Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-04-23
RADICAL LOYALTY.

The sanguine predictions made in advance of
the PRONUNCIATION Of the /" Edict of Freedom" by
the amiable and philanthropic gentlemen who
" worried" the President for SO many months with
their entreaties on the subject have long since
ceased to trouble any body but their authors. We
should be glad to let the subject drop if they would
be content to accept the explosion Of their faacies
ment except themselves. But when they take re-
venge upon the President for the confusion of their
day-dreams, we submit that they abuse the prero-
gatives of false prophets And especially do they
exceed the limits Of prudence and justice when
they accuse the President of gro,s insincerity in
issuing proclamation which, Immediately on its
utterancc, received such high encomiums at their
hands. Now that events have not corresponded
with their presages they proceed forsooth to rail at
the proclamation and the President in this wise.
We quote from the Boston Commonwealth. (The
italics not ours but those of the editor of that
journal:)
Whoever advised any such emancipation edict that
of President Lincoln predicted any grand results from
it'll Did Governor Andrew promise that the hedges and
highways would swarm in response to an edict which
we cannot free Did Greeley promise his 900 900 90
and help Sany crush liberty North Carolina aud Banks
make smooth speeches before planters in louisiana This
talk about having emancipation policy is idotic.
We have never had such policy any thing like it.
These negroes do not to aid respond to the
proclamation because they not and not meant to
respond We might leave this before the common
Of the country Does the World stand ready to admit
that Fremont In Bunkss place to-day negroes would
flock to him. There is not a man 10 the country who
does not know that Fremont Montgomery, and numbers
klaoI utou Nc tho
South Thereare others like Banks buwe aude to him be-
he is surrounded by million negroes whom he could
hare called about him with word
The plain fact is that the Administration has acted
with dupcty in the whole matter of emancipation. IL
has az Train said simply drawn the fire Of the abolition
sts Ne fear that the President has deliberately conriped
that The emancipation shall not too become actual
We Of delegation which visited the Presi-
dent to urge the recall OF certain openly proasery officers
Of high rank whom he knew and admitted were opposing
or ignoring bis proclamation, amongst others Of Gov.
Stany. The Presdent conceded that there men in
whom the negroes had faith and 10 whom they would look
but, sad he, ohat ooud do ,oih the negroes il they
should come 10 ws7'
eft s not to our purpose 10 discuss the childish ques
ton which the Democracy have ceased to ask
experience with the tong contrsbands only wish
to show that the President has his for revokng the
Buffers and Fremouts and sending such Banks,
Grant and Andy johnson into the South and nominating
such Stevenson to be Brgader Generals He doe,
not osh the negroes 10 respond al once TO has proclamation
Like skipper lreeon leaves the wrecked ones on their
should he take them aboard He could send Fremont
South but then the negroes might take the edict 10
est and then--wbat should we do with them
"I conviction that the blood and treasure Of this
country are shamely wasted and that it is the duty
the people to force their rulers TO the issue Of freedom
slavery II the people not up to this every conscrpt
ra sed every dollar paid will be wasted badly
and money have been wasted for two years 1t is
painful for us to avow lack Of faith in rulers but we
should be guilty of the timdity and duplicity IL
did not do s0."
This is "loyalty," a, loyalty is understood by
the radical politicians. 1t is very cheap form Of
patriotism, and consists chiefly in speaking evil Of
dignitarics, and especially in traduciDg the Presi.
dent. But if other people animadvcrt on any Of
the Presidents measures in such way to prove
none the less that they have some respect for him
as well as for themselves, why this is downright
disloyalty;" J" treason overt or covert