The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-10-14

why not who is responsible for the 1OO,-
900 men unnecessarily and wickedly sac
rifced south of the Radidan, in the expert
ment made to prove that Gen. Mcclellan
and the council of war were wrong, and
that the Presidents plan was right.
The army of the United States, as you
found it at the beginning of this war, was
composed of heightened, intelligent,
honorable, gallant set Of men, fully equal
to the contest before them; they had al
ways studiously avoided all political con-
nectiOns, many of them had been thirty
years in the service of their country, and
had never voted. They held their coun-
try and the honor and integrity of it be-
fore every other consideration. Had a
rule been adopted that no political subject
should be introduced into the army, but
that all political rights should be respected,
and had army officers only been held re-
sponsible for the conduct of the war, it
would have terminated long ago.
Why have Mcclellan, and Sedgwick,
and Mcpherson, and Bayard, and Frank
lin, and Buell., and Meade, and Averill,
and Porter, and score of other general
officers, with hundreds, if not thousands, of
officers of an inferior grade, been offended
and held back, and many of them dis
missed from the army without a word of
explanation-an arbitrary act unknown in
Great Britain-whilst Pope, and Burnside,
and Hooker, and Butler, and Hunter, and
Banks, and Sigel, and Sickles, and hun
dreds of others, certainly no better than
the former, have been preferred? Why
was Gen. Stone, than whom there is not
more loyal man, and accomplished gentle.
man, and gallant soldier in the country,
confined in prison for fifteen months And
when released by an act of Congress, why
was it that neither the President, nor Sec
rotary of War, nor Secretary of State, or
other person at Washington, would assent
to any knowledge or any participation in
the arrest? Such outrages are calculated
to break down the honor and esprit de
corps of any army, and all have looked
with disgust, and horror, and pain at the
shameful injustice and outrages that have
been continually heaped upon so many of
their old friends and comrades in arms,
whom they know incapable of an ungen-
tlemanly, dishonorable, unsoldierly or dis
loyal act
Why did the Committee on the Conduct
OF the War investigate and falsify with
such nice precision the conduct of Nc
Clellan and his friends, and overlook the
volumes of charges filed in the War De-
partment against Fremont, and Sigel, and
Hunter, and others, and entirely overlook
the immense slaughter at Charlottesville
and Fredericksburg, and south of the Rap
idan? Why did a secret political inquisi-
ton, with no other pretext than that they
suspected him of political ambition, sit
over five hundred days and manufacture
over seventeen hundred pages of &c parte
testimony against a young officer, Chris
tian gentleman, an honest man, who,
heaven only knows, never had but one
purpose, and that to serve his country
and his God?
You know, Judge, that whilst in Wash
ington, Gen. Mcclellan studously avoided
all political association, and to such an
extent that many Of his friends of both
parties were much offended
The first knowledge that ever bad of
any political ambition on his part, was af-
ter he had been retired from active service
and sent in disgrace to New Jersey, and
this was after his fitness for the succession
had been discovered by Mr.. Lincoln, aud
the people had signifed their affection for
him. His letters and orders have been
called political, but they were eminently
proper, and refer entirely to the military
policy of the country. But, judge, sup
pose that we admit that Gen. Mcclellan
had an ambition to be President of the
United States, was it not laudable ambi-
ton, and is there any improperly in it
Is the field not open to him, as well as Mr..
Lincoln, or Mr. Fremont, or Mr.. Chase, or
the many others infinitely his interiors?
So far as the objections to his military
qualifications are concerned, we have only
to remind YOU that, within the last sixty
days, a confidential friend of the President
was sent to offer him one of the most i'm
pOrtant commands of the army. But this
proposition was coupled with the most dis
honorable condition that he should de-
cline to be candidate for the Presidency.
General Mcclellan restrained bis indigna-
ton and replied TO the bearer of the mes
sage, 600 back to Washington, and say
to the President for me, that when I re-
ceive my official written orders he shall
have my answer"
Beware, Judges the Incorporate abuse
of your political opponents, as proud and
loyal as you are, who would rather see the
continent of America sink into the ocean
with all that dwells upon it, than to see
our nationality destroyed; who will not
endure this constant usurpatlon of author
ity and encroachment upon their rights,
and whom you may drive into dreadful
conflict, in which The abolitionist and the
negro may find themselves arrayed against
all who will unitedly stand, hand in hand,
and shoulder to shoulder, in defence of the
Constitution and the fundamental laws of
the land.
Very Respectfully,
HENRY M. NAGLEE.
To Hon. WIN. d. KELLEY, Philadelphia.
Money of Messrs. knight and Grover
DelfVere6 Hin.