The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1911-08-22

Must admire the mans ability in the
creation and discfpltning Of armies. /
think history WIFI decide that he was
the one man needed at this juncture
Things do not happen by accident, eli
Their to- Individuals or nations. With
great need comes the man or men
to fill tt Whatever We may think of
him as a man or as q soldier, George
B. Mcclellan was needed in 1861.
Call 1t providence or what y0u will.
one cannot read history understand
ingfy without being struck by the
larger intelligence that is behind the
shaping of events. We call things of
this kind condolences, but that is only
a term behind which we hide our ig
nOrance. However men may scheme
and seek special ends, however blind
or self willed they may be. this larger
intelligence goes, on shaping the trend
Of things. No, man of insight can fol-
low the story of our own land. can
read the annals of the Revolution and
of the civil war. without seeing in
them the expression Of what Emerson
calls the 'oversoul." without tracing
through them the finger of God.
There's divinity that shapes our ends.
Rough hew them how we will.
1t may be objected that all this has
little to do with a story of the war
fifty years ago. but in my own view it
had and has a great deal to do.
One Of the laws procured by Cen
eral Mcclellan in the early days Of
August was that authorizing the ap-
pointment Of additional aids-de-camp
to general officers These aids might
be taken either from civil life or from
the army. and none of them was to
rank higher than colonel. 1t was not
till a few weeks later that the order
Potomac. but when it came 1t was on
the lines laid down by Mcclellan.
Extra Session Adjourns.
The extra session of congress was
now drawing to a close. On Aug. 5,
two houses by joint resolution called
upon the president to recommend a
| day of public humiliation, prayer and
fasting, to be observed by the people of
the United States with religious sOlem-
| nifty, and the Offering of fervent sup
plications to Almighty God for the
safety and welfare of these states, his
blessings on their arms and speedy
restoration Of peace"
| The session had lasted only two
days more than one month, having
convened on July 4, yet during that
time 1t had provided means for car
rying on the war, defined the nations
duties on imports. authorized loan
Of $3.50. 100000, provided for the issue
Of S5O,O0O,OOO of treasury notes, laid
increased taxes for the future. repeal
ed the specie clause Of the subtreas-
ury act, increased the army to almost
any size the president might think fit
approved the taking of slaves engaged
in military occupations as contra
band Of war" and generally had raj
lied to the support of the administra
ton in q manner that left no doubt
as to the attitude of the people Of the
north.
Little was said at this session Of
congress concerning the ultimate fate
of slavery. The preservation of the
Union was the one theme. But in one
of the last debates Thaddeus Stevens
Of Pennsylvania did predict that as 6
war measure it might become neces
sary to free the slaves Of those il
actual rebellion against the govern
ment He would not go further thar
that. Was this prophecy of the
emancipation proclamation?