Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-12-03

which is more "radicsl' than the Chicago Tn
bune. We do not believe it is any more persuaded
that slavery is social evil than some others among
its contemporaries whose political dialect is not
precisely modulated according to its own There
are those who, in dealing with questions of con-
crete politics. feel it necessary to handle them with
circumspectioR and sobriety; and it is probable
that the chronic schism between "radicals" and
" conservatives" springs from those intellectual
differences which cause some men to pause at the
threshold of all reforms to consider the rghtful
ness, practi,ability, or expediency of the means
employed to reach certain end, while others are
SO preoccupied with the desrablity of the end had
in view that they grow either too preoipitate or
too INSCRIPTIONS in their choice OF agencies by
which to attain the object of their aspirations
But our Chicago contemporary, in reading
lecture to some imaginary conservatives" who, it
assumes, are over-anxious to preserve slavery from
the consequences Of the natural causes working
for its destruction has incucated some lessons SO
proper to be marked and digested by impatient
" radicals" that we cite them for the instruction
of the latter, if haply we have any among our
readers. 1t says :
Saping is good business if the thing saved be good
for apy thing and can secured without too much cost
and peril to other interests If the thing called slavery
were good thing it would be highly meritorlous endea-
vor 10 the general wreck to which it going as fast
time and the rush of events in Gods providence can carry
it. to gather up whatever of the wreck and remnants
might be possible and preserve them for future But,
as tho is it ia questionable whether it be worth the
while any go cleaning after the reapers of des
tiny the stray strsws of that institution which lie
about the fields where it lately fourished We submit
to any Of our conservative friends who dislike TO
things tumbed about whether it s worth their while to
be at much trouble to the odds and ends of such
We're the city of Washington here, and could
we talk to in high places we would submit to them
whether it would pay the whole, for any Cabinet Off
give himself any great anxiety to gather up and
hold to the flying threads OF that dark web now so ra
pdly ravelling out in Missouri Maryand' Why not
rather give way the inevitable aud let the thing CO. just
fast laws of Nature and of and Gods prov
dence normally working to destroy it'll
" 1t is conceded that the institution put up at the
hazard Of the with the first gun that was fired on
Sumter The bail that broke hole in the wall broke
d thousand times big in the constitutional lgaments
which held slavery in safety to the South Henceiorth
must take its chances 1t turns out it would
the chances awfuly against it war is grinding il
fine and wpng it of about fast as possible IN the ma
of things. Why not let it go True Kentucky be-
ing specially intent this thing, may hold to the
old shell Of slavery for whle but what will it amount
to after all If any thing is doomed, or being done for
it is the patriarcha concern in Maryland Delaware
West Virginia, Missouri, Arkansas Louisiana and Ten
aessee When it is wiped out in those States what will
it be worth in Kentucky
Nothing is certain than that President, Cabinet
and all concerned will nd the easiest road to be the
and the shortest When revolution, bene-
cent and inevitably destined to 60 through, has set in
aud is under way there greater folly than to think
to it mid This is the special weakness
of small men, who get frightened at the noise and dust
which is raised and which they themselves perhaps ped
to raiss
I'VE trust of course to the President and his advisers
to adhere as far as may be- to constitutional FORMS
and IN ms ka az
President is of strictly legal mind and good law
yer and has good lawyers about him. the people do not
feel any great solctude that these things will not be
attended to.
What we insist on is, that the mode OF arbitrament
which the rebels have themselves chosen shall do it's pro-
per work that slavery shall take all the chances 1T has
evoked that these chances shall not be smooth
ed, soothed but that the broom shall follow close
the heels of the rereating rebellion and sweep clean
ny square foot of ground exposes This will be found
only The safest and best but in the long run
the easiest"
Now, if it be true as the Chicago Tribune af
firms, (and as no conservative" Denies that slave
ry is going to ga general wreck as fast time and
the rush of events in Gods providence can carry
il" why should our radical friends give them
selves SO much trouble to hasten its progress at
faster pace than time and Gods providence"
are visibly marking for its exit? Repeating the
very words of our contemporary, and modestly sug-
costing that some of its oyerzealous friends might
proftably take lesson out Of its book, we would
PROFOUND to "radicals" the same query it pro-
pounded to conservatives and ask, "Wby not
rather give way to the inevitable, and let the thing
go just as fast as the laws of Nature and of war
and Gods providence normally working to de-
stroy ?"
In fact, it is only the Constitutional Conserva-
tives who can properly put this reproachful ques-
ton to other people. They now perfectly will
ing, and always have been since the war for the
Union began to see slavery recede before the pro-
gress of our "just as fast as the laos Of Ma
ture and Of ,car and Gods providence were nor
may working to destroy it." But the "radi-
Gals" were not satisfied with the normal working"
of these forces, and sought to quicken their opera
ton by ovcrshooting the mark with "paper pro-
clamations" declaring men to be free when they
not free, and millions of whom are still held
in bondage. And, by thus seeking to get ahead of
time, the laws of Nature, and of Gods providence,
they have incurred the usual penalty Of such in
prudence and presumpton--that of making their
miscalculaions only the more signal in the eyes Of
the world and Of postponiDg the realization Of their
wishes, The proclamation of January 1st, 1868,
declaring the slaves of Alabama now, henceforth,