The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-04-23

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We nAts The following szklAab nm : |
,eAthisx review Of Gsnsral MsCllllAn'6f !
pcnderous report Of his Psnil1llar U1n- |
paign, which our rssdsss viii And quite
i
ms MILITARY r1nsxIGn.
We believe that 01nsrsl Noe ell6n has
been ruined, like anoaher 6eassaI whose
name began With Ma, b. the IAN hail
Aeresfset" of osrtain political wisSAesW Who
took his fostanes isto their keeping altar
his campaign in Western Virginia. He
had shown both ability and dssision in
handling small force, and h might With
experience have shown similar qualities
in directing the operations Of ersat r.
my, had not the proniss Of tks Psesi-
dency made him responsibleio olher mas
tiers than military dlty and unssl6sh
patriotism. ThenoeforWard The soldier
was lost in the politician. H tloneht
more Of the effect to b. psvdaosa b. Ills
strategy on the voters behiad hin than
on the enemy in::his front. What should
have been bis single ohjsst-thsl sappres-
sion Of the rebellion for tho saks 81 the
counssy-vas nov diyidsd With the de-
sire Of merely ending il By some plan that
should be wholly OF his own contrivaace
and should rebound. solely to his own
credit and advancsmeat. - ~
He became giddy and presumptuous,
and Loaf that sense Of present realities, %
essential to commander, in contemplat-
ing the mirage that Aoetsd the White
House before his eyes. At IN ags con-
siderably beyond that of General Bona
parte when he had triumphantly closed
his first Italian campaign, he was nick
named the young Napoleon and from
that time forth seems honestly to have en-
deavored, like Toepner's Albert, to re-
semble the ideal portrait which had been
drawn for him BY those Who put him for
ward - their stalking horse. And it
must be admitted that these last managed
matters cleverly, if = little coarsely. They
went to work deliberately to Barnumise
their prospective candidate. No pvsma
donna was ever more thoroughly exploit
ed by her Hebrew insprssurse. The
papers swarmed with anecdotes, Incl.
dents, sayings. Nothing wss uuimper-
tant. and the new COMMANDMENTS Chief
pulled on his boots BY Telegram FROM
Maine to California, and picked his teeth
By special dispatch to the Associated
Press. We had him warm for supper in
the very latest with three exclamation
marks, and cold for breakfast in last even
ing's telegraphic news with none. Moth
ing but apatent pill was ever 80 suddenly
famous.
HIS "DIvTDED DUTY"
His great misfortune was that he be.
gan his FIRST important campaigu With .
reputation to save instead Of to earn, so
that be was hamperej ~ che GROWING
disadvantage of age in General. without
the experience which might neutralise it.
Nay, what was still worse, be had two re.
pu.ations to keep from damage. the one
As soldier. the other n politician.
HOW HI WAS HAAPxRxD.
Il General who is conscious that he
has an army of one hundred and City
thousand voters at bis back will b alvsys
weakened by those personal considerations
which are the worst consequence Of the
elective system. Gen. McClsllan's mo-
tions were encountered in every direction
BY huge train OF political baggage. This
misconception Of his own position, or
rather his compromising the two charac-
tiers Of possible candidate and actual Gen.
eral, forced the growth Of whatevsf ego
tism WAS latent in his nature. He began
ere long to look ~ everything from .
personal view Of point, to judge men and
measures BY their presumed relation 70
his own interests, and ct length fairly
persuadsd. himself that TIE iseSihbls re-
suits Of his own want Of initiative were
due to the hostile combination against
him of NJ. lincoln, Mr.. Stanton and
General Halleck. Regarding himself too
much in considering the advantages Of
success, he regards others TO lifile in
awarding the responsibility Of failure.
.AA Hw SELF GIQsuIcAuoN.
The intense self consciousness Of Gen.
Mcclellan, and certain aim 1t effect for
Interior snd unmilitsry purposes. chow
themselves early. In October, 1861. al.
dressing . memorial to Mr.. Cameron.
then Secretary Of War, he does not FORGET
the important constituency Of Bunkum,
"The unity Of the nation, !" he says .,.s,he
preservation Of our institutions, ars 90 dear
70 me, that ! have willingly sacrificed my
private happiness with the single ob;ect
Of doing my Voty to the country. Whsr
the task is accomplished, shall be ehd
to retire to the obscurity from vSich
events. have drawn me. Whatever the
dissemination Of the government may Be-
l will do the best / can with the Army
of.the Potomac, and will share il fate.
Whatever may b the task inpesed anon
me-" Not to speak Of taste, the inter
blindness to the True relations Of things
shown in such language is startling.
HIS MISCONCEPTIONS OF TIE pEnIusuIA
CAMPAIGN.
A man vague in his oonceptious i ant
70 oe amld in action, for the same hasi-
meas Of mind may, according 9 eiupum.
stances, either soften and obeoure tha X