Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-10-15
IMPRACTICAL DIssENsIoNs."

Eta IMPRACTICAL. DIssENsIONS."
The Boston Daily Advertiser, in commenting on
certain dissensions which have arisen among the
loyal supporters of the Government in Maryland
and after expressing the opinion that these dissen
sions, notwithstanding the heat that has been en-
gendered by the friction Of adverse organizations,
relate to differences which theoretical than
practical, proceeds to remark as follows:
This singular impractical quarrel matter which
s fat ceasing to be worth quarreng about s not unlike
the greater dsput-s which divide many true friends of the
Union. The controversy still goes as to the legal
grounds Of emancipation the effect Of the proclamation
and it, authority Meanwhile however, slavery itself is
perishiDg by slow process The proclamation is dead
letter aud scccmpshes the freedom Of slavesays
bat time, by the atton of the system against
which the proclamation is directed is crnmblng away
the return Of peace theme Of constant discussion with
another and yet, affairs there will soon be
slaver to be- kept in slavery While sleep the grass
grows While the yal are discussing such p0ints-one
would cay out Of pure love of sbsraconsheg great ques
tion of the time is settling itself The inevitable ch Of
events is taking away from among us the subject OF our
chief controversies and dspODg of the vast problem at
which human power stumbes aud falls, n such form as
suits the great designs Of allwise Providence"
There is great deal of truth and philosophy ID
this view, and if all the professed friends Of the
Government In the present crisis were as discreet
and moderate as the Advertiser, we presume there
would be little occasion for fruitess dissensiops
about " impractical questions" relating to the
proclamation Of freedom" or the legal grounds
Of emancipation" So entirely do We share this
opinion that some months ago--it was on the 18th
of last March--we referred to this difficult and
of IN kba fo
terms:
1t distinctly appears that whatever injury the institu
ton of slavery shall receive in the war; will be in
Jury resulting from the actual havoc Of military opera
tons from the shock Of distuI bng for time the
SOCIAL arrangements Of every community whose soil is
made the Of conflict And since ant-savery
paas like the New York Tribune have to adopt the
views coEsseuty entertained this topic by
tive journaists IL becomes question with the latter
equsly with the former whether the so-casd 'procama-
hcn OF freedom any longer be said to present point
Of difference of controversy between those who alike
profess TO uphold the Government the present
10 fact the proclamation has been found be- any
thing Than dead letter and sue 10 has been
buried out Of sight by the acues Of the vivid struRg-
in which the country engaged If in the estimation Of
those who were the original friends Of the policy
the country derives from aid in prosecuting the
let It's opponents SET to endow it with imaginary
vitality merely for the sake of embarrassing the Govern
ment war measure which has proved so inopera-
tive and void needs only to be combaed the ground o
the theoretical principles which 1t impugns for creates
But when it is attempted to convert the " pr :
elamation of freedom from a means into an end,
and when political theorists like Mr.. Whiting
would endow it with vitality only for the pur-
pose of waging in its name war against the Con.
stitution and the Union, it is evident that those
who we're ready with to pretermit the discussion
Of an "uppractical topic" can no longer ignore
the new and very practical issues which it is
sought to spring upon the country under the cover
Of this proclamation. For these new issues, if
once engrafted on the policy Of the war, would
tend to accumulate insuperable obstacles in the
way Of restoring the Union, a, their very sugges-
ton has already done immense damage to the ma
tonsl cause, by endowing the insurgents with fresh
arguments for firing the Southern heart" and
new motives for persisting in the conflict, since,
at the WORT, they can be no more than subjugated-
prospect which is the best that the revolutionary
theory has TO offer to the entire people of the
South, without regard to their personal or indi-
vidual opinions in the past or their engagements
for the future.
Tie Montgomery (Ala.) Advertiser, in publish
ing, as it did, the whole Of Mr. Solicitor Whiting
letter upon the conditions Of reunion" accom-
panied it with the following suggestion
"If there ia man in the Coniedeacy in favor Of the
reconst of the Unon let him read this letter and
his doom State Inns to be obliteratd State
rights ignor public aud private property and interest
swept away tho of the South rich and poor, with
their and little Ones to be made the servant OF
servants"
Now, we hold that any theory of action which
thus puts arguments into the mouths of Southern
disunonists and places weapons in their hands, i,
theory which becomes terribly practical, and
which the friends Of the Union called by every
consideration of duty to deplore and, deporing tc
resist by all means in their power.
N. THE CONNECTICUT TOWN ELECTIONS.