The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-06-19
Jeff. Davis and his Policy.

From the Charleston Mercury.
Our contemporary, the Courier, of yesterday,
in long editorial eulogizing President Davis,
whom it calls "our Moses!" makes the follow
ing assertions:
Yet we have been reliably informed that
men of high official position among us-m en-
of good intentions, but of mistaken and mis-
guided patriotism-are sowing the seeds of
discord broadcast in our midst by preaching a
crusade against President Davis, and calling
for general convention of the Confederate
States to depose him and create a military die
tator in his place!"
Here it is put forth that men of " high polit.
ical position among us " are preaching "a cru
SADIE against President Davis, and calling for a
general convention of the Confederate States
to depose him and create military dictator in
his place |" The publication of the assertion.
according to the Courier'S logic, will tend more
to encourage Yankeedom and damage our
cauee than has yet been put forth against Pres.
dent Davis. For ourselves we deem it cue to
truth to say that we never saw the idea sug-
gested ''of calling general convention of the
Confederate States to depose President Davis
and create military dictator in his place, 4"
excepting the above extract from the Courier.
The Courier is our author for the grand revolu-
ton it discloses. We know no other
That President Davis is an incubus on our
cause we do not doubt. Although carefully
covered over with the mantle of secrecy by
Congress- enough has been disclosed by stern
realities to show his total incompeteDcy to gov
ern the affairs of the Confederacy He has lost
the confidence of both the army and the peo-
pie; and if an election tomorrow was to come
off for the Presidency, we do not believe that
he would get the vote of a single State in the
Confederacy. Yet we have seen nowhere any
opposition to him advocated or proposed, 9TH
er than such as the Constitution clearly au-
thorizes If the Provisional Congress had
done its duty-if the present Congress would
do its duty-President Davis could be readily
driven into course of efficiency This is all
that we have seen advocated ..
Public opinion carried out in Congress, with
the Legislative power which Congress possess
es as to measures and men, can control the
Government, and force efficiency into the Ad-
minstraton. But this can never be done BY
those who look upon President Davis as "our
Moses - Congress must assume its duties
under the Constitution as an independent ele
ment of power. 1t must abandon the idea that
it was only secret body for registering the
will of the President 1t must be the people
standing forth IN the light of day-clothed with
the whole legislative power of the Govern
ment, and with their agent, the President, in.
strumental of their delverance.
But, if President Davis is to be treated as
''our Moses" we really do not see the use of
Congress. The military dictator the Courier
seems to abhor is practically upon US. The
sooner Congress is abolished the better If
the people through their representatives in
Congress are to exercise no power but at the
bidding of the executive, Congress is nonen-
tity. 1t is worse; it is a tool of the executive,
by which the Constitution is practically over
thrown, and military dictatorship established
in its stead. Between dictatorship made in
this way, and dictatorship made by the gen
eral convention of the Confederate States, we
would prefer the latter. 1t would at least have
of the States and the people 1t
would not be characterized by base assump-
ton of power on the part the executive. and
a baser betrayal of trust on the part of Con
gress. We are opposed to both.