Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-11-10

HIS inaugural, spoken from the EAstcrn
Portico of the Capitol, filed with express
siOns OF indulgence to the Secessionists,
and of assurance that, as the Executive, he
would strain every nerve to sustain the
Union entire, aud kindly to recall all who
the conspirators who, at that time, were
preparing to attack the citadel of the gov
ernment itself II is well to keep this pat
ent fact living in our memories.
Compared with the manner iu which the
Republican party greeted the inauguara-
tiOn of James Buchanan, on the 4th of
March, 1857, when he pledged himself be-
fore Almighty God to fulfill the covenant
which alone secured his triumph, viz: that
the question of slavery in the Territories
should be left to the people of the Terrific
ries, the conduct of Mr.. Lincoln's enemies,
before and after his accession assumes an
aspect of astounding turpitude. The Re
publicans either welcomed it with pleas
ure, or declared themselves determined to
give him an impartial trial before resum-
ing the attitude Bipartisan opponents; and
we remember that more than one Repub-
licau paper rejoiced after the appearance
of his inaugural, that Mr.. Buchanan had
been elected, as this satisfied the South,
and prevented threatened rebellion,
was in unison with the general sentiment
of the North,
Nor, as AIR. Lincoln progressed in his ca
reer, did they warm either towards their
imperilled country, or towards the chief
cOnstitutiOnally chosen TO preside over it.
Between the close of the last Congress
which terminated with the beginning of his
Administration and the recess Rntecedent
to the called session or the new Congress
that dreadful and narrowing interreguum
during which the rebellion developed all
its Internal deSigns-nOt u word was vOuch
snfed by these men, and not q hand EXTEND
ed, to encourage or to strengthen him
They knew that if he did not act, the Re-
public would perish under the daggers of
the conspirators. They saw that unless he
moved, the Union would pass awar like the
baseless fabric of drea n. And when, 10
response to that instinct which is stronger
than any other in the individual man, aud
which must exist in all governments wheth-
er that of the family, the municipality, the
State, or the naliou-we mean the instinct
of f-preservatiOn-he did move, their au-
swer was torrent of abuse, satire, and
Misrepresentation. In the called session
they re-echoed and republished the argu-
ments of Breckenridge in the Senate and OF
Burnett iu the House, and when that Con-
gress adjourned with these two notorious
traitors 10 the field against the flag, their
arguments were made the staple of the
| complaints of their friends in the
loyal States; and at this hour they
remain the snbstratum of the oppo-
sition to the Administration and the war.
They insist that the President has exer-
cised unconstitutional powers in arresting
suspected traitors. We can best illustrate
the Satanic character of these men by Sc
lectiug and answering one of their favor
| lite aocusitIous against the Administration
Of Mr.. Lincoln. Suppose the Executive
had not directed the arrest and CODfine-
ment of the traitors in Baltimore and else
where in the gloomy interval between the
4th of March and the 4th of July, when he
called the two houses together. Suppose
he had permitted these traitors during
this interval to plot and counterplOt. The
tragedy of the 10th of April, when Mas
sschusetts blood WAS shed in the streets of
Baltimore, would have been repeated there
and elsewhere week after week. Treason
would have been clothed with irresistible
impurities and immunities, and the Union
would have been strangled because of the
indifference and cowardice of the men who
were selected to defend il. II is deplorabIe
that an Administration, which is the only
embodiment of the Government. should be
forced to contend not alone against the
armed traitors in the field of battle, but
against party leaders who are made more
powerful in their efforts to assist the re-
bellton because,they profess enmity to it.