The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-03-07

GENERAL McCLELLAN's record still stands
as an effectual barrier against the malice of
his assailants. All that bitter, unrelenting
hate could imagine or that evil ingenuity
could invent has been adduced to blacken
the fame of the young hero who twice saved
the capital of the nation from the hands of
the enemy, but the malevolence of his foes
only serves to bring out his high character
in holder relief and shed clearer light upon
his many virtues Disappointed in all their
efforts to convict him of cowardice, moons
potency or treason; foled in all their at.
tempts to degrade him in the minds of the
people or weaken the firm hold he has upon
the affections and confidence of the soldiers,
who have been under his command, his
enemies are driven to the extreme of folly.
We believe it was DANIEL WEBSTER, who,
in reply to one who asked him how best to
injure a political rival, said, Calumniate,
calumniate. CALUMNIATE; something will
stick" The radicals have followed this adj
vice in their persecution of Gen. McCLEL-
Lam, but Of all the abuse they have heaped
upon bim they can find nothing that will
stick" They even take up their old and
exploded ISLANDERS and hull them at him the
second time, but their rcfutation treads I'D
on the heels of their utterance and thew
won't ''stick.'
The latest attempt Of this kind has come hat
under our notice, emanated from S 1nstc =
WILKINSON, of Minnesota in the Z, s. S,n.
ate on last Wednesday. Rising to male n
personal explanation concerning sou.e in.
justice whichhe fancied Governor ANDREWS
of Massachusetts,, had done him in recent
speech, be went far out of his way to lug
into his remarks TRADE of abuse of 4e.n,
MCCLELLAN and other Commando, OF the
Army of the Potomac. Among other ex.
ploded charges against the C,en.ral he al.
ipded to the battle of NJ, ,lvern Hill and
srumped up again the s''' story tina, Gen.
MCCLELLAN was lying IN q onnboat in tn.
James River while ais officers and soldiers
fought aud won. the battle alone. Now,
' y. > onorance, to characterize it by the
ELDEST possi0 term, is inexcusable in a
school boy. Everybody knows the story to
be false and knows too that it has been re.
futed thousand times. We have heard its
denial from the lips OF every soldier with
whom We have conversed who was engaged
in that battle, and Senator WILKINSON had
upon his desk, perhaps at the very time he
uttered the calumny, the official report Of
Gen. MCCLELLAN wherein the Islander was
proven untrue. That report says:
ii once more"-soon after daybreak-
made the entire circuit of the position,
aud then returned to Haxall's whence
went with Captain Rodgcrs"-not On board
a gunboat-"to select the final location fol
the army and its depots. returned to
Malvern before the serious fighting com
menced, and after riding along the lines anG
seeing most cause to feel anxious about the
light, remained in that vicinity"
There is no evidence TO show that he wa:
of the field during the battle or that hi
was wanting in the performance of any o
the duties pertaining to a brave and skill
ful commander. We have heard an ok
soldier who was posted near where "Littl,
Mac" Sat upon his horse directing the storm
of battle on that eyentful day, say that in
stead of spending the day upon gunboat
drinking VINE with the naval officers, a.
one version OF the stoly runs, he had beef
riding until he was covered with mud anc
that he sat near the right If the line watch
ing anxiously every turn of the fearfu
strife s.a 80
Gen. McCLELLaN's reticence and silsnc,
when assailed. while they stamp his char
acter with the mark of rare yirtne bsv,
nevertheless enabled his assailants 70 90
for time unrebuked, but in every case. b;
enemies are disarmed by truth All Their
ISLANDERS are unavailing, all efforts a