February 6, 1863.
Why should Dr. Holmes trouble himself about the base of
McClellan's brain? McClellan has nothing to do with all this McClellanization
of the public mind. The reaction requires a small Democrat with great military
prestige for its presidential candidate. The new programme, you know, is a new
conservative party of Republicans and Democrats, and all mankind except
Abolitionists. It will work, I think, for as a party we have broken
down. I blame nobody. It was inevitable. The “Tribune,” through the
well-meaning mistakes of Greeley, has been forced to take (in the public mind,
which is the point) the position of W. Phillips, — the Union if possible,
emancipation anyhow. As a practical political position that is not tenable. If,
by any hocus-pocus, the war order of emancipation should be withdrawn, we
should be lost forever, beyond McClellan's power, assisted by John Van Buren,
the “Boston Courier” and “Post” and the “New York Herald,” to save us. There's
nothing for us but to go forward and save all we can.
SOURCE: Edward Cary, George William Curtis, p.
161
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