The dollar weekly bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1862-1864, 1863-08-20

William Whiting, Solicitor, of the War
Office, has written letter to the Union
League of Philadelphia, which is published.
Being Solicitor of the War Office. it is prob
able that the opinions OF Mr.. Whiting, up
on the present and future of the country,
may be not improperly taken as a reflection
of those of his department and of the Ad-
ministraton, that is to say, if the Admins
tration as an unit can be presumed to have
any opinions upon the subject
Mr.. Whiting abors to demonstrate that
the restoration of the Union, that is to say,
the reinstatement of the insu-gent States
in their old relations with the others, under
the Constitution, would be unwise and i'm
practicable. He fails to recognize compul-
sion and war as means to produce those
| feelings of amity which are requisite for
the harmony and continuance of national
bond of which consent is presumed to be
the foundation, and argues that formal
restoration would only inaugurate anarchy
with perpetual tendency to open hostili-
ties. Iu these views Mr.. Whiting is IN
doubtedly correct, assuming that war is the
only agency which is to be employed;
and we are glad to take shelter under his
authority while asserting to conclusions
which, if not now, not long ago, to have sta
ted as our own, would have subjected US to
the charge Of disloyalty and sympathy with
ebellion, if not to severer iDhictions.
Mr.. Whiting asserts that the United
States can not consistently. with honor, per-
nit the Union as it was TO be restored. 1t
has made pledges and incurred obligations
to the negroes, with which such restoration
would be incompatible. The insurgent
States, il allowed the unrestraiued control
of their own internal policy, would con-
I A. \ IL Ia
and strength, acquire political influence in
the nation, and ultimately either become
the governing power or be able again to
take arms ard secure their independ encs.
All these things, in his opinion, must be
guarded against.
He, therefore, insists: 1. Upon the en-
tire extinction of slavery, upon such terms
and under such guarantees that it shall not
be possible for it again to exist; and 2. Tho
establishment in the South of such local in.
situations as shall conduce to our interests
and insure its subordination:
ALLOW the inhabitants of conquered ter
ritory to form themselves into States only
by adopting constitutions such as will for
ever remove all cause of collision with the
United States, by excluding slavery there
from, or continue military government over
the conquered district until there shall APP
pear therein a sufficient number Of loyal in
habitants to form republican government,
which by guaranteeing freedom to all, shall
be in accordance with the true spirit of the
Constitution of the United States"
The ultimate results of the present state
of forcibe hostility, military or political
no man can predict, and nobody but fool
would make the attempt All such essays
as this of Mr.. Whiting are founded upon
the idea that we are rapidly approaching
fiEality, the form of which we, or some
body has the the power to shape and pen
citrate. There is an earnest looking for f.
uality. The people, tired of war, and i'm
patient to begin to clear away the rubbish
and rebuild, are hoping, yearning, praying
for its arrival. AT such times any political
charlatan or theorist who can get up a
plausible plan, will find an audience as
shallow as himself to accept and give it all
the honors. But, while man proposes, God
disposes. The march of humanity is the
m arch OF destiny, ceaseless and memorable.
Events in America have taken the bit in
their teeth, and it is beyond the power of
individuals either to guide the progress or
prescribe the result. In respect to political
facts, there are no such things as fnalitieS.
Every state of things is but stage in an
endless PROCESSION of events-one OF the
cause of another-and so on eternally. The
power does not exist upon earth, never did
and never will exist which can create a
condition and decree and secure its coutin-
uance: and the more arbitrary and artificial
a continuance, the brefer will be its period
Of duration.
We may establish institutions for the
South; but the question is, Will they stay
established? Suppose there should be what
is called loyal majority, who can guaran-
tee that such majority will continue? Sup.
pose that it does continue, can a majority
sustain political condition against a mi
nority opposed to its fundamental principles?
No such thing ever did happen. Our Gov
eminent has stood for two-thirds of a CEN
tury, because, in respect to its organic doc
trines, the people have been unanimous
They have differed only in respect to policy
and administration. The same is the case
with England and France; the government
has represented the Interior convictions o {
the governed; and revolutions have been
only changes of dynasty. These are facts
which we may dispute and ignore as much
neverth eless, and as such will never sleep
until they have indicated tn cir protency by
producing conditions to correspond.
In respect to political principles there is
but one inality: in the freedom of the citi-
zen and the recognition of his independent
will upon equal terms with his fellows, as
the source of the governing power. Toward
this point all the people of the world are
travelling, and have been in all the ages
Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, have died
on the march, and left their relics as sad
memorials of the struggles they underwent,
and the difficulties with which they had to
contend; but others have been no more de-
tered by these than the ship is stopped by
the floating wreck, or the caravan turned
back from its painless course by the sight
of decaying camel or bleaching skeleton.