The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-04-27

divisions among those VINO ought 10 De uhlleu, W
excite prejudice against men instead of against
measures, to embarrass the Government IN Its
calls upon the country for men and means to car
ry on the war successfully, then these criticisms
become most Injurious to the Government, as we'll
as to the Administration, and put in peril the sue
cess of our armies, through which alone The re-
bellion can be put down. There is an honest and
just criticism that seeks only to remedy evils and
correct mistakes now, and thus aid the country,
and there is dishonest and unjust criticism, III
spred by no desire to save the country, but only
to restore party to power. The former is saluta-
ry and healthful, while the latter is only mlschev.
ous and that continually.
The distinction between these two very differ
ent kinds of criticisms is well illustrated in the
course taken by such Democrats as John Van Bu-
rem, in civil life, and most of the Democrats who
are in the army, on the one side, and the Demo-
cratic politicians who have recently been so bitter
and malignant in their assaults upon every meas
ure of the Administration, and upon the whole
conduct of the war, Oh the other. Men Ike Van
Buren,, like Edward Everett, like Gen. Scott, who
are not accused of being plagued with radical
views in respect to slavery, and certainly never
contributed in ary way to the election of Pres
dent Lincoln or any prominent Republican,
are taking their stand with direct reference to
the struggle in which the nation is engaged.
With these men the war is not an abolition
war, not Lincoln'S war;" not "a war for the
negro" but a war for the country, for It's in,
tegrity and Its honor; and they prefer to strength
en- rather than weaken the arm of the Government,
and give it power to strike heavy blows against
rebels rather than by hunting up a constitutional
objection against every measure which those in
charge of the Government adopt for the suppress
sion of rebellion, to encourage the timid, the Cow
ardly and the doubling in ac,ious opposition to
the prosecution of the war. Yet we think no one
will doubt the patriotism Of such men as Mr.. Ev-
crett, or suppose that he has departed from the
platform, "The Union, the Constitution, and the
Enforcement of the Laws" upon which he was
the candidate for Vice President against Mr.. Ham
lin. And these men give the Government aid
counsel, advice, hesitatng not at all to condemn
what they think will help treason, WHISTLER they
find it practiced by men in office or out, but seek
ing rather to Justify than to denounce the meas
u!es which seem likely to weaken the power Of
and shorten the life of the rebellion. But while
these men are thus, without reference to their old
party associations, making their warfare upon
treason and holding up the arms of the Govern.
ment, there is a class of politicians who are con.
tinually r1aking war upon the Administration, in
stead Of firing their guns at the rebels. These
men content themselves with being, not in oppo
siton to Jeff Davis, but in opposition to Presiden
Lincoln. Everything that is done, or not done
North or South, abroad or at home, as a military
or as financial measure, is made the instrument
and the occasion of an assault upon the Adm inis
tration. They have no policy of their own, bu
Distinctly say they are content to be an "oppoSi
ton party" They announce through their mos
influential organ the n. Y. Wortd, that they are
not expected to have any policy, or take any res
possibility until 1865, when they will have thu
offices of what may then be left of the United
States, and can then develop their plan of dealinl
with rebellion. In the meantime they declar
that their chief business will be to keep up dis
content among the people, do what they can t.
render unpopular the men and the principles 0
the Republican party, hold together as nearly a
possible all those who are hostile to the Admins
tration, and let the Government and the war tax
care OF themselves How much better such conduc
than open alliance with treason, we leave for GU