Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-01-04
For The intclligencer.I J
The Conservatives and the War FOL
the Union.

The Conservatives and the War for
the Union.
Can any person doubt for one moment
that this war in which we are engaged is
IL war on oar part for civil and religious
liberty? Can amy sane person doubt what
is the design OF the rebel leaders. Their
aim has becu plainly manifest from the out
set of this rebellion, to concentrate all the
power of government both State and Ma
i tiOHal in the hands of II few aristocr0ts and
then disiranchise the people. 1t follows
then that this glorious government insti-
/ tuted by our fathers in wisdom is now mt
war fOrus aud for our children. oh could
any news be heraldcd abroad over this our
once happy, but now distracted country
that would sink tho heart OF the patriot
/ and lover OF his county down to despair,
it would be to waken up to the fact tlnt he
and his friends aud kinsmeD had done their
last voting, aud that hcncGlorlh the people
4 of the United States would have nothing to
hope for, no more say in the administra-
/ tiou of the government, would this not be
Indeed grinding between tue upper aul
neither millstone? AS | have said who
can doubt but that this is substantially
the issue before the people Of these United
States, and if the government of these
/ United States goes down the sun of liberty
then sets to rise no more for II S forever?
Oh, is it then possible that any lover of
/ his country could say TO tho men whom VIC
have chosen to rule over US as nation, TO
stop anywhere short OF crushing the rebel
lion that is Hrrayed against Ouc Govern
ment, against our property, and against
/ the most glorious and exalted temporal
/ privilege that man can enjoy-the right of
voting for their own rulers Shall our
Government heed the mewings OF editors
! pretending loyalty to our Government, who
I have been compelled to tue position they
now occupy by the force of public opinion,
( and who are now, and have been, watching
chance TO fulfill the contract they had
made with the rebels at the outset. via: tue
I destruction of our Union. l speak OF
those editors and United States Senators,
and all of thNtsclass of politicians, who
have such n holy abhorrGnce at the very
thought Uf confiscating the slaves of rcb-
els in arms against our Government
They could stand by and see u negro-hold-
ing rebel strike his sword deep into the
side Of the Union soldier, but it would be
unconstitutional to cOnfiscate his slaves.
They would just swear him and let him go
back onto his lands, and let him oversee
his negroes, and see that they raise good
crops and throw up emb0nkments and
fortifcatious, for then, according to these
wise men, we would DC going accord
ing to the Constitution of the United
States. In war, as well as in peace,
These conservatives have so much horror
at the very idea of bringing justice to bear
that they would fain do AS l have said
with the rebels that Undue their hands in
loyal blood, and at the same time they
pretend to SO much love for President
Lincoln. Has it not struck you as being u
most wonderful anomaly how this dear
Il
many instances, to be driven to work for
the good cause, by United States Mnrshals,
and by au Indignant people, can all at
once become go ultra constitutional, espGG-
tally upon the peculiar institution Of mas
ter and slave, and at the same time the
wonder and anomaly are increased by their
loud, open and apparently concerted praise
of our President, when tue fact is only Il
short time has elapsed since these couser-
vntiveS expressed and trumpGted the sem
timcntabroad that the election of Abraham
Lincoln wns an Rbolitionist triumph. Now
they say they love him so much. Is it not
u pity that these dear conservatives have
got themselves into such fix, that they
have no political leader of their own, and
that they arc reduced to the dreadful and
last refuge Of still sticking to the negro
These conservatives, in my opinion, need
watching ut every point, for ms soon as
they get chance they will betraY us
and fulfill their contract with the rebels
Oh, how constitutional they baye become |!
Oh how hOnestl Oh how much wisdom and
conservatism they have all at once found
in the President! Let one hundred Union
soldiers be sent out on n reconnaissance, lei
torres FIRST inform the rebel soldiers so that
our one hundred soldiers is met by thou
sand and destrOycd-tbat would be Con-
stitutional-in word, they appear to mt
to hold the doctrine that rebel soldiers have
the right to destroy everything they can
fiud in the loyal States cOustitutionally
and that the Union men in order TO carry
out tho Constitution must only do as they
would dictate, especially touching the ne.
gro. He is property when they want a
fugitive law, he is human being whcu
you want to cOnisCAte him. No person o.
any sense wants to COutisCate anything bG'
longing an actual Union man whether he
Hives in this State or in that, and there i.
no use of arguing on that point. But the
uigger and the all of rebel in arms viii
come as sure as the Union whips and tbs
man they speak so highly of at the Whit
House. will say, Amen; aud all good, lOyA
men will say Amen. do not know wha
the conservatives will say. Bennett Of thu
New York Herald will 6x it up some how
sure.
ask then, does the President of thes,
United States need the advice of these con
seEvatiVes? Nay, verify. Yallandighan
would be good leader for conservatives
Witness his resolution pitching into Grea
Britain. How patriotic he has all ut onct
become. Is the direction and control o.
our army and navy in the hands Of thesl
conservatives, or in the hands of the Pre-,
Sideut his Cabinet and ConHre9l9 IRueSl