, 1873-01-19

tractors Departments tho l.teness C. the sea-
sou Ut which tie expedition WAS un5ertateo,
i otc. >. Tho II sGt Of discipline and experience
! il, tho troops.
Tho ccm1aittee's report concludes: "The
Committee conceive it but Justice to the Com
1nanda--ir-Chlef to eay that, iu their opinion,
tho failure OF tie late expedition can in no re-
Epect DO imputed to his conduct, either 1T any
time before or during tho action bnt that as
A's ecntSf, IN az lse PrTpara:ory arrangements,
csEtl':ct during tha ac:ion fusniahcd strong tes-
tiEoni.' OF his coolness aul intrepidty."
This report was reain7ulea & tho noxt session
OF Congress, the Secretary OF War end Quarter
E,aste1 H1dgdou having demanded a reheariag
Tho expedition ag..l,st the Western Indians Is
the oay PEI: Of the military career Of Arthur St.
Clair to which tha wocd unsucceaeful" can bo
justly applied uo took an honorable past in
tho French War. and throughout the Kerolu-
tionary War was ono OF tho most trusted officers
Of Washington, vino frequently honorod him
with his confidence and availed Lit.solg OF his
military akiu. Hs Has appointed by Con-
Ereas Go!9nel .r n the tho Continents!
following was ordered to march with hia
regiment into Canada. In August, 177G. ho was
promoted to the rank Of Brgaaier, and in
February, 17157, On account OF tho distinguished
part tazen by him in the defeat Of the British at
Princeton, and tho sutpe1uent movements
which placed the ar,n7 SAFE in tEo highlands OF
Now jersey, he mns created a Major Genera,
aud or<larol to repair 10 Tisonuegoga and placa
himself under tho command OF General Gates
The abandonment OF that poet, resulting in ita
occupation by tho cucny, MAS severely censured,
and ST. Clair Was temporarily relieved OF his
command. The inquiry instituted showcL that
st. ClalC's cou-so w1s :.uporta1. in q strategic
point OF view that ho could not have withstood
the enemy with the small force nn:iar him; and
its loss would have prevented the capture Of tho
army Of General Eusgoyne. The officers who
examined the ovidcIlce concurse1 in the opinion
that - II required more moral courage to induce
3 brave soldier to alanlon post without bat
Ito, than to mako "a unsuccessful effort to de-
fend it;' and this reporl concluded with the fol-
lowing sentence 4N1j1r General St, Clair is
acquitted, sciA ihs highest donor, Of The charges
c11i1i.ed against him"
bJ keeping Kim near his persou, and donoriug
him with marked attentions. white this inquiry
was being carried c,i. EenerafS ST. Chairs subse-
queat military sesvlcce, to the cioso OF tho WAT,
wero imporEen: and honorable.
Nor we're Arthur st. Ccir's civil services to his
country leaa honorable and auccessfs1l~-if the
accumulation Of wealth is not considered esaau,
'liat to crown with success public career.
In l7s5, the Legislature OF ronnsylyania ap~
pointed him delegate to the Continental Con-
greaa, and, soon after ta.iirg his eaa., lie was
elected rreeilent OF that body. While acting an
presiding oIlicer, tho ordinance for the govern
mnnt Of tho Northwest Territory wag passed,
nt,;a ha was chosen Governor to carry It's pro-
visions into oNccl ID !?s9, President Washing
ton rsaTfointcd him to thai poaition, which he
held until iso2, wien hc Tss removed Mt tho in
etgntion Of the friends OF TLomas Jefferson,
who dsliked hn hccauee OF his political
opinions, md hoca11No ho resisted tho
t!G.ission Of Ohio CO state,-an act
wLich 3lr. Jefferson very mach desired to have
accomplished early. Tho leaders in this opposi-
ton to St. C.a:r wcre Thor,na Wogtninston and
lis brotl.er-in-law, DR.. Iiliin,-bo,h Of whom
afterwards illcd tho Office OF Governor Of that
State.
The original papers giving tue particulars OF
this contest, which a-e in my possession, show
that, iu those dars, under tho lead Ct Thomas
Jefferson, the rancos Of political warfare among
the aspiring u,aa Of tho young West was quito
as bitter. urrelenting, aud unscrupnlous as in
caco Of money in obtaining political position,
however. belongs to moro recent period.
WILLIAM HENRY SIXTH.
CHICAGO Jan. Is, 1873.