The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1862-07-21


getically, and the example followed by all our
other commanders. This is not time for off,
GERS or men to be absent from their posts. The
country, at this great crisis of our history, ex-
poets every man to do his duty. We would
suggest that complete list Of absentees be
made out and published In all the newspapers
throughout the country. Shame sometimes
works reformation.
The New Conservative Policy Of the Cow
ernment.
Unity Of sentiment and action Is the secret
Of success. The divisions Of opinion ct the
North in regard to the object and the manner
Of conducting this war have occasioned unneces-
sary expenditures Of men and means, unneces-
sary repulses of our armies and an unnecessary
prolongation Of the conflict. The government
has been sndeavoring to reconcile the loyal
conservatives and the radical abolitionists and
has attempted to make its policy acceptable to
both these parties. In his address to the bor-
der State representatives the President states
that by his reputation of Hunters proclama-
ton, he "gave dissatisfaction, if not offence, to
many whose support the country cannot afford
to lose;" and, he adds, "but this is not the end
Of it, the pressure in this direction Is still upon
me and is increasing. BY conceding what l
now ask, you can relieve me, and, much more,
can relieve the country in this important
point" In other words, the President says that,
in repudiating Hunter to crafty the conserva-
tives, he offended the abolitionists, who then
pressed him to repudiate his reputation,
and that he now asked the conservatives to
adopt the gradual emancipation policy in order
to crafty the abolitionists. We conceive that
we have here revealed, in a very few words
that mistaken and indecisive policy Of the gov
eminent which has neutralized our advantages,
weakened the country and resulted in nothing
but disasters. We hope that in the Presidents
veto of the ultra Coniscation bill, in the Presi-
dents conference with the border States men,
and in the Presidents selection of General
Halleck as his military adviser, we have
pledges that this vain attempt TO satisfy both
parties and to conduct the war with divided
North has been forever relinquished.
In times of peace bargaining and compro-
missing may carry on the government smoothly
In times of war, however, great principles
alone must be consulted as rules of action. If.
this war were mere political affair, the gov
eminent might settle it by making bargain
between the conservatives and tile abolitionists,
issuing proclamations to snit each faction by
turns, vetong the bills passed by each party
by turns, and alternately siding with each
clique, so as constantly TO preserve the equi-
&c u, 80 - ~
test: it is rebellion, revolution, a civil
war, terrible national crisis, which must be
settled not by bargains, but upon principle;
not by intrigues, but by force; not by parties,
but by armies; not by ballots, but by bullets.
IN civil war, as in religion, no man and no
government can serve two masters. 1t is inn
possible to save the Union for the conserva-
tiyes and destroy the Union for the abolitionists
at the same time. The government must have
what ii has vet lacked--a fixed principle of
action. The people must be told whether we
are fighting for the Union or to abolish slavery.
The Union ought to be the sole object of the
war. Abolition clalnor should be either hushed
or disregarded. In 1872 President Madison saved
the country by disregarding the peace remon-
strauces of such gatherings as the Hartford
Convention. President jackson saved the
Union by refusing TO parley with nullifca-
tionists leaving compromises to Congress.
President Buchanan brought on this war
by ignoring these precedents and en-
deavoring 20 preserve the Union aud satisfy
South Carolina seccssionists, aud he succeeded
In doing neither. The present administration
has treated the abolitionists just az Buchanan
treated the secessionists, and the result is the
indefinite prolongation Of the war. If the ad
ministration had regarded the abolitionists with
Indifference, as Madison did tho peace men, or
crushed them with severity, as Jackson did the
nulliders, the war would have been over
months ago, and The President would have been
spared all the dissatisfaction and offence" all
the increasing pressure upon him." and all
the necessity of asking concessions Ito relieve
the country" of which he has sorrowfully
spoken
AS the reason for this ndccisive policy OF The
administration. the President says that the abo-
lition faction comprises "many whose support
The country cannot afford to lose" There
never was q sadder mistake than this. The
country can afford to lose the support Of
every man who prefers the negro to the Union.
The abolitionists are so small, though so noisy
a faction, that the country would not miss them
if every one Of them were hung. Their only
services to the country consist in the pressure
upon him. Of which the President speaks. The
abolition party does not number one-tenth Of
The people OF the loyal States. The abolition
lists in the army and navy are so few and far
between that they are never heard of. Even in
The Massachusetts regiments the conservatives
largely predominant. The support" of the
abolitionisls is q delusiea. They talk much,
;ney write much, they I'll Offices but they do
nothing for the Union. On the contrary, we
have often demonstrated that they do much