Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1862-12-31
HsnEr WaEd Begohar on the Megsaga.

Mr.. LINCOLN has not had a strong
cabinet. The members Of it have not
been united in aims and influence The
President has not had power to matatahi,
discipline nor to give unity and energy to
its bureaus. The administration has been
loosely thrown together, ineoherent in
purpose, and even secretly divided by
selfish aspirations and ambitions, there
fore this government has struck rebellion
with open fingers and palm, and never
once with clenehed Est.
This has been the vice of tie Gdn,iais-
tratioH. 1t has not known its sphere. It
has been wasting its time in studying out
problems that belong to another depart
ment of government, and negleeting the
duties that belong peculiarly and eEclu-
sively to it.
Its business has been to make war
That has been neglected. 1t is the duty
of Congress to legislate. The admins
tratiOn has been studying legislation. The
last session Of Congress was largely Oeeu-
pied in investigating the conduct Of the
war, in urging its energetic prosecution.
It was in other words, striving to do the
business of the executive. Nov the
President, not to be outdone, repays it
by laying befoss it speculatiODs upon
emancipation, and eipheTing cut pro
blems for the year nineteen hundred and
onward.
And so We have Message that Is. full
of wise political speeulations about prob-
able apd possible changes Of society, but
containing almost nothing about things
as they sre-things to b done SOU
itiaiRgs which beIeag to the Presidents
duties, as emancipation sPeeuIations do
not--tke things O1 which the government
depends. We have an army of s09,OGO
IAea. Ne have lost a year Of campaigns
because there was nobody who had a
practical head to choose the right men
for the right place. Discipline ran down,
Generals guarreled, and nobody had any
5kill to manage thera; Generals were im
beetle, disObcdiest, aud fatsi to their own
array, ssd nobody had pluck TO remove
them. Battles we're lost By Rutisiss
right in the face Of the enemy, snd no
body dared touch the alutinser Generals;
battles we're half fought and not followed
up; the aatsnia w&s wasted With iaten-
tional daliying BY Generals that did not
believe in the policy of the administra-
tica, and meant to defeat it by military
pretenses; and nobody dared to remove
them till it wss too late for any bat a
winter campaign. A vast army, under
new commander, changes its base, and
adopts new line, With every Seretoken
of victory, when It is paralyzed for want
Of help from department that has been
preparing for war for a year and half
The President hasteas down to see the
General. The General runs back to see
the President. There is one supreme
and imperative want. The nation wants
somebody that knows how 70 conduct
national business.
We are an intensely practical nation.
We are essentially wise business Peo-
pie; and we have an administration made
up of philosophical dreamers, and Politi-
cal theorists
The Presidents Message is very we'll
in its way. 1t is pleasing to know the
opinion Of any intelligent man on public
topics. But President Lincoln was not
placed in the Presidential chair to read
lectures to Congress on political ecOnO-
nv, nor to manage war with reference
to New York politics, nor to undertake
to draw out on paper how We may settle
the questions of the next century. He is
the Executive. He is not the Thinker,
but the Doer. Congress is to think The
President is the man of action.