Comte de Paris, History of the Civil War in America. Vol. 1.
Henry Coppee , LL.D., Ed.

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[573] ideas. They replied to the attacks of their adversaries with threats. Their language, always imprudent, and even reprehensible, although spoken in low tones, was at last heard by a people noted for their scrupulous observance of the formalities of law, and always mistrustful of military chieftains. Too much absorbed by other cares, General McClellan was unable to silence his dangerous friends, and thus more than once his own acts were distorted in a manner which his conscience loudly repudiated. On one occasion, as he was paying a just tribute of respect to the qualities of his adversaries, in language full of dignity and propriety, there happened to be by his side some old political allies of the South, who ventured to express a hope that they might soon find auxiliaries in them against the ‘accursed abolitionists.’ They wished to convey the impression that the first victory of the army of the Potomac would enable its chief to play the part of a mediator, to impose a peace of their own choosing upon both the government of Washington and that of Richmond, pretending that they saw a deep political combination in the inaction to which McClellan was condemned by the difficulties of his task. His loyalty, his patriotism, and the character of the American people fortunately rendered all such dreams perfectly chimerical; but they afforded a plausible pretext to his enemies, and the honest soul of President Lincoln was more than once troubled by it. These seeds of mistrust brought forth fruits fatal to the Federal cause. In representing General McClellan to Mr. Lincoln as an ambitious politician, he was persuaded to interfere personally in military affairs. The practical good sense and innate uprightness which had won the latter the appellation of ‘Honest Abraham’ failed him on this occasion. He brought his legal habitudes to questions the solution of which admitted of no compromise. While leaving the responsibility of command to McClellan, he thought he could withdraw from him a portion of that confidence he had manifested in him until then. He thought himself skilful in allaying the prejudices of some, and the ambition of others, by creating military commands for politicians, and giving them divisions, as we bestow diplomatic or administrative posts. In short, being surrounded by cabinet strategists, he ended in believing himself capable of directing military operations. We