Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-02-26
THE PROSPECT BEFORE US.

Having by the free and full expression of our
opinions absolvcd ourselves from the duty of con-
sdering the edict of emancipation" in the light Of
the political principles it involves, and, eschewng
further controversy on the topic, some time ago
our readers the result and the probable working Of
the measure as viewed by its friends. This en-
gagement we made in pursuance of the rule uni
formly prescribed to ourselves in the conduct of
the Integencer for not desiring either to take for
our own guidance or to give for the guidance of
our readers the views Of single party, we have
attery confined our selections mainly to the exposi
tions and arguments put forward in explanation of
the Proclamation of Freedom" by its recognised
supporters And this we have done for the addi-
tional reason that as the "war measure" thus in
augurated has become, for the time being, the es
tablished policy Of the Government, it was more
just both to the Government and to the patrons Of
the policy that its supporters should be allowed to
interpret its actual significance and its probable
bearing.
1t was in this spirit and to this end that we gave
place to the declaration recently made by the New
York Tribune in the following terms:
three months Of earnest fighting shall
to make impression the reLes-f the end Of
that term shall find further advanced than its begin
nipg-if malignant Fate has decreed that the blood
and treasure OF the nation shall be squandered in
frue,s eorts-ia boto destiny, and make the
best attatnable peace"
This announcement, made month ago, was pre-
faced by the statement that the rebellion "may be
virtually crushed out within the next ninety days,
and that a as far more likely to be within that
term than eeer a/terpard." If, therefore, the re-
bellion is not virtually crushed" before the lst of
April next, the Tribune of last January 22d avow-
ed the belief that the contest after that date be-
comes well nigh hopeless. Such is the view en-
tertained and announced by one of the leading sup
porters of the proclamation.
On the other hand, desiring to place before our
readers still another horoscope taken by different
mind among those who have right to explain and
enforce the proclamation, we quoted, in our num-
Der Of the 9th instant, the views of the New York
Independent, as then recently announced Ac-
cording to these views the war is not to be
brought to an end so abrupt as is proposed and
contemplated by the New York Tribune. That
journal, in suggesting the expedency of making
"the best attainabe peace" on the lst of April
next in case it should then seem that some malig-
nant fate" had decreed against the United States,
proposes it will be seen, not only to give up the
Union, but to remit to cnslavement the three mil
lions of blacks "deciared and ordered" by the
President to be free.
The New York Independent is made of "sterner
stuff" Confessipg itself wholly disappointed with
fba pnrI, Al of .Ia q. l.
not shrink from he programme marked out by that
paper simply because unexpected Conflicts and
trials" are yet before US. A few weeks ago cur
rcligo-political contemporary made public renun-
citation of the hopes it had previously entertained
that the proclamation would work speedy ac-
complishment of our triumph" and augurcd that to
destroy slavery and reconstruct the Union on its
ruins would be Conflict of ages" Tn sup
port of this conviction the Independent adduced
for the admonition and comfort of its readers Ger.
tain analogies Of nature and history, which are
suggestive of patience under the chronic tribula-
tions incident to all great and bcncfccnt changes,
whether occurring in the physical social world
1t particularly referred to the historical parallel
found in the destruction Of slavery in Europe-a
Woik winch required inc agltatlons anu the wars
of two centuries.
In the light of the analogies and parallels then
cited, our learned contemporary was conducted to
the following inference with regard to the probable
duration of the secular conflict on which we have
now entered for the military adjustment Of slavery
Pointing the moral of its elaborate article, it said
Let Tot be surprised then If the extrpaton Of ur
rOvpn
menf Let us not distfust the principles Of Justice and
freedom, the God who has ever been their strength If
find that long conflicts great are beore
The struggle may try powers and test our faith
fulness and our endurance to the utmost"
In its number of the 10Th instant the Indopen
dent returns to the discussion of the topic, and
again avows its conviction that the country must
make up its mind to wage long war" unless il
iswilling to accepta short peace" such as would
result from ending the contest without cxtinguish-
ing slavery. To this effect it says:
Public events are fast putting a new question 10 the
nauon Are we willing TO wage long war; Will we
say property CO. let business the national currency
be but worthless let sorrow usrnq and starvation
be the common lo2 None Of these things move us
neither count lives dear unto ours Ives 40 that this
continent is saved to liberty humanity and God This
issue being set before The present seeming pause
in Affairs, the than seeming presson of the pubc
mind because IL feels that hs question s
and 1t sbrnks from the only, the inevitable answer"