Weekly national intelligencer., 1863-08-20
WHERE ARE WET

The great expounder and defender of the Con-
stitution, on an occasion familiar to us all, COM
menced his greatest speech in the Senate of the
United States in the following words: "W When the
mariner has been tossed for many days, in thick
weather and on an unknown sea, he natssslly
favsls himself Of the first pause in the storm, the
Earliest glance of the sun, to take his latitude,
and ascertain how far the elements have driven
{ him from his true course. Let US initiate this
prudence, and before we float farther on the waves
of this debate, refer to the point from which we
departed that we may at least be able to copjec-
6 ture where we now are"
This country has now for many months been
tossed on the unknown sea of bloody civil war,
and as there is at present pause in the Storm"
it may be timely to take political latitude, and
ascertain how far the raging elements have driven
us from the true course. 1t is by referring to the
point from which we departed in the inception of
this war that we can at least " conjecture where
we now are"
We are quite well aware that there are some to
whom this inquiry will seem unnecessary. The
ship of State, in stormy in fair weather, has its
barnacles who care not and heed not whittier she
may drift if only they can retain their hold on her
keel. There will always be those to whom it is
enough to know what the present aoiU of their mas
ters may be to secure corresponding assentation.
But, as such men are held in contempt by the very
objects Of their obsequous debasement they may be
safely left out of all account in speaking of American
freemen. With these it is not habit to yield to
any Administration that unquestioning support
which implies on the part of those who are ready
to give it public Remuneration Of their indepen-
dence and manhood. What the present Administra-
tion desires to receive and deserve is q support
founded, not on ignorance or subservency, but on
IN intelligent and candid appreciation of its .nea-
sures, as they affect the welfare of the country.
Such i support we have sought to give it in all
its departments, and, whatever may have been our
lack of intelligence are sure there has been no
want of candor on our part in the inspirations un-
der which we have approached the discussion of
current political issues at this momentous crisis.
1t is true that we have always been more anxious
to say what we believed to be true than what we
supposed might be pleasing to any particular func-
tionary, and it has given great satisfaction in
writing always according to our independent con-
vctions, to fud that in doing SO we have been
compelled to express disapprova, with any fire.
quency, of only single department Of the Exec
utive Government, as at present administered.
We allude, Of course, to the War Department since
it has been under the control of Mr.. STANTON.
Nor have we allowed any prejudice to blind
us to his merits. None awarded him more honor
than we, when, Immediately after his accession
to oice, he declared that the exigency had passed
which rendered the policy Of arbitrary arrests longer
necessary in the Loyal States, and when he FORE
shadowed speedy return to {" the normal course of
administration" in the dispensation of justice.
), But in awarding him this honor, we did not COM
NIT ourselves to the approval of such proceedings
as have subsequently occurred to disappoint equally
our hopes and our just expectations We, there
fore, can approach the inquiry before us without
antpatby as without favor. We desire to take
soundines and ascertain where we are, if not by
" the first glance Of the sum-" at least by the
drift wood Of the ship, which marks the track she
has pursued through the waters Of this bloody sea-
The declarations made from time to time by the
President and by his official subordinates serve
dS Uuoyb W Rulue US In bnlS survey. LII ID easy
to see where we when we compare our present
position with the point Of our departure We shall
ascertain the latter by only few of the more pro-
minent signals.
In his first message to Congress, called to meet
in extraordinary session on the 4th of July, 1861
President LINCOLN held the following language:
Lest there be in the minds Of candid
men what s to be the Of the Government To-
wards the Southern States after the rebellion shall have
been suppressed the Executive deems it proper b, ssy il
will be his purpose them 10 be guided by the Con
stituton aud the laws and that be probably win have no
different understanding OF the powers and duties of the
Federal Government relatively to the rights Of the States
and the people, under the Constitution than that
in the inaugural adress He desires to preserve the Gov
ernmen that it may be administered for ALL it
minsered by the who made it, Loyal citizens every
where have the right to claim this Of their Governments
and the Government has right withhold or neglect it,
1t not perceived that in giving it, there s any
clon any conquest any subugaton In any just sense
Of those terms"
Interpreting tho expressed will of the President
and defining the only constitutional object of the
war, this same Congress, in month after it had
been convened, declared, with unparalleled una
nimity, in the words Of the lamentcd Crittenden !:
"That this war not wsged 10 any spirit Of
for any purpose Of conquest subugao or purpose
overthrowpg interfering with riQhts or esabsh
cd institutions of these States bat 10 defend and maintain