Year: 1864




4 wishes; for 1 know that if his wishes wer,
consulted should make no opposition t.
this measure. l place it upon higher
grounds, that of common justice to faith
full and accomplished soldier.


know very well the argument of econ
omy will be used here, and should be con.
sidered always in this House wish il
were used more frequently But there is
something more involving in this bill than
economy. If these generals are dropped
in this particular way, it will seem to be
a taint upon their honor The only way
to drop them in fair and military way is
by the amendment which I have proposed
or by the amendment Of my honorable
friend from New York, Mr.. Herman.
1t should be done by board of inquiry.
They should examine to see who are these
officers, thus to be ruled out of service
because of political or other reasons, are
they to do that duty for which they were
originally called into the service. lwould
like to read report from board stig-
matizing Mcclellan, Buell., and Critten-
den as incompetent 1t would deserve an
Immortality of fame for the audacity and
presumption of the military criticism.


The other day, when the question was
asked my colleague, Mr.. schenck, why
it was not left exclusively with the Presi-
dent to drop these officers whenever he
should see proper, (and which he has al
ready the authority to do,) he responded
that it would fix stigma upon the char
acter of these officers to remove them in
that way 1t seems 20 me that the same
reason applies to the operation of this
bill. No officer, no soldier, should ever
have any undeserved stain cast upon him
by his superior officer, even if he be the
President If not in thatcase, why should
Congress do the same thing, unless there
is first given a fair inquiry into his mill
tary conduct and career?


Such an inquiry my amendment pro-
poses. 1t is fair proposition. 1t is
polite. 1t will help the service; while
the passage of this bill may, without trial,
overslaugh good officers and fix upon
them stain which is worse than wound
upon their character.


I have indicated in my amendment that
those who have received the thanks of
Congress should be made an exception to
this proposed reform. ! do not disguise
the fact that my intention is to except
from the operation Of the bill such men
as Gen. Mcclellan who did receive the
thanks of Congress. Unanimously, sir,
following the battle Oh williamsburg, upon
a resolution offeredby member upon the
opposite side of the House, Mr.. Love
Joy, Congress thanked that distinguished
general. The resolution WAS voted for by
you. Mr.. Speaker, with great alaerity.
4 hat resolution | viii, have read.


The Clerk read the resolution, as fol
lows:


g Resolu<d, That it is with feelings Of
profound gratitude to Almighty Ged tina,
the House of Representatives, from time
to time, hear the triumphs of the Union
armies in the great struggle for the SUI
premacy of the Constitution and the in
tegrity of the Union.


ssResolved, That we receive with pro-
found satisfaction intelligence of the re-
cent victories achieved by the armies OF
the Potomac, associated from their locali-
ties with those of the Revolution. and
that the sincere thanks of the House are
hereby rendered to Major George B. Nc
Clellan for the display of those high mil
itary qualities which secure important re-
suits with but little sacrifice of human
life"


Mr.. COX. 1 am sorry my colleague
[ Mr.. Schenck was not present in the
last House to give the sanction of his
distinguished military Judgment upon
those "high military qualities = of Gen.
Mcclellan (which secure important re-
suits with but little sacrifice Of human life. "
The yeas and nays were not called upon
that resolution for the simple reason that
every member believed in it. | went
through the House ncmine contradiccnte
Every one of us in happy accord Joined
in this splendid tribute to the b, 10 led,
captain of the Army OF the Potomac. A
splendid tributel For what Iau.els ever
crowned the brow of hero or demigod
equal those honors which shall cluster
around the memory of him whose martial
triumphs have been won with but little
sacrifice of human life! Long after the
earpiag COMMITTEES on the conduct of the
war, VINO nave QlStOrteu trutn Io luJuT
general whtse ability is SO far above
their comprehension, shall have passed
away; long after the poll ical hucksters
who have 10 ned in reviing him in order
30 add to their ill-go,ten gains shall be
numbered with the forgotten dead; long
after the vacillation and intermeddling of
Ipresumptous civilians shall be dismissed
to dishonored oblivion, this utterance
of the national Legislature will live and
shine; not, sir, because we passed 1T but
because in an hour of honest impulse we
recorded our testimony to the truth which
the historian "will not willingly let die. +"
Those triumphs which are nnstained by
blood have been so few and signal in this
and other wars, that among tho good they
inveluntarily invoke the choicest appro-
baton of the human heart and intellect,
So few and signal are they that l might
be pardoned for imagining that even ths
| Prince of Peace himself would conde
scend to bedew with something of Hi,
own grace, and eonsecrate to nob,e des
tiny that martial genius which achieve
it's victories without the efusion of fra
| ternal blood. They antedate that nillen