Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1863-07-16

hoped and believed accomplished 1t will be our fault
ana crime that hope frustrated Let u.s. then on the
return OF the day Of the nations BIRTH resolve that
depends il shall not be defeated OF ali secular
days that for examination and of aults
aud this duty is equally imperative upon those who are
entrusted with the administration OF the Government
They too with the people should sincerely inquire in what
in any thing, they have offended fallen short of duty
The result of the examination cannot but prove more s
tslactoy to the people than to their agents With pa
trosm never before exceeded the former have almost
prodga lent themselves and their wealth to the latter to
maintain the Government. Properly used, and with
policy which rejecting patriotic men from the first
was vital to success the rebellion would long since have
been terminated.
The war is peculiar one On the part Of the Govern.
ment there was no constitutional ground any other
ground worthy Of even moral appreciation upon which it
could BIO prosecuted than the duty to restore the Union
IT existed when the rebellion commenced. To such re-
storaon the protection of the State Governments and the
people OF the States 10 all their rights secured reserved
by the Constitution of the General Government was and
continues to be absolutely necessary The United States
constituted by fathers cannot exist without the en-
stence OF the States To destroy the last in single in
stance to take away part the very foundation which
the former rest and only rest Interference with the
institutions of the is violation of the guarantees ex
press and implied, of the other Power mere physical
power NAV accomplish the destruction Of these md tba
States which through the General Government accomplish
it may continue to live but it will not be the life which the
Constitution bestowed To the extent that the destruction
stitutonal freedom which fathers designed for all will
at be measuraby destroyed and precedent estab
shed which will, sooner later involve all in ruin. That
this opinion general in the commencement Of the
mast be known to all Congress them solemn resolution
declared it, and long the sincerity of the declaration
believed and the Government to act in the
spirit victory crowned and the Union feel
ing in the South which at first prevailed to considerable
extent and hopeful of the defeat of the rebellion
This feeling ia through the change of policy
dying out and soon unless the original be resumed,
ho HyknlIU yfnnt
Our rulers then on the coming anniversary should search
their souls In the privacy Of their closets they
should subject themselves TO honest scrutinxDg
aminaton-abandOn preudces, If they find them-driye
out any party feeling if they bot out any
views to Presidential election Chat fruitful Of for
geulness of national duy if they the slightest symp
tom of the disease and resolve devotg themselves to
the SINGLE patriotic purpose, which God and man alike
expect Of them the suppression of the rebellion and the
restoration of the Unon with all the rights of States and
persons which it clearly designed to regard and
protect And let them at the earliest moment make the
avowa Let them the glad tidngs to be sent into
every of the land and the portentous clouds now
lowering and thckenng will be seen dispers
ing and confidence taking the place of dependency.
Another duty on their part equally clear and almost
important Let them correct the faults far as they
can regard to it which they have committed and Of
which they must be conscious and resolve commit
such in the future Let the President who are
bound to believe intends WELL remove from command all
unfit officers, whose stars their shoulderstaps
the reward of skill and galantry the field but Of party
services. The army is filled with brgadiers and major
generals to say nothing of other officers unfit that the
President is unwilling to assign them commands suited to
their rank. With such materials commanderin-chief
whether Scott Mcclellan, Haeck insure success
However skfuly planned campaigns may be, they must
fail Twice recently on the Rappshannock, two of the
latter from evident want of ability led to slaughter thou
sands and thousands of brave men Green or Wash
ngton led to victory-men who, when led by skill
full chief made the of South Mountain, Antietam
and Mcclellan immortal The two officers alluded to-
no doubt gallant and patriotic soldiers but ncompe.
tent except to lead corps-are happily longer en-
trusted with the fate of the Army of the Potomac 1t
now under the lead of another patriotic soldier aud gentle
man. God grant he may prove equal to the duty His
beginning augurs WE'LL vaingloous buasng always
the evidence Of ncapacty and almost always the harbn
ger of defea comes from Meade. The people, therefore,
will hopefully trust him, though had another been called
there would be perfect confidence well hope; and
another would have been called to lead the noble phsanX
if the voice of the people was regarded at Washington
They have spoken already tones that should have pierced
the Presidential but, should disaster again be the
fate of those brave troops, they will speak trumpet
tongued, brookng denial, but commanding obedience
May Heaven however, under Its present leader
the next onset of the Army of the Potomac with decisive
victory But should defeat be the result to save itself as
well as the country the Government will do it did last
summer not only order but implore George b. Mcclellan
to place himself at its head to bring it out OF whatever
disorder disaster may have involved it ill., and lead il again
against the oe and who doubts that should this be DONE
the cheers Of the rank and file will be heard again filling
the the confidence of the officers be restored and
the foe be again driven from the soil which they through
weakness, have been permitted to dishonor
public sentiment respecting it is too strongly exhibited to
be mistaken. To defy it will be madness Arrests on
suspicion in the Loyal States where the course of
justice unimpeded must Their very safety and
the success of demand this And arrests for
alleged specific causes of civilians not under military rule
must be disposed of provided by the legislation of the
last Congress Whatever differences of opinion may exist
to the extent of the executive power Of the President
doubt that it within the scope Of the au-
thorty OF the Legislative Department Of the Government
pass the laws referred to- 1t m of course the duty of
the President to obey them To disregard them himself
to permit his military subordinates to do Gas has
been done is clear violation of that duty Even if the
power Congress questionable decent respect for
Congress- and for public opinion, requires that this
duct should not repeated Freedom of speech and Of
the press too not be abridged This provided for
by express constitutional guarantee which it is i'm
peachable offence to disregard.
The military, too should be instructed to conduct the
the humane principles of the modern laws of war
The burning Of private public buildings where they are
not being used by the rebels for military purposes and The
appropriation of private property except for own
military purposes, must end To tolerate this to make
effective restoration of the Union impossible Such
acts Of vandalism plant deep in the hearts Of the sufferers
bitter hostility In the words of the Poet Of the Heavens
Never true reconcilement grow
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep"
Such ourages too, bringing upon the indignant
contempt Of tho world. Sghter enormtes Of like kind
occurring during the Of &c and ~ met with
own universal reprobaton The burning Of the public
buildings in Washington at the latter period caused Wei