Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-08-11
From Harper's wssEly.


after saeacious deIiberatiOn and taught by
events. has ut rfected a policy for the sup
preston of the rebellion which seeks its
overthrow. That policy is war, with the use
of all the measures that state OF war may
render necessary. Ii makes war under the
Oonsti,ution, which simply grants the pow
er, leaving the method TO the eXlgency OF
circumstances. The Constitution does not
prescribe making war by an army or navy,
by killing people or manning :hem, by
contiscation acts or emancipation OF slaves.
The Constitution authorizes the Govern
ment TO make war, aud the Government is
to select the means AT Its discretion. But
that there may be no doubt that every
means whatever may be used in prosecu-
tion of war, the Constitution expressly
declares that, when the public safety re-
quires it, the writ of hdbsds corpus, the
| most sacred security of the most funda-
| mental right, that of personal liberty, may
be suspended.
! In pursuance of this authority the Gov
/ erument has adopted and proclaimed its
policy. 1t consists of war by sea and land
4 of measures of confiscation, conscripion,
/ and emancipation. 1t is policy adopted
after long reflection; after a universal pub
! lie debate. Every part of the loyal conn
| try. through its orators, papers, public
meetings, representatives., and senators,
! has discussed the question. The President,
! a siugularly dispassionate man, straining
patience almost beyond virtue, conscious
! that to the strongest friends of the policy
which seemed to him wisest and most me-
cessary he must always seem slow and
half-hearted after holding the hands OF his
impetuous lieutenants, and delaying and
wondering long, at last confirmed the poll
cy which not only wages war most earnest
Is and effectively, but which also causes
the war itself to destroy the root OF the war.
The policy was mRtured and adopted in
the full consciousness that it would not
couciliate the rebels in arms, and would
afford their friends in the loyal States
central point for their iucoherent and turi-
Gus defamation The declaration of any
policy whatever must have had the same
effect For 80 long as the war was not
radical, so long as it was matter OF mere
fighting in the field, the rebels could con-
tinue it until they saw that they we're
worsted, and then they could give it up,
aud reunite With their late political friends
with whom they had chosen to quarrel, in
order that they might have chance to
! fight If they found by experience that
they cOuld not yet destroy the Union and
the Government by force, they would re.
turn and sap its foundations from within
a little longer before striking another arm
ed blow at ii. We should have spent thou
| sands of costly lives, millions of dollars,
aud have made the Government as expeu-
sive as a monarchy. Then the rebels
would have said, eve return to our allie
| gisnce;" aud Toombs, Slidell, Mason, Wig
| fall, Hunter, and Davis, either in person or
| by proxy, would have returned to their old
| plotting, taught by experience that their
| Northern allies were truer to party than to
81 h., 80
! good purpose; and taught further how to
make their next blow surer.
The policy of the Government has en-
tirely ruined this scheme. 1t is a policy
which declares that some permanent and
adequate blessing to the country shall be
purchased by the great outlay tor the war;
that the precious lives of the ooblest youth
shall not be lost in vain and that over
their graves Davis and Company shall not
step smilingIy back to Washington to have
another trial of craft when that of muscle
shall have failed. 1t is a policy e1-
asperates the friends of the rebels at the
North, so that they guash their teeth with
rage. 1t is policy which leads them to
| play with FIRE. They nominate Vallandig-
ham, an open rebel, but not armed, be
cause he could better serve the rebellion
without arms, for Governor of free, loyal
| State. They smile at q fierce riot of the
worst criminals, burning, pillaginR, and
massscreing, as Enforcement of the peo-
Pile" and Il ''great popular uprising. -
| They hear with satisfaction that they can
not conceal of the misfortune of their
| country, and refuse to the last to believe
the victories of the national flag. 1t is a
policy at which the rebels tremble, and
which thoroughly unmasks their allies at
the North.
Meanwhile, under this policy, the Gov
eminent of the United States has its hand
upon the throat of this rebellion, aud FORE
sees a future of peace and compensation
for the war. The policy does not unite
the North, indeed, and no policy could.
Had another been adopted, the North would
still have been divided. A timorous and
superficial policy, while it might have pro-
pitiated desperate political psrtisaus, who
would have seen in the fear and weakness
of the Government the promise of their
own success, would have arrayed against
that Government party formidable for
its intelligence, earnestness, and force.
In making this war upon the rebels the
Government was obliged, therefore, to
make its choice between two parties at the
North. 1t must have relied either upon
those who wished the rebellion absolutely
and forever destroyed by every power of
war, or upon those who wished to give
tue reoeIS cnAhce 10 40 Oy intrigue Wnat
they might fail to achieve by force. The
Government has made its choice It has
preferred Joseph Holt to Clement Vallan-
digham, and to free slaves rather than to
return them. 1t has chosen to belive In its
own majesty aRd resources, and in the doc
triue of human liberty which it was founded
to illustrate and enlarge, and TO believe in
itself aud in that principle as soberly, res
olutely, and religiOusly as the rebellion be-
lIeTes in human rights, which it was es-
tablished to obtain. The enemies of the
Government, and therefore of the people,
are rebels and CopPerhesds. What the
! COpperbeads say the rebels applaud. What
the rebels do the CoPPerheads cheer. The