Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-11-11
Chango OF PoIicY.

There can be no question that tho original
policy Of the Administration. 90 iar a. " nau
any, was not ouly conservative but coneiliato'
ry. The proof on this point is Overwhelming
aud conclusive. It 10 also evident that the
President was sustained 10 this policy BY the
Secretary OF State, Mr.. SEWARD, snd moro or
less By other members Of the Cabinet. IL was
understood to be 80 by the members OF the
present Congress when they met in extra ses-
sion In July Of last year, and passed In me
House the famous CRIrrEHDEN resolution with
bu. two dissenting votes, declaring the object
Of the var 10 be, "to maintain the Constltu-
ton and preserve the Union, with all the rights,
dignity and equality Of the RoSoFal States un'
impaired"
The country rallied with surprising and un-
psralle!sd unaninity to sustain the Admins
tfation in this policy. Doubts that naturally
arose In many conservative minds, IRON the
political an,ecedsnts and the party affiliations
Of Mr.. LMooLN, were almost wholly given 10
the winds. There was but one voice, and that
Was that the Administration must have all tho
men. money and mesns necessary for carrying
or. the avowed purposes Of the war. And
these were freely aud lavishly furnished.
Tine rolled on During the winter Of 1852
many splendid Victories were won BY the Union
arms, snd our forces had penetrated into the
very heart Of the Confederate aud rebel empire
Wherever our Aag was unfr:Isd in the fa'
Sorth. hundreds and thousands rGjolced 20 wi,
ness ihas old beloved banner OF Union, Peac'
and prosperity, waving once more aloft. Man!
were found ready to volunteer in Its defense.
Bat while this was going on In the South
Congress was wasting itS time, no. 10 carrying
out the policy the President had announced ir
his Inaugural, and that Congress itself wa'
pledged to abide BY in the Crittenden resolution
but 10 inierminable debates upon questions ol
conascs.ion, emancipation and State annihils'
tion. Many of the prominent men, who stood
high In the Administration, seemed to have
forgotten tina. there was any Constitution to
maintain, any Union to preserve, OR any slaye
States entitled to respect.
10 about one year from the date Of the Pres
ident's Inauguration. when he solemnly prom
iSed the country to abide by and conduct bis
Administration upon the principle that to the
States exclusively belongs the power to con
srol their domestic inBtitulions, marked change
In the course of the Congress and the Admins.
traton became apparent The radical idea ap-
peared uppermost, tina. In order 70 strike down
the rebellion, the Slate institution Of slavery
must be first stricken down. II the Constitu-
sion stood In the way, it must be disregarded--
II the UOiGn of the States could not be pre-
served, then some Of the States must be blot
ted out, and as to State fights-any Of these
that were opposed to the giving of freedom to
negro slsves-WeFs pronounced humbugs.
The President, overborns by this olamor and
this deluge Of fsnatical rhetoric, and perhaps
persuaded that such was the will Of the people
10 the Northern States, though no evidence Of
snoh q will had been given ct any election.
yielded, and approved measures which no in
tslligeut aud candid man can doubt be would q
year or even six months before have rejected at
once. Bat he who modified" the prOclama.
tions of emancipating Generals, could no. re-
sist the stronger "pressurs" OF majority in
Congress.
Having once surrendered to the Radicals,
nothing remained but to let them pilot the ship
of State. 30, without authority even from
Congress. to say nothing Of the Constitution, q
proclamation was issued for tho emancipation
Of all the slaves in OF least one third OF the
Union--of loyal and disloysl masters alike.
The Radicals triumphed-ihe country mourned.
Thus was the original conservative and con-
ciliatory policy changed into one Of exaspera-
ton and unconditional revenge. The maihte-
nance Of the Constitution and the preservation
of the Union seemed subordinate objects. The
rights, equality and dignity Of the several
States appeared TO sink into insigriHcancs.-
The total abolition of slavery doomed up be-
fore the public gsss as the paFamount--the all
absorbing object. The people marked the
change of policy with disgust--slmoBt with
despair. The election came. The voters, who
had never changed, condemned the change
In tie Administration and demanded an in
slant and unqualified return to the policy an.
nounced In the Inaugural and In the Critten'
den resolution. Will the demand be needed
If not, it will be made in still louder and
i.