Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-25

rolls OF the army because they have been
relieved by the caprice or under the preju-l
dices Of the President, the Secretary of
War, or General HalleckP II, in the opin-
ion of the President, they are, no longer
servieeable to the Government, why does he,
not dismiss them? lie has the. power
Why deyolye 1t upon Congress? Why
sibility? ,t,,,f ~, ',''
Many ofthese officers who are to be affect
ed by this bill left civil life for the Army
and sacrificed positions Of profit and honor
to their patriotic duties. General Mcclellan
left an employment Of $4,000 year at the
call of Governor Dennison, of Ohio to take
the command In Western Virginia, where
his services were 80 signal and successful.
Since then he has sacrificed deverything he
had made In civil life, and lives now upon
aIsalaFya less than he could obtain else
where. Under such circumstances, 1 ask,
Is 1t fair to- drop him from the rolls of the
Armyf- ask itas q matter of ordinary
pecuniary fairness. Not that he would
wish; to be retained. / do not suit my vote
on this bill to his wishes; for know that If
no opposition to this measure. i place 1t
upon higher grounds, that of common jus
tice to a faithful and accomplished soldier.
Iknow very well the argument OF econo-
my will be used here, and should be consi1-
cred always in this House. wish it were
used more frequently. But there Is some
thing more involved In this bill than econ
0my. If these generals are dropped in this
particular way, 1t will seem to be taint
upon their honor. The only way to drop
them in a fair and military way Is by the
amendment which / have proposed or by
the amendment of my honorable friend
from New York, Mr.. Kernan.] 1t should
be done by board Of inquiry. They
should examine to see whether these off
GERS, thus to be ruled out of service because
of political or other reasons, are fit to do
that duty for which they were originally
called into the service. would like to
read q report from board stigmatizing
Mcclellan, Buell. and Crittenden as incom-
petent. 1t would deserve an immortality
of fame for the audacity and presumption
Of the military criticism.
The other day, when the question was
asked my colleague, Mr.. Schenck, why It
was not left exclusively with the President
to drop these officers whenever he should
see proper, (and which he has already the
authority to do,) he responded that It would
fix stigma upon the character of these of
ficers to remove them In that way. 1t seems
to me that the same reason applies to the
operation of this bill. No officer, no SOL
dier, should ever have any undeserved stain
cast upon him by his superior officer, even
If he be the President. II not in that case,
why should Congress do the same thing,
unless there is first given fair inquiry into
his military conduct and career?
Such an inquiry my amendment proposes.
IL Is fair proposition. 1t Is military. Tt
is polite. 1t will help the service; while
the passage of this bill may, without trial,
overslaugh good officers and fix upon them
a stain which is worse than wound upon
their character.
/ have indicated in my amendment that
those WHO have received the thanks of Con-
gress should be made an exception to this
proposed reform. lido notdisguise the fact
that my intention is to except from the OPP
Grafton of the bill such men as General Nc.
Clellan who did receive the thanks of Con-
gress. Unanimously, sir, on the 9th of May,
1862, Immediately following the battle of
Williamsburg, upon resolution offered by
a member upon the opposite side of the
House, [Mr. Lovejoy,l Congress thanked
that distinguished General. The resolution
was voted for by you, Mr.. Speaker, with
great alacrlty. That resolution will have
read. " Ia .,rrt r.5-l,.4.
The Clerk read the resolution, as follows:
"Resolved. That it is with feelings of profound
gratitude to Almighty God that the House Of Repre-
senatves, from time to time, hear OF the triumphs
Of the Union armies in the great struggle for the
supremacy OF the Constitution and the integrity Of
SRssoissd. That we receive with profound salts
faction intelligence Of the recent victories achieved
blythe armies Of the Potomac. associated from their
localities with those Of tho Revolution and that the
Major-Genernl George b. Mcclellan for the display
OF those high military qualities which secure impor
tant results with but little sacrifice to human lfe"
Mr.. Cox-I am sorry my colleague tMr.
Sehenck was not present In the last House
to give the sanction of his distinguished
military Judgment upon those high mill
tary qua1itiesp of General Mcclellan (which
secure important results with but little sac
ridce Of human life" The yeas and nays
were not called upon thatresolution for the
simple reason that every member believed In
it. Itwent Through the House nentne con-
tradicente. Every one of us In happy, ac-
cord Joined In this splendid tribute to- the
beloved captain of the Army Of the Poto-
mac. A splendid tributel For what lau-
rels ever crowned the brow Of hero or demi-
god equal to those honors which shall clus-
ter around the memory Of iwhoselniar-
tial triumphs have been won with but little
sacrifice Of human lifep Long after the
carping committees on the Conduct of the
War; who have distorted truth to injure q
general whose abilityis So far above their
comprehension, shall have passed away; long
after the political hucksters who have Join
ed In reyiling him In order to add to their ill
gotten gains shall be numbered with the for
gotten dead; long after the vacillation and
intermcddling Of presumptuous civilians
shall be dismissed TO dishonored oblivion,
this utterance Of the National Legislature
will live and shine, not, sir, because we
passed 1t, but because In an hour of honest
impulse we recorded our testimony to the
truth which the historian twill not willing
ly let die.n Those triumphs which are un-
stained by blood have been so few and sig
nal In this and other wars that among, the
good they involuntarily invoke the choicest
appreciation of the human heart and intel
lect. So few aud signal are they that /
might be pardoned for Imagining that even
the Prince of Peace himself would con-
descend to bedew with something Of His
own grace, and consecrate to noble destiny
that martial genius which achieves its
victories without the efftision of fraternal
blood. They ahtedate that millennial day
that holy time which seems so distant to
our mortal view-when the Emusic of the
worlds accordn shall .displace the harsh
clangor of arms, and its sweeter song
: "shall swell Prom shore 70 shore.
The seamless robe that Jesus wore." 49,.
The heroism which brings such painless,
woundless, deafness, all-mercifal, allllov-
ing results, is crowned with q chaplet
fragrant forever with the white flowers Of