The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-12-13
POLITICAL NEWS.
OPINIONS ON THE QUESTIONS OF THE DAT.

tween the President and the Secretary Of
War, which led to the official suppression
of a portion of the report of the latter, is
the prominent topic of interest. The leadD
ing papers Of the country, with the excep-
ton OF the two 1ribunes, generally sustain
the President, 10 the position he has assumed
on the negro question, and justify bis ac'
ton in making the report OF the Secretary
OF War conform to it.
The New York Times counsels united
counsels, and harmony in the government,
and says that these sentiments exist among
the gentlemen associated with the President
in the conduct of the Government. The
Times continues
Whatever difference of sentiment may have
existed, have been recOnciled or waived in
Difference to the overwhelming emergency
which weighs upon the country. 1t is stated
that Mr.. Cameron, after preparing his report,
consented to omit sundry suggestions which
he had made in the original copy concerning
the enfranchisement of slaves and their en-
plOyment in the army, upon finding that they
trancended the policy which the President
war under existing circumstances. This
prompt assent on the part of Mr.. Cameron
affords fresh evidence of his readiness to sac.
rifce all personal feelings and preferences, to
the necessity OF harmony and perfectly cor.
dial cooperation in the prosecution of the war,
among the different departments OF the Gov.
eminent.
The one thing needful above all others now.
is unity and harmony in the public counsels.
We can get along without everything else bet.
ter than that. However important other ques'
tons may appear.-hOwever important they
may actually be,-they sink into insignifcance
by the side of this No greater disaster could
happen to US than the destruction of that una
nimty of public sentiment, which has thus far
been our strength in the struggle for the Con-
stitution and the Union.
We cannot help hoping that Congress will
recognize the paramount importance of the
harmony for which we plead, and will repress
whatever rash attempts may be made, in the
spirit of over-zealous partnership, to override
and destroy it.. The time for the safe and sue.
cessful treatment of the slavery question, in
its broadest relations, has not yet come. 1t is
perfectly certain that, without any further lie.
gislatiOn whatever, wherever our armies pen.
citrate the denser slave regions OF the South,
they will bring to the shelter of our flag and
the protection OF our camps, lar greater
number of fugitive negroes than we are yet
prepared to take care of. The experience at
this fact.
President Lincoln and Mr.. Cameron, in our
judgment, showed great practical wisdom,
therefore, in combining their recommendations
to the subject of providing for these refugees.
This matter is one of immediate and pressing
Importance, and Congress will find that, in
stead Of emancipating slaves by additional
laws, it will have all it can do to provide pro-
perly for those who will be set free in the nat
ural progress of the war.
GERRIT SMITH has written letter to
Edwin Croswell, upon the conduct of the
war. The only thing Mr.. Smith thinks,
which prevents the general union of all men
upon an abolition platform, is an absurd
veneration for the Constitution. Dema-
gogues, he says, have succeeded in making
the passion OF love of country "give place
to the worship of the Constitution" Says
Mr.. Smith;
President Lincoln is a man of understanding
and of honest intentions; and why he has not
ere this ended the war and saved the country
is simply because he is wOrshiper of the
Constitution, and feels that he can love and
honor and save the country only through the
Constitution. Every breach in the COHstitu.
ton is in his eye breach made in the country;
and with him the alarming prospect of lost
Constitution is all one with the alarming pros.
pect OF lost country. But the good man
cannot help it. For how rare is he who is able
to surmount his education! And the President
was educated to worship the Constitution.
This education hampers him at every step.
With all his heart would he save the country,
bnt bis reverence for the Constitution will not
let him,
The Times says if Congress should adopt
the policy of MIR. SMITH and decree the
emancipation OF the slaves, and incorporate
the blacks of the South with the army that
is fighting against rebellion, we should
probably witness the following events:
/. The humiliation of the Union party, and
of the Union armies in Missouri, Kentucky,
Western Virginia and Maryland-and the Sc.
cession of those States from the Union.
2 The resignation of q very large proportion
of the Union Generals, and the disbandment of
more than half the existing Union armies now
in the field, with the cessation of enlistments
and the impossibility of supplying fresh
troops.
Northern States which would resist and defeat
the collection of war taxes, paryize the pros.
ecution of hostilities, throw everything into
turmoil and confusion here at home, and sc.
cure either the recognized independence of the
South, or the reconstruction of the Union, by
giving Slavery all the guarantees it has ever
dream of asking.
Senator LANE, of Indiana, in response to
a compliment of serenade in Washington,
declared that the government had clearly
the right to arm the slaves, but be de-
noanced the measure as impolitic and un~
wise 10 the face of the fact that the govern
ment could not furnish arms enough for the
white men who rendered their services. He
thought that to arm the negroes would be
a greater element OF weakness than of
strength. These declarations were received
with the greatest enthusiasm.
Senator CoLLAMER, OF Vermont, is re-
ported to have made the following sensible
observations day or two before the open
ing Of the session:
War is not business Congress can engineer.
It is properly erecutiue business; and the mo.
maut COnOraac naaaaa he von1 ho limo Of pro