Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-09-23
DOES THEUOUNTRY wANTA DICTATORs

While he had command in the field, Gener-
al Mcclellan was nOtiTiOns for treating with con-
tempt the orders of his superiOrs, and for the
unsOldierly habit of lecturing them upon their
duties To himself. Unlike the soldiers who sue
ceeded him, he assumed from the first dictator
rial airs. He had been in Washington but .
few days before he insulted Gen. Scott, his su.
perlor, by moving troops and issuing orders
without so much as taking the trouble 10 notify
him; and notwithstanding repeated protests,
this disrespectful and unsoldier-like course was
continued. At the same time Mcclellan was
quietly ignoring the existence and authority Of
Gen. Scott in other ways; he endeavored to in
gratiate himself with some of the cabinet and
to use Gen. Scotts own language, to have war
questions settled without resort to cOnsultation
with me, the nominal General-in- Chief of the
Army" Gen. Scott also discovered that IN a
single week "many regiments have arrived and
others changed their position-sOme to a con-
siderable distance. Not one of these movements
has been reported to me Tor anything else) by
Major General Mcclellan"
The dictatOrial habits which Mcclellan thus
assumed towards Gen. Scott, at the beginning
of his military career he continued after
wards towards the President and the Sec
retary of War. He proved himself quite
incapable Of Obeying orders; # be could not der
Gently refuse he evaded obedience; instead of
pursuing the campaign he gave his whole mind
to the invention of excuses, and to finding;
and with the air of young Napoleon" he did
not cease to lecture and hector those whom he
was bound To treat with Difference and respect
as his military superiors.
This was his constant course in the army;
and no sooner was he retired from active com
/ mand, in order to give way 10 more capable
| leaders, when he made himselft the head of DO.
litical faction which has ever since. by oppos-
ing the draft, in which he joined them, and by
holding out hopes TO the rebels, helped TO keep
mp the spirits OF the enemy, and thus prolonged
the war.
This faction, of which he has been now for
some two years the head, forced Mcclellan upon
the war-democrats as It's candidate for the
Presidency True to his selfish ambition, Gen.
| Mcclellan has accepted the nomination, but in
accordance with his tricky habit Of. mind, be
has written letter In which be evades with
much ingenuity the open acceptance OF the plat
FORM though he leaves himself free to stand up
on it, and to accept and act upon the peace res
olutions If he is elected.
That is tosay, be asks the country to vote for
the individual, Mcclellan, without regard to an '
statement or platform of political principles;
without committing himself to any policy. He
demands that the nation shall place him at its
head, and leave all the rest to him I demand
your votes refuse to tell you what shall do,
he says to the American people, IN effect; make
me your chief, but will not be held RESPONSE
bic by you for my acts if you do.
The question which Gen Mcclellan puts to
the nation, under these circumstances is wheth-
er We want or need, dictator. Have our af-
fairs come to that pass that the wisest thing we
can do is to place at the head Of affairs an irre-
sponsble military chief? man who refuses tC
disclose his policy, except in the most vague
and unsatisfactory terms2 Have the American
people become so ignorant that they are no lon
ger capable to declare upon the policy in accord
ance with which their affairs shall be managed
but we must trust all to an individual Dicta.
| tori We do not believe it
| But If we should be told that Gen. Mcclellan
theory is right, that we ought to have adictator
that the people have no business to know be-
fore hand what policy they are committing
themselves to, then we should reply: 1t be.
IhoOves them to examine most carefully. mos
Ianxiously the character, the antecedents the
| friendships of the person who thus demands
their suffrages upon his own merits. Ifit shoulc
be found that he was insubordinate while in tn,
field, and the head of an unpatriotic faction a
home; if citizens should remember that at
lcritical period in the war this over-ambtiOu
person used his influence to procure the elec
ton to the gOyernorship of Pennsylvania of
candidate pledged to oppose with violence
necessary, the reinforcement of our armies;
his most intimate friends and chosen counsel
lors were men nOtoriously friendly to the enc
mics of the country, and opposed constantly Il
every measure which events have shown neces
sary to the safety and honor of the UniOn-un
der such circumstances it would be madness {,
cOnfide to such candidate the vast and ire
spOnsible authority which he cOvets, and th'
least that prudent citizen could do, would b,
that he should definitely commit himself be-
forehand to some distinct line of policy, and a,
definitely separate himself from those who de
fend an opposite or different line.
Therefore the people rightfully assume tha
while Gen. Mcclellan does not denouDce tn
Chicago resolutions, nor refuse the Chicag,
nomination on that platform, they must hole
him committed To the Chicago resolutions which
he nowhere in his letter condemns or refutes
though, with that singular craving for dictate
rial sway which is an infirmity of his mind, h,
tries to leave himself independent of them.--N
7. Post.