the mighty task
He has been tried and found wanting. Let
us have a change, none, if loyal, can be for
the worse. 1t is not that we wish to use his
own classic figure to swap horses in the
midst Of the stream, but that when We are
on journey and safety depends on making
our destination at the earliest moment, we
should cast aside spawned and thin horse,
and secure sound and active one.
In General Mcclellan we are furnished
in the history Of his life. in the purity of his
character, his refinement, his attanments.
civil and military and, above all IN his per
| feet loyalty-eycry assurance that under his
executive guidance, the war. now so ezhaus-
tive of treasure and blood, will be soon
brought to triumphant termination, and
this Union which lat all hazards he will
never agree to surrender, Will be restored.
With regard,
Your obcdent servant,
RETERDY JOHNSON.