Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-03
NATIONAL INTELLIG ENCER
coMPREHENslvENEss OF VIEW

1--we, more lDhn otHcI Poiiou -
OF the Republic, call for patriotism which shali
be intelligent and comprehensive, weii-oaiancea'
and full-orbed Want Of completeness OF Oreaa'h
of view nav often misead as fatally as positive
miscancentiou Of what is actually embraced IN the
field of vision for, as has been well sara py Da-
con truth emerses sooner from error than from
confusion. and nothing tends to confuse the mind
as an inadequate perception of topics upon which
undertakes to pronounce judgment. The mistaken
practice that arises from actual error in the under
standing may be often more easily corrected than
the Deryerse and distorted conduct which results
from partial knowledge and one-sided apprecla-
TONS especially when the latter are accompanied,
as they generally are, with fervent zeal Tor par
ticular opinions aud prepossessions.
1t is in men whose views of duty are insufficient
that We most frequently fad the highest degree OF
selfsufficiency. and, where this is the case, the
very light that is in them becomes more con-
founding than confessed and discovered darkness,
which always induces caution aud hesitation II
we would see clearly the path in which we can tread
with safety there must be circumspection, embrac-
in, all the phenomena around US, as we'll as noting
the road that points in the right line Of our own
,recauceiyed destination The farthest way round,
as the old proverb Declares is sometimes the short
est road home. but it is only those who are OR.
cumspect" that can ever profit by the aphorism
If we scan the opinions of men as developed by
the events which now fix the attention OF the Anne
ricsn people in all the Loyal States, We shall find
every where the traces of this half knowledge and
of this Insufficient perception of the elements en-
tering into the great contest. There are some who
in their zeal for slavery, are IN danger OF forget
ting that the grand issue, paramount to all Others
is the preservation Of our Constitution and form OF
Government as well in its territorial integrity as
in its principles and genius. They are for the
Union, but not tcittom slavery.
There are others who, in their zeal against sla-
very. ale in danger Of sharing the same forgetful-
mes, as to IT, paramount ISSUE preferring to t the
violent and INN adiate determination of hated
institution at whatever damage to the edfce of our
civil liberties They are for the Union, but not
tcih slavery.
There are some who, in their zeal against the
Administrator, in danger Of forgetting that
we have a Government, which existed before the
Administration, as it is destined to survive
it, and which, as such, j, worthy to command
the best allegiance and most loyal support of
all good citizens, who, in giving this allegiance
and this support to the Government, are required
to give all due honor and obedience to the tempo
rary incumbents Of official place-t being always
understood in constitutional country, and in
Government Of laws, and not Of men, that " due
honor and obedience" mean submission 70 laws and
no. complsissnce to men.
There are others who, in their zeal for The Ad-
inisraton, are in danger of forgetting themselves:
and Of denying to others the right Of American
freemen freely to canvass the acts Of their rulers
and who would fain substitute the Adm;nistra-
ton for the Government, thus subverting the very
conditions Of rational loyalty by identifying the
stable forms of the Constitution with the personal
merta Or dement's of men clothed in brief au-
thority.
There arc some who, 10 their zeal against par
ticular abuses Of power, the incidents Of all great
civil convulsions, are in danger Of giving to these
incidents q preponderance the mighty issue
which is on trial before the American people
Disaffected and disheartened By the errors or, it
may be- by the arbitrary and illegal assumptions Of
this officer and that, they tempted to turn away
in disgust or despair from the duties of a constant
and answering patriotism. Nothing betrays like
such dependency, and it is resreancy against
which all good citizens called to guard not by
overlooking ard certainly not by winkiug at the
usurpatioDs Of power, but By avoiding that exag.
geration Of view which would permit the short
comings Of civil officer the exactions of mill
tary commander to blind the eyes to perception
Of the real crisis in all its magnitude
There are others who, in their partisan zeal for
particular officers and commanders, and who, in
their hee1ess sacrifice Of principles to please men,
are in danger Of forgetting that all abuses and
usurpations, sooner or later, bring weakness and
schism upon the body polite, and that in this
view, they should be promptly checked and severe
ly rebuked wherever they make their appearance
We have thus signalized few Of the instances
in which men Of different prepossessions are in
danger Of erring from defect in the scope
Of their vision. All these misconceptions Of
duty may be goneralzed under single head
for thy al spriDg from inadequate sense of
that due proportion and natural relation which