Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-09-01
NOMINATION OF GEN MCCLELLAN

in another column that the Chicago Convention,
rejecting, we doubt not, the vastly preponderant
sentiment of its constituents, and responding to
the wishes and expectations Of multtudes among
the loyal citizens of the United States not formally
represented in that body, has placed before the
people in nomination for the next Presidency the
name of Major General GEORGE B. MoCLELLAN.
\, The expression Of the popular preference for this
distinguished soldier has been 40 marked during
the last few months that the decision of the
Convention can be said to have done hardly
more than give organic shape and form to senti-
ment peryading that great mass Of the people in
the Loyal States who have become dissatisfied with
the conduct Of the present Administration. And
where the Indication Of this sentiment has been
50 universal and its expression so spontaneous it
would be easy to infer the presence Of natural
causes adequate t. produce such results for apub-
lie sentiment so widespread and 50 genuine is
the offspring Of. Fictitious influences These ma
tura causes lie upon the surface, and constitute in
their mere recaptulation at once an explanation
has reached
As man, it is universally conceded that Major
General Mcclellan possesses in the highest degree
those qualities which inspire respect, confidence,
and admiration. Uniting to purity and probity Of
private character, as enjoined by the moral law,
the virtues and graces engrafted that character
by the code of the Christian faith, he presents
in his person the embodiment of patriotism
which takes its animatiDg impulses not only from
perception Of what il due to man, but from q
profound sense of responsibility to God Aud in
this day of mutation and uncertainty, when SO
many foundations of human hope have been de-
stroyed, it is much, very much to know that the
man on whom we rely is q man who regulates his
conduct according to the principles and precepts
of Christianity, as received not merely in the
Outstanding, but rs made the rule and guide Of
his life.
And in every position in which Gen. Mcclellan
has been placed it is safe to say that his successes
and the successes of the which he represent
ed have been in proportion to the degree in
which his advice was followed or rejected by
his civil or military superiors in the conduct of
the war If this fact was for time obscuIed from
the popular mind, which looks more to results
than to their causes it has been set In clear light
by the subsequent progress of the war, in vindi-
eating the military administration of Gen McClel-
Ian from the disparagement to which it was igno-
rantly subjected before men had had the opportu-
nifty Of comparing it with that of his successors in
command And not only has his practical sense
in the management of large armies in the field
been thus approved by the comparative judgment
of the people, but his penetrating insight into the
nature and objects of the war; and therefore into the
nr;nciples on which it should be conducted, has
proved him to possess clear head as well as a
strong hand. These are qualities which the peo-
ple know how to admire, and the value of which
is seen to be as great in other fields of executive
administration ss in the conduct of armies in the
field, and in the presence of vigilant and power
full enemy.
Il need not be disguised that Gen. Mcclellan
the popular enthusiasm every where manifested in
his favor to the prosecutions of which he has been
made the object and to the unjust obloquy by
which he has been hunted alike in the field and since
his retirement from active command. The attacks
thus made upon him have been SO obviously the
offspring of official jealousies or partisan rvalries
that the people have resented the injustice done
to him not only from that love Of fair play which
is instructive among them, but also because they
have had the sagacity to perceive that this injus
tice to him was wrong done to the national
cause. They knoa that Mcclellan was not kept
in retirement for want of capacity when such
as have been trusted elsewhere were placed
in posts Of honor and responsibility. And,
If they did not know it before, they know it only
too we'll nop in the full view Of what has been done
ty men who, with all the help of the authorities in
Washington, have accomplished no more (barriug
the greater number Of lives they have sacrifced)
than he was able to accomplish while sometimes
finding those authorities almost as much hindrance
Is help in his operations.
Whether, therefore, we look to the elements OF
Gen. McClellan's character or to the history Of his
conduct, we find in each guarantee of those quail
ties and traits which the people most delight to
honor. Early signalzed by his military comrsdes
and superiors as a man of mark in his profession,
and adding to the knowledge of an accomplished
soldier the enlarged and liberal culture derived
from studies of practical science as we'll as Of liter
L. ~ L. D. ~