Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-03-31
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
/" THE PLOT"

snirin,y hold John BarIeycorn the atiatus which
rrcootly made him an oracle in the eyes OF the
c,,rrcs,ondents and the War Committee. But it
naturally goes very hard with few artless minds
10 believe that any thing monstrous, If predlcated
af their Lste noirs, can possibly be exaggerated OF
false For instance, the Rochester New York;
American, in adverting to Waldron's provoking
refusal to "swear up" the case against McClei-
Ian in the matter Of the interview with Gen. Lee,
says
The contumacy of the witness Wadron does not prone
false what he said before 1t goes to his credibity but
i not conclusive one way or the other The same may
BE- said OF the habit attributed to him OF being addicted
10 drink If drunk when he told the story OF the inter-
view he right in refusing to swear to It now H. on
the other hand, appliances have been used TO shut MS
mouth II viii n the long run be all Inc worse ior nun -
such an interview took place, neither the contumacy OF
witness nor the ppan denial of those who know nothing
about it wse the matter So there is no use 10 pan
dying words over matter which cannot be settled IN that
way"
AS we concur with our ssgacious and wary con-
temporary in the opinion that this matter should
be probed to the bottom, it gives US great pleasure
TO call the attention of the War Committee to the
following startling disclosures" corroborative of
Waldron's statements, made by the Washington
correspondent of the Chicago (lllinois) Tribune,
writing from this city under date of the 18th in
slant We quote from the Tribune Of the 18th
instant:
~ happen to know something Of this reported inter
view between Gen Mcclellan aud Gen Lee, having learn
ed he following particulars from prominent gentleman
Of Illinois who accompanied the President to the battle
field of Antetam after the action had taken place sup
posed that the interview spoken of above bad
never taken place President Lincoln had forbade for
b idenl CEN McCfHan 10 n,et Gen. Lee upon the
sion The facts learned them shortly after they had
taken place. these Mr.. Lineon went to the battle
field had an interview with Gen. Mcclellan, slept in
tent prepsred for him at the Generals headquarters rode
over the field next day &c While the President the
Generals headquarters flag of truce conveyed braa
der general and another officer IL the rebel army into
Gen McClelans presence. They brought letter from
Gen Lee desiring an interview with Gen. Mcclellan,
which contained the statement (or this might have been
conveyed by the ocer that Generals Mcclellan and Lee
could settle the matter of The rebellion at private inter
view aud thus stop any further efusion Of blood Gen
Mcclellan showed the letter to President Lncon, and
asked the latter il he might be allowed # it would be
advisable forget which, TO accord Lee the interview
The President said certainly Dot that he the
to whom the letter should be properly referred aud who
by bis position qualified to accept or reject the pro-
posa The question is did Gen Mcclellan subsequently
afford Gen Lee the interview above stated 1.-The did,
there is to believe he would has been charged
cnerta for some hours Lees proposition to both
armies march into Washington, and declare military
dictatorship This whole matter should be investigated
That Lee sought the interview with Mcclellan and this
interview prohibited by President Lincoln are facts
which can be easily proved s.
Now, this is eirsumstantial statement, and
coming from the Washington correspondent of a
leading paper in the West, reputed to be the
ahome organ of President Lincoln, it must of
course be reliable" AS the name Of this cor
respondent is doubtless well known to the War
Committee, we presume they will hasten to sum-
lac,~ IL he Ia
clean breast Of all he "happens to know" To
DOUBT their zeal in such good cause would be a
gross imputation on their perspicacity and patriot
ism Let US know the worst Of this perfdous
"plot"
But whatever may be the issue of the investiga-
ton set on foot anew for the exposure of the med
tsted treachery of Gen. Mcclellan after the bat
tie of Antietam it is evident that his exculpation
on this score will be of little avail in the minds of
a candid and intelligent public, unless bis friends
can also clear up the following mysterious allega-
tons brought against him by the Washington cor
respondent Of the st. Louis (Mi,souri) Union.
Writing from this city under date of the 9Th in
slant, (only day after the disclosures of Mr..
Fraacis Waldron,) he says:
at has been ascertaned here that Gen Mcclellan af
ter he was superseded ny Burnside went down to Rich
mond in balloon AID had long interview with JEFF Dh-
Wis that result Of this conference that Mcclellan,
IN drguse the rebel commander fought aud repnred
Burnsde At Fredericksburg and Hooker at Chsncelos-
vile Horace Greeley present and knowing to all the
fncts Bat Greeley's paralty for Mcclellan has induced
him to BE- silent ill now.
It j. asserted that the President now we'll satisfied
in his own mind that Gen Samuel Curtis ia
Helena at all. all the cotton that solrn there
stolen by Scbofeld and in few days Mr. Line In will go
before notary public make affidavit TO the above acts
and forward the 10 the New York Tribune.
The affidavit will come out with the balloon story.
- You're truly A. III"
We are frank to say that We were never much
impressed with the Waldron exposure" but this
"bslloon story has probability AID verisimili
tude about it which may well excite grave suspi-
cons We presume the correspondent "a. H."
who contributes it to our st. Louis contempt
has already been subpenaed by the War Commit
tee, and is at present in charge Of the Sergeant-at
Arms Of the Senate preliminary to his exsmina-
ton. We all know that Gen Mcclellan was much
in the habit of using balloons for alleged military
observations while he was in the Virginia PENN
sua, and it is easy to conceive that he may have
become so proficient in their use as to have made
a~ly trip TO Richmond on the occasions specified
We hope his friends may be able to prove an abb,
and VIC would advise them not to risk his vjndica-
ton on any thing less conclusive than such de-