The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-03-17
What Do they Want?

The Albany Evening Journal, of a late date,
has an article on the continued fault-fnding
of the democratic organ there, called the AR
gus" aud as it is so very applicable to the style
of its secession namesake and secession SYM
pathiser here, we copy it entire:
What, do ithe Argus and its fellow malcon-
tents want? just now they seem to be Civ
ing up their whole mind" to growing. 1t
is impossible to please them. 1t is impossible
to keep them even in decent humor. The
more that is done to pacify them, the more
they won't be pacified The more they are
coaxed aud humored, the more sullen they be-
come. The more affairs are arranged for their
accommodation, the more unamiabe they be-
come and the more vigorously they pout.
The war is not conducted to suit them;
but seems impossible to find ont precisely
what they want to have done. 1t must be
charitably assumed that they are in favor of
putting down the rebellion by the strong hand;
but what is their programme? What kind OF
"policy" do they want? What manner of
attitude wo,dd they have the Government as
sumo toward the insurgents? As it is, their
only rule Of action is to oppose whatever the
Administration approves. Ii vigorous meas
ures" are threatened, they declaim against a
barbarous war;; if a pacific policy is adopt
ed, they denounce the course of the Govern
ment as $ cowardly." II it is proposed to
strike directly at the chief prop OF the rebel-
ion, they denounce the war as an Abolition
crusade; il our military movements are con-
Quoted with single reference TO the putting
down Of the insurrecton. they howl because
the conflict Is waged merely !" for the benefit
of contractors II dashing movements are
made-as recently at Fredericksburg and
Vicksburg-they raise a hullaballoo about the
RECKLESS sacrifice of human life; our forces
move slowly and cautiously--as against
Charleston and Port Hudson-they Jump at
the conclusion that the expeditions have j" fail
ed"
So with the foreign policy OF the Govern
ment. They find fault with everything that
Is done, and with everything that is not done.
They find fault because our answers to propo-
sitions for meddling In our affairs are too
brusqne, and because they are not sufficiently
" firm; because the Administration comedies
too much, and because it comedies too little.
II mediation is favorably entertained, it is be-
cause the imbeciles at Washington" desire
Europe to step in and stop the war; il media
ton Is rejected, 1t is because Mr.. Seward sees
in such course the shortest road to de-
grading peace by the instrumentality of for
eign Intervention.
This systematic fault finding should be
stopped. II is discreditable to men claiming
the distinction of patriots. 1t gives rise to
ungenerous suspicions--allows evil-minded
persons to insinuate that men who do nothing
but condemn the management of the war for
the Union, cannot be very earnest in their
loyalty. 1t does lncalcsnabe mischief; dis
courages the friends and emboldens the foes OF
the Union; aud presents US before the world.
apparently if not really, in the wretched att
tude of divided people.
Will the Argus and its fellows favor us
with their programme--tell us what they
want and how they want 1t done and give
us some guaranty that in case we adopt their
policy they will not continue to snarl.