The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1864-06-29
From the New York Sunday Times, June 10.
Time will do Justice.

He uttered them when, amid the slaughter
of his troops occasioned by an honest en-
deavor to carry out Mr.. Lincoln's overland
plan Of capturing Richmond, friend beg
ged to be allowed to publish statement o
the facts in the newspapers. Mcclellan re-
fused either to defend himself or to allow
others to defend him. 1t was enough for
him to do his duty. As for the rest, oblo.
guy might rest temporarily upon his name
and partisan spite might have new oppor.
tunities afforded it for his persecution, bu,
time would do him justice! And time has
been doing it ever since with marvellous
effectiveness. Between McClellan's plan Of
assailing Richmond, ola James River, and
Mr.. Lincoln's plan of doing it, ola Frede.
ricksburg, the Chickahominy, &c, time
has been drawing comparisons, written in
human blood, for the past two years, and
no unprejudiced mind can contemplate the
picture without feeling Of sorrowful indig
nation.
Little did we care, and little did the great
public care, whose "plan" should be follow.
ed in the capture Of Richmond. All we
yearned for was the early possession of the
rebel capital. Hoao we obtained that pos
session, by what route, or to whose particu'
lar glory it might enure, were questions o1
an entirely subordinate nature. Whether
it was "your" plan, or 'my" plan. or any.
body else's 'plan" that should win for US
the success we coveted, were matters o
trivial uloment beside the paramount idea
of accomplishing the grand object Of ou,
meditation. But Mr.. Lincoln had "plan'
of his own for taking Richmond, just as he
had "plan" of his own for taking Vicks
burg. His plan had failed at Vicksburg
under every general and under all circum.
stances. General Grant took Vicksburg al
last, but by very different plan and il
was only then that Mr.. Lincoln abandoned
his own cherished, though so often defeated
idea, and in published letter congratula.
ted the victor upon his 'plan's" triumphant
vindication. In the meantime, however
Mr.. Lincoln still Rugged to his bosom his
peculiar ''plan" Of assailing, overland, the
city of Richmond. General Mcclellan was
pursuing that "plan," instead Of his own,
aohen .NcDouelrs supporting column Of
forty thousand men ,cere withdrawn from.
him for the protection Of Washington
Surrounded at once by the enemy, the gal.
liant little army Of the Potomac had to fight
its CORY way, for seven days and nights,
out 81 Mr.. Lincoln's calamitous "plan" into
McClellan's untried ditto on the base of the
James River. Bitterly the general must
have felt, then, when he exclaimed for con.
ISOLATION: "Timc will do me justice"
The inexorable lesson of events has, in
deed, done justice. 1t has exalted the per-
secuted general and Inundated his perse.
cutors. 1t has immortalized his judgment
and covered theirs with confusion. Mr.
Lincoln's "plan" Of taking Richmond has
been tried to its full extent, now, and what
is the result9 Exactly that of his plan OF
taking vicksburg. His plan was forced
upon General Pope, and what was the con-
sequences Fifteen thousand human lives
were wantonly sacrificed, and Mcclellan
81 bad to be s1ppiesas.sd e become the sayleng
plan was also urged upon General Burn.
side, and what did we behold? Seventeen
more noble volunteers perished at
Fredericksburg as the penalty. Mr.. Lin.
coins plan was then thrust upon General
Hooker, Let Charlottesville tell the
story. Twelve to fourteen
thousand more noble hearted patriots idly
irrigated with their life blood the soil ol
Virginia. Mr.. Lincoln's plan was followed
by General Grant, tco. at srst. And, not,
withstanding all his admitted ably, the
hero of Vicksburg, ere he reached the
Chickahominy, was compelled to throw
away no less than twenty five or six thous-
and lives, with the prospect of losing his
whole original army if he proceeded further
ION that line" Gen. Pope was chased by
Lee to the very fortifications of Washing
ton. Burnside retreated before Lee. and
so did Hooker. Both surrendered Mr.
Lincoln's "plan" in despair. General Grant
has been rendered by Congress more inde.
pendent than all his predecessors of execu'
tive authority, and he wisely dropped Mr.
Lncoln's plan at the Chickahominy, and
adopted the plan Of General Mcclellan
Like the latter, he withdrew his army from
the front of Richmond, and made 'change
Of base" at once to the James River. There
he is now-precisely at the point where
Mcclellan was when, having followed Mr.
Lincoln's plan until he had seen so many
thousands of his brave comrades in arms
butchered by the enemy, he once more
implered permission, but without avail, te
carry out his own military suggestions.
Whether General Grant will, or will not
be permitted to substitute McClellan's plan
for Mr.. Lincoln's any further remains te
be seen. What he desires to do in the
premises is made obvious by his "change o
base" He has just done that, of his own
accord, which Mcclellan did before him
and, as "actions speak louder than words,
comment is superhuous. 1t was at this
psint, on the James river, that General Nc
Clellan wrote his well.known letter to Mr.
Lincoln, saying 1T is here that all oul
reserves should be collected to strike tn,
blow which will determine the fate of tn,
nation. All points Of secondary importanc,
elsewhere should be abandoned, and every
available man brought here decided vic
tory here, and the military strength OF tn,
rebellion is crushed. 1t matters not wha
partial reverses we may meet with else
where, here is the true defence Of Washing
ton." General Grant, by his presen
course, virtually endorses now these works
of Mcclellan, written two years ago. Hi.
immediate success in the fa.l Of Petersbur.
shows US the remarkable difference, too, il
a moment, between the "my plan," Of Mr.
Lincoln, and the "your plan," Of Mcclellan
But how will Mr.. Lincoln accept, a. thi
period, such bold Reputation Of his favor
ite "plan" at the hands Of the gallant lieu
tenant. general? The Herald states tha
Mr.. Lincoln has almost resolved to "tak
command, in person, Of the forces in tn
field, as the constitutional commander-in
chief Of the armies of the United States.
Does this mean that he will, himself, carr,
out his "plan" still further in the Virgins
campaign, Notwithstanding its disastrou
results so far, if Grant refuse to witnes
the inevitable waste of life demanded b,
the experiment? We hope not. We hav
confidence in Gen. Grant. We have non
in the military sagacity Of Mr.. Lincoln
Grant took Vicksburg in his own way, AM
go. A. . =: :a.l ,,~o,~ H., n. r -