The Morgantown monitor. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1863-1864, 1863-03-07
MORGANTOWN, MAR. 7, 1865
An IlI-defned Policy.

people, a degree of nneasiness and
uncertainty in regard to the real pol
icu of the administration, that is do
inc more than all else to weaken our
armies; destroy the confidence of the
people; and discourage the strongest
supporters of the Government.
We do not breach this subject from
anv desire. or with any design to
iisa gree with, or cast reflections ny
on. the administration; but we men
ton it as a lamentable fact. that in
such q stage of our country's h'sto-
rv. any one, even the most humble
citizen shall be in doubt or imper-
fect!y conceive the policy of the ad-
ministration he is called to support.
The men that now constitute orr ar
mics, and are boldly facing the enc
nv in defense Of their country, were
not enlisted under such an uncer-
taiutv; nor are their numbers swell
ling with that rapidity and zeal
which the cause at first elected. -
The charm seems to have vanished
the ranks. And why? Not because
the pay Of the soldier has been d.
unfinished, or is any the less sure
Not because the scope for military
honors has been eclipsed, or that
they are less priced now than before.
Not because the necessities Of the
Government require less number
Of men, or that its efforts to obtain
them have been relaxed Nor is it a
strange thing that no one can &C
count for. Its solution lies in the
economy of human nature itself, and
every mans breast reflects the truth,
demonstrated too by all time, that
men war only when inspired By The
coHse-policy we may say-whIch
occasions the necessity.
The truth of this assertion comes
home with force to our minds when
We contrast the period when Is, 900
men went rushing to arms at mo-
ment's warming, in obedience to a
call to defend The capitol Of their coun'
try, with later periods when men
stand arrayed in arms against a con-
scrlption act, calling them-to what ?
And in this interrogatory lies the
cause itself. In the former case, we
have a clearly defined ohject-an OBJ
iect calculated to arouse the patriot
ism of every American citizen-a
call "to defend the Capitol. In
the latter we have call, or conscrlp-
ton, not as before professedly "to
defend the Capitol - nor was there
protessedly any definite object or pol
lev avowed, farther than to fill the
ranks of the army, and await the
developement of policy for which
they were to offer up their lives,
whether it were in its nature for des-
potism or democracy.
Americans were not bred under
such limitations as a course like thus
involves. The highest, dearest lib
erty our Government boasts, is that
each and every subject, however hum
bic, reserves the right to exercise
his own Judgment upon matters
which call for his action either in a
political or moral sphere.
But it may be argued that poll
cy has been professed in the conduct
of the war tits true that at the be-
ginning Of the war Congress pas
sed, with but two dissenting voices,
resolution to the effect-"that this
war is not waged on our part in any
spirit of oppression, nor for any pnr-
pose of suhjngation, nor purpose Of
nvprthrowing or interfering with the
established institutions of the States;
hut to defend and maintain the SUI
premacy of the Constitution, and
preserve the Union with all the dig
nifty, equality and rights of the sew
eral States unimpaired; that as soon
as these objects are accomplished the
war ought:o cease. And we contend
tina. i. was fer the objects set forth IN
this resolution that our present for
cea were raised. Yet these objects
have been set set aside by p:oclama-
items. Proclamations have mixed
up and mystfed every other policy.
Proclamations have set aside and ia
ken the place of the Constitution
There is nothing clearer to a rational