The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-29
Rebel Views Of Mr.. L,ncoln,s War Policy

From the Rishmond Sentinel Dec, IL
Mr.. Lincoln, in the measures of policy
which have marked his councils from the
commencement OF the war to the present
time, shows the existence of an abiding
contest between his inclinations and his
necessities His desire is to deal with the
Confederates as "traitors" aud "rebels."-
He and his partisans delight to hold US up
in this character and as criminals OF the
deepest dye-rebels without cause, and
against the best government the world ever
saw. Anxiously insisting on this interested
view of the case, but disturbed by many
misgivings, they seek to silence their own
doubts aud to clamor down all opposition,
as did the worsbippers of Diana, whose di-
vinity Paul denied, and when "absut the
space Of two hours the whole city of
Ephesus rang with the multitude's united
shout, "Great is Diana, of the Ephesians!"
That, Of course, made her SO.
If the government :. Washington could
have been made "the best the world ever
Saw" by tie mere force of iteration, doubt
less those who administer it and those who
are fed by it would long ago have conferred
that character upon it, And, if the people
manner have been proved guilty by villif-
cation, we should have been hundred times
conv cte1. In short, if every Confederate
who has fallen into Lincolns power has not
been hung to the nearest tree or murdered
in his tracks, it is not because Lincoln has
not indecently exhibited his eager longing
to imbrue his hands in our blood.
Necessity has not allowed him to indulge
his inclinations. The fortunes of war have
thrown many of his people into our hands
This alone has prevented him from adding
the cruelty of a Caligula to the usurpations
of Cromwell. He has shown US the teeth |
and the claws Of the tiger, but be has been
afraid to use then. He has been forced to
regard as lawfnl belligerent, possessed of
the rights of an independent nation, in this
respect, people whose ships-of-war he
calls pirates, and at whom he is ever bissing
the words rebel and traitor This has been
u grevious humiliation to him and his sup
porters; but he has had to devour his chag |
rim, or, as Job expressed it, swallow his
spittle.
La proceeding against US as belllgerent
Power, Lincoln has chosen, for his conven-
ience, to do so in way that acknowledges
our government here. He directs his proc
lamations and his military operations, not
against individual citzens Jr combinations
Of individuals, but against States, as such,
including all their citizens. He thus con-
iounds all distinctions between what he
calls "rebels" aud Union men in rebel
States" tie treats the citizens as controll- |
cd by the State. and rightfully subject to
the State and Confederate authority; and
having denounced those authorities as sin
rebellion y he considers the denuuciation as
extending to the whole population.
While warning upon US, as he says, by |
virtue of the United States constitution, !
10 reduce US to its authority, Mr.. Lincoln
admits no obligation to observe it himself,
in his dealings with us. We have forfeited
our right to its projections, he says. The
ready answer is, that, by declaring US out of
its protection and waging war upon US, he
and his people have abrogated it, and abdi-I
clted all pretence of right to rule under 1t.
Ia the place of the law under which he
claims, but thus contemptuously puts aside,
Mr.. Lincoln sets up claim to war powers,
as broad and undetned as despot could ask,
or tvrant desire to WELD. By virtue of this
war power, he has assumed to ordain eman
cipation throughout our limits--not only or
chiefly where his arms hal penetrated, but
>pecially and particularly whore they had
rot 4-. 49,
1t seems hard to imagine anything more
absurd than this, as a legitimate exercise
Of tue war power 1t was base atte empt
% incjts serviie ipsurrection, which he now
seeks to cover, but of which the world has
Pronounced him guilty, and has expressed
It's horror. 1t is contrary to Lincoin's posi- |