Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-03
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8, 1868.
" THE TRUE POLICY"

the realization Of the wishes il Processes TO have at
heart Any adme nitions of this kind, coming from
conservative" quarters, are commonly dismissed
by certain class of journals the Inspirations of
timidity, or perhaps they are ampooned, in the ia
vorts vernacular which forms so large part of
the radical vocabulary, as covert suggestions IN
the interest of slavery ard its perpetuation; for
whether it be good or bad sign certain it is that
the extreme representatives of this political ultra
ism rarely fail to act and speak though they
thought it incompatible with their pretensions to
superior illumination on all possible topics of pub
lie concern, to admit that any body can differ from
them without being more or less a friend to that
institution which concentrates all their hatred
Thus it happens that they dispense with all argu-
ment on these subjects by making persfa9e or in
vective their chief reply to all dissent from the
wisdom of their counsels, when this dissent is ut
tered by so-called conservative" paper
To these who are afflicted with this species of
political opthalmia, disqualfying them for the
perception and discovery of any wholesome truths
propounded on certain questions of current poll
teal concern by "old fogies," we commend the
Times, Republican paper which we believe does
not yet labor under any reproach Of being "pro-
slavery" Under the head of " Mastery Inactivity
the True Civil Policy Toward Slavery" our con-
temporary holds this language in its number of
November 9th:
There is class OF who stick to the idea that
something positive must be done by the Federal Govern
men to end slavery Even the issue of the emancipation
proclamation, tary for military ends solely
does not satisfy them They want civil power exercised
and would gladly have breaking down of State ines
and reconstruction of the Government ITSELF the only
eectus mesns Of destroying the institution of their spe
cial abhorrence
"Now We too claim a good hearty hatred of slavery.
We are any to it under the sod be ond
resurrection. But don't believe in making any super
auous sacrifice to get it there Seeing that is dying
are quite content let it die quietly without any attempt
to pull the house down about its and ears
This seems to US to be very absurd sort Of mpatence
prompted by gddy passion rather than sober
But how do we know slavery is dyingl We know it
from the unanimous testimony Of all personal observers of
is condition There is not within the Union lines
South however friendly he may be to the institution who
preteds that there is any chance whatever OF its being
saved If present continue. Two things killing it,
"The first IL the wear and tear Of the war Military
operations always tend to dsjont and break up within
their the relations society. They inevitably
remit to greater less extent the social man TO state
Of nature Inter ieges silent This is felt 10 every
social xon the closest and strongest for they
all are less dependent civil law But must
he felt particularly in that which of all others
10 the forced and abtrary-tbe ccnnexon between
master and slave Liberty is natural Instinct The
csped bird to fly through the parted wires
than the slave bis ordinary condition, from the broken
chaipapd the chain must be broken When the civil law,
which alone gives it, strength, passes away There
men who complain Of the sntslavery war policy OF the
dant DOlc Al Of
be war policy at all The war upon the rebeious slave
holding people of necessity involves an interruption of
their laws and unless the advancing army should make
good this absence of civil rule BY applying its military
power to keeping watch and ward the slaves and
thus abandon its proper military business the result is
inevitable that the institution must melt away the
goes on Abraham Lincoln might be much attached to
slavery as JEFF Davis himself, and yet human sagacy
would enable him to fight jeff Davis honestly and efectu-
ay without mortal injury to slavery 1t is the which
Mills slavery aud not the man who leads the war.
"The other destroying agency is open discussion. Sla-
very can live only in silence There s deadly anago'
nsm between itself and free speech Where the
sts the other cannot The vitality Of the rests pure
force aud force and never agree 1t always has
been and always will be- thai force must either Suppress
reason or will subvert force The discussion OF sa
very ia s free now in New Orleans IN New York It
more within the province of the Military Governor shep
ey to interfere with fair discussion there than it is within
the rRtul power OF the civil Governor Seymour, to IN
teere with it here And in the Border States where the
civil laws still prevail hostility to the REBELLION has excited
such dissatisfaction with slavery Ms its cause that by
against the institution The equence of this freedom
has been that Missouri has already determined to abolish
III Mary and Delaware have put declared emancipa
uss in places Of their highest trusts by unpre cedeDted
maiortes and Kentucky visiby casting about to
how ,he can best rid herself OF the curse
awe say, then that even f the National Government
had the rio hit institute civil measures against
yerv Il would not be necessary The unavoidable military
on.raoDr Of the war and the free discussion which il
sre to attend it, enough of themselves to break down
the institution The Cove rnment has simply 10 stand
o,;at and let these agencies work.
But we 90 further and say that any further nterfe
renee would not only be supe auus, but positively mis-
cbevous To insure that slavery when it dies shall never
se again YOU have got depend largely upon the dispo
alton of the Southern people That disposition should not
be peedessy embtteed 1t cant help becoming 30 IT. as
some prop &C. their reduced o the condition of
mere Territorial dependencies Americans can never be
satisfied to be undrlngs Whatever the fortunes OF war
epitimatey bring they sensbe enough to submit TO
hui il s not in their spirit o consent 10 any permanent
i gradat,on Undertake TO deprive them permanently OF
their civil rights and you simply make them your perma
nent enemies Tetrituraize the because yon hate sa
yerv and the inevitable Effect will be that you will only
make them love slavery the more and hate you the
Tbis could not always continue. State rights,
atsr vould have TO be restored We don't believe that
three years would eapse after the Of the war before
th In;rg those Saes Territorial cond tnn would be
sh.ndoned "a an insernbe anomaly in system OF Gov.
.rnment State rights restored the people, madden
Al nv the tha that had been put upon them would be-
vsrv likely to vpdcate these tights by rehabtaog sa-
very Every incentive Of high pride and every impulse Of