The following two articles were part of the same clipping in the Civil War notebook at the Seneca Falls public library. The Democrat newspaper criticized some Republican journals for slandering General McClellan and admitted that General Grant might possibly have been able to do good work in his new job as commander of all the U.S. armies, except for meddling Republican politicians in the federal capital.
From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in March 1864:
The Slander Upon Gen. McClellan.
The Republican papers have recently published and commented upon a very silly story, concerning an interview said to have taken place between Generals MCCLELLAN and LEE, soon after the battle of Antietam. Of course none of these radical journals believed what they published, and the story was only put forth for political affect. It is thus disposed of by the Washington correspondent of the New York Commercial Advertiser, a Republican print:
“The charge that Gen. McClellan had a secret interview with Gen. Lee the night after the battle of Antietam, has proved to be a fiction of a disordered brain. The person who made the astounding statement is a Mr. Francis Waldron, a Marylander, who is a schoolmaster by profession, and who has in years past been somewhat addicted to drink. He has been in the custody of the sergeant-at-arms since Wednesday afternoon, but refuses to make under oath the statement which he has furnished for publication.”
The eagerness with which this story was caught up by the more malignant of the radical press, was the best evidence of its false and slanderous character. In no single instance, however, has it been retracted by them, or reparation made for the utterance of a calumny, at once so vile and infamous.
__________ . __________
Lieut. Gen. Grant.
By reference to an important army order published elsewhere, it will be observed that GRANT has been made a Lieutenant-General, and assigned to the command of the armies of the United States, with his headquarters at Washington. This is an important movement, and may result satisfactorily to the army and the country. Gen. Grant has the reputation of being a dashing and brilliant officer, and in his new position he may, despite the pernicious influences at Washington, lead our armies to victory. The country will look to him, hopeful and anxious that he may be instrumental in closing this most wretched and exhausting civil war. But we do not believe the intriguing, selfish cabal at Washington will allow him to succeed. The Administration will use him up, as other Generals have been used up, and at the close of the next campaign, Peace and Union will be no nearer at hand than at the commencement of this most disastrous war.
The Report of the Joint Committee on the Conduct of the War (pages XX-XXI) backed up the story that Francis Waldron was detained because of his refusal to take the oath and testify.
