The Van Buren press., 1868-08-07
NO 3
A Leading Radical on Grant.

Radical journals have complained tha.
Democrats found fault with Grants mil
itsry career Leading Radicals have de
nounced Grants want Of gcneralship
more hercely than the Democrats have
done. Read the following extrac, from
a speech delivered in the United States
Senate by a leading Radical Senator
(Iarlan) Of Iowa
"From all that can learn on the sub
ject, l do not think that General Grant
is fit to command great army in the
field. The Iowa troops hsve
been in battle repeatedly Under the com
mand of Gen Grant They have no cou-
fidence in his capacity aud fitness for the
position he now holds They regard
him as the author of the useles. slauph.
ter OF many hundreds Of their brave
comrades in arms. It is not necessary
nor is it right TO compel them to serve
under him. The speech Of the Senator
OF Ohio might, il unnoticed. induce those
in authority to continue him in the field.
l understand that he has been virtually
suspended; that he now really has no
command that each division and army
corps OF the Western Department is nn-
der command OF another General, and
the whole under the command Of Gen.
Halleck; that Gen. Grant is second in
command Of the whole, which il of course,
merely nominal. In my opinion. he
ought no, TO have multfed thousands Of
men and placed in his hands after the rec
ord which he has made, and the only po.
ltical tendency of that part OF the speech
of the Senator from Ohio would be 10
induce the President to assign him TO an
active command. This cannot consent
to have done in the presence Of my coun-
trymen, manned and slaughtered, as be-
lieye, through his carelessness or incom-
potency. l say this not on account Of
any public or private grievance of n per
sonal nature. If my conyic.
tons are correct, it wonld be crime for
me to remain silent, and suffer influences
to originate in the Senate Chamber which
may result in restoring General to an
active command whom | and such peo.
pie as in part represent, deem unworthy
OF such trust. And he shall
not, with my consent. be continued in
command. There is nothing in his ante.
cedents to justify further trial of his
military skill At Belmont he committed
an egregious and objectionable military
blunder, which almost resulted in annihi.
lating an Iowa regiment At Fort Don
elson, the right wing of our army, which
was under his immediate command, was
defeated aud driven back several miles
from the epcmys works. The battle vas
restored BY Gen Smith, the enemy's
works stormcd, and thus victory was
finally won. And so on the battle field
Of Shiloh his army was completely sur
prised, as l believe, from all the facts I
can procure, on Sunday, and nothing but
the bravery Of the men fighting by regi-
ments and brigades saved the army from
destruction. The battle was aiterward
restored and conducted by Gen. Buell.,
and other Generals who came on the 6eld
during the evening and night, and our
forces ultimately succeeded in routing the
enemy. How. sir, with such a record.
those who continued General Grant in an
active command will, in my opinion, carry
on their skirts the blood of thousands Of
their murdered countrymen. With my
convictions, can neither do it myself
nor silently permit others to do it,
Congregational Globe, Second Session,
Thirty. SerenM Congress. pages 2,036 and
2,037.