Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1863-03-14
Prom the Ny. Times.
The Copperhends and the Soldiers.

"The idea of officerSa and men, sent to
the battlefield TO fight against an enemy
in arms, turning their backs upon their en-
envy, and their faces upon the men who
feed them. clothe them, and who have Civ
en- them all the liberties they ever had, and
who, tHStead Of them, mean to maintain
those liberties CCheers.1 They cannot
Brighten any man who is At to be free
man" Thus Vailandigham SCOTS at the
soldiers. To avoid caVil we extract from
The Worlds report of the speech. The
patriotic appeals aud remonstrances,
which have come up from the camps, are
answered with venom.
We have learned 10 expect almost any.
thing in the way of maliguity from this ac-
complice OF treason, but we were hardly
prepared for this. II is the very quintes-
seuce OF insoleuce "Oficers and men
senllH-tbat is to say they are hirclings.-
Turning their backs upon their enemy!"
that is TO say they are eowards. Their
faces upon the men who feed theml"-trat
is to say they are iHgrates. ''Instead of
them, tee mean to maintain those liberties!"
that is to say they are renegdHes and trdi-
tors. Such is the meaning of the language,
it it means anything, addressed by the
COpperhead chief to the patriots who rail-
lied to the old flag when traitors were
shifting it to the dust-who, in devotion to
! that same ''standard-shee for well nigh
| TWO long years, nave been eucountering
privatiou, disease, and the rage of battle,
till the graves oftheir comrades are crowd
ing hill side and plain. Their offence is
chat they have rebuked sympathy with the
enemy, aud have besought their fathers
and brothers, whom they left behind, to
stand firm. For this alone are they thus
revived.
The Copperhead leaders have done their
best to alternate the soldiers from the Ma
| 'ional cause. They have sent to them sc.
dittous speeches and papers, without price
and without stint; they have sought to fas.
ten upon them o9irers of their own sort:
they have been quick to seize every oppor-
tunity to make it appear that the Govern
ment was treating them with neglect or
injusticei they have magnified difficulties.
and darkened every prospect, they have
tried to discourage, by holdfng out that
there was no chance of future reinforce.
ment, that enlislments were at an end ap,
conscrfption impossible; they have souOht
to play upon every private feeling topcbin,
slavery and the black man, and to stir mn
every old political prejudice; they have. SO
far as they were able, presented every
temptation, aud afforded every facility to
IOSSSESOu- never was Ihefe q more sYSlR-
matte or persistent effort to demornli.e an
army than has been made upon the Ma.
tional forces for the last six months 7.
has been futile. The army, as whole, has.
in the sublimeSt manner, kent trpe IN - ,hs'
cause. Nay, it has more than kent trne I,
has acquired depth of earnestness. an in.
tensity of determination, of far more real
force and worth than their first buorant
enthusiasm. Hard experience has sobereS
It, but only to make il all the sternerS
The blood it has poured out for the old
flag has only made that flag all the more
sacred. What Was before public senti-
ment has now acquired something of the
force of personal passion. Private shirt
10 combined with public Split. In6niteiy
less than ever will our soldiers Willinrly
submit to see that flag, after the sacrifices
they have made for it, lowered to the feet
OF traitors. This feeting pervades the en-
tire army. II is its dominant emotion. its
master impulse. All political Influences
are as nothing against this; and so, in fact,
IS every extraneous consideration. Cone
chat R'Gy, that JGGg 1hdR Roat to friuapk. Is
now, as never before, the universal inspi-