Year: 1862




The AltOona Conferences.


1t seems that the radical Governors have be
come alarmed at their work at the Altoona con
ference. They have discovered that their con
spiracy against our generals is recoling upoI
their own heads, and are endeavoring to clea
their skirts and stay the storm they have RAISED
about themselves, by denying our report, anC
asserting that the removal of Mcclellan was moi
broached in the conference. The organs of the
radicals in this. .city-the Tribune and Times
have also come out in their defence, and are do
ing their best to prove that the gubernatoral
conspirators did not refer to our generals. I'm,
fortunately for them, our report was made on
too good authority for their denial to have any
effect


| The main topic Of conversation among the
New England and portion of the Western Gov
ernors in the morning, before the conference as
sembled, was in reference to our generals. 1t
| was the current remark of outsiders who con-
versed with the radical Governors that these
officials are decidedly "down" on many Of our
generals, and are of the opinion that radical
change must be made. But, with this evidence
of the views of the extremists, our correspon-
dent did not believe that they would have the
audacity to broach the subject in the conven-
ton; but the evidence was so conclusive, and
upon 80 reliable authority, that even the most
skeptical could not doubt its truth. The state
ments made and the substance of the debate
given by our representative were upon the
authority of three persons who took part
in the deliberations of the convention. All
of the three held official positions in their re-
spective States and one of tho number is a
Governor. No person who has the least ac-
quaintance with these officials would for a mo-
ment doubt any statement that they might
make


That the radical Governors are endeayoring to
wriggle themselves out of the real position taken
a. the convention only shows the desperate
condition that our erpose of their conspiracy
has placed them in before the country. No
person could have watched the movements of
the New England and portion of the Western
Governors at Altoona without becoming con-
vinced that they assembled there for
the sole purpose of endeavoring to
force the President TO make q change in
our generals. Furthermore, there is not
the least doubt bat that if the conference had
been held prior to the battle of Antietam pro-
position urging the President to remove Nc
Clellan would have received the endorsement
Of majority of those present. But the
skill exhibited by Mcclellan in that battle
and the decided victory won on that
battle field, were more than they could
overcome, Notwithstanding the efforts of Gov
ernor Sprague to disparage our generals and
soldiers by endeavoring to prove that it was q
rebel and not Union victory. That the con-
vention was called by Governors Curtin, Tod
and Pierpoint for good object, and for no
other purpose than to devise means whereby
they could all act in concert In strengthening
the hands Of the President, for the purpose of
bringing the rebellion to speedy end no one
can doubt. The position taken by these three
officials in the conference Is Q sufficient
guarantee that none but the purest patriotic
motives prompted them to invite the Governors
to consult together at Altoona. But that ma
jority Of the radical Governors consented to
take part in its deliberations for far different
object is too selfevident to need any argument
| to sustain the assertion.


But their reasonable schemes were defeated.
| The noble defence of Mcclellan, and the manly
stand taken by Governor Curtin, Of Pennsyiva-
mia; the eloquent endorsement by Governor
Bradford, of Maryland, and the decisive ssser-
ton Of Governor Tod, Of Ohio, that the people
would rise up On nsosss and repudiats such .
proposition" forced them to abandon their po-
sition Thus foiled and defeated, with q decided
manifestation of indignation by the public, it is
not strange that they should pursue the course
characteristic of the radical Jscobn faction ever
since the war commenced, and attempt to get
themselves out of their dilemma. But, as it was
with Senator Wilson on stopping enlstments
the record is against them, and the proof
is too strong to enable them to accom-
plish this last much coveted object They
stand before the public indicted, and all their
assertions will not remove the dark and
treasonable mark upon them. They stand be
fore the world convicted.


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